Lily James replaces Sylvester Stallone in classic '90s action reboot

Ian Sandwell

October 31, 2024 at 6:05 p.m.·2 min read

In the most unexpected casting news of the month, Lily James has landed her next lead movie role by replacing Sylvester Stallone on the reboot of Cliffhanger.

The reboot of the '90s action classic was first announced in May 2023 with Stallone reprising his role and Ric Roman Waugh directing. However, Variety has confirmed that the project has had a complete creative overhaul.

Lily James will now take on the lead role and Jaume Collet-Serra – known for The Shallows and The Commuter, among others – is now directing the new movie.

Filming is now underway in Austria and Pierce Brosnan has also joined the cast, alongside Nell Tiger Free, Franz Rogowski, Shubham Saraf, Assaad Bouab, Suzy Bemba and Bruno Gouery.

The reboot of Cliffhanger is based on a story by Ana Lily Amirpour and has been described as a "father-daughter take on Die Hard".

During a weekend trip with a billionaire's son with his daughter Sydney, seasoned mountaineer Ray Cooper (Brosnan) is targeted by a gang of kidnappers. Ray's daughter Naomi (James) witnesses the attack and manages to escape.

Haunted by a past climbing accident, Naomi must confront her fears and fight for survival in order to save her family.

pierce brosnan — Leon Bennett - Getty Images

"Shooting our movie on location in the Dolomites using large format cameras was imperative for us to show the scope and scale of the story we're telling. We're going to bring the audience a truly thrilling and visceral, premium theatrical experience," said Serra.

"Lily in particular has gone above and beyond for the role, putting in real training and learning to climb. Her dedication has allowed us to capture some incredible shots we couldn't have achieved otherwise, and the whole crew is blown away by her commitment."

Cliffhanger does not yet have a release date.

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