Cliffhanger Reboot - Everything You Need To Know
Launching his career back in the '70s with the cinematic knock-out punch that was the first film in the "Rocky" franchise, Sylvester Stallone went on to become one of the heaviest-hitting action mega-stars of the late 20th century. A larger-than-life icon of the big screen, the actor is often featured as a lone-wolf hero out to right wrongs and wring justice from either an uncaring system or a suitably hiss-worthy villain. More recently, Stallone added fresh projects to his credit list including the TV hit "Tulsa King" and "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3."
Back in 1993's "Cliffhanger," which eventually earned over $250 million at the box office, the actor took on more than the usual batch of heavily armed antagonists he often faced in many of his roles. In this outing, he confronted a much more implacable adversary: the dizzying and deadly heights of the Italian Alps. As The Hollywood Reporter noted, Stallone is now about to strap on his crampons again to reboot "Cliffhanger" in an all-new iteration of the vertigo-inducing original.
When will Cliffhanger be released?
At the present moment, only the most bare-bones information has been parceled out about the production and those involved in its creation, other than the main revelation that it will join the venerable tradition of rebooting successful and less-than-successful Hollywood movies. Because of this, it is unknown at the time of this writing whether filming has started on this production.
The fact is, as reported in a Variety article about "Cliffhanger," the information so far seems to indicate that even if any production has begun, it can't involve much more than the most preliminary sort of activity. This is due to the fact that apparently the lead role in the film has yet to be cast. With this being the case, it's hard to know what has been initiated. While Variety reveals scriptwriter Mark Bianculli is on board, the current progress on that script is unknown.
What is the plot of Cliffhanger?
While little is known about the plot given the lack of information at the time of this writing, one likely won't be far off course to imagine the "Cliffhanger" reboot will have some sort of call-backs to the original film in spirit — if not in narrative specifics. As fans may recall, the original 1993 "Cliffhanger" centers on a terrorist plot to steal $100 million in uncirculated cash from a U.S. Treasury air shipment. Under the leadership of bad-guy boss Eric Qualen, played by rebooted "Perry Mason" star John Lithgow, the crooks attempt a mid-air robbery.
When the crooks lose the cash high above the Italian Alps, Sylvester Stallone's mountain rescue ranger, Gabe Walker, swings into action. The psychological weight dragging Gabe down during the entire mission is the fact that an innocent girl fell to her death on his watch years before in a shocking climbing accident, so it's possible Walker may still be dogged by a guilt-inducing ghost from the past.
Like with many Sylvester Stallone movies, it's also safe to assume there will be plenty of breathtaking fight sequences and most likely an explosion or two.
Who is starring in Cliffhanger?
While information is minimal at the time of this writing, one salient fact about the new flick is known. The good news is that Sylvester Stallone will again be taking up his ice pick in the movie; however, the size of his role is still uncertain.
The Hollywood Reporter confirms that Stallone will be gearing up again as mountain rescue ranger Gabe Walker, but Variety admits that a search for a lead actor is still being conducted. This raises the intriguing possibility that Stallone could be a supporting character to some other central hero.
While a sharp deviation from the "Rocky" star's established record as a leading man who rarely needs backup, the prospect of him taking the back seat is a fascinating one. In fact, Gabe Walker could become some sort of wise mentor figure to whoever steps into the leading role of "Cliffhanger."
Who is directing Cliffhanger?
With Sylvester Stallone partaking in the re-imagined "Cliffhanger," the next must-know question is who is directing the feature. As detailed in The Hollywood Reporter and Variety pieces, the film is bringing in experienced industry vet Ric Roman Waugh.
Waugh began his feature film directing career in 2001 with "In the Shadows." Since then, he's called the shots in films including "Felon," "Snitch," and "Shot Caller." More recently, he's directed high-profile films including "Angel Has Fallen" and "Greenland."
"Growing up with the biggest action films of the '80s and '90s, working on many of them myself, 'Cliffhanger' was by far one of my favorite spectacles," Waugh told Variety in regard to the new film. "Scaling the Italian Alps with the legend himself, Sylvester Stallone, is a dream come true. It's going to be a great challenge and blast taking this franchise to new heights, a responsibility I don't take lightly."
Who is producing Cliffhanger?
Stallone's "Cliffhanger" will boast a number of powerhouse names from the world of Hollywood. First, there's "Fast and Furious" franchise pro Neal H. Moritz's Original Film. In addition to the multi-billion dollar "Fast and Furious" series, Original Film is the producing entity behind titles including "I Am Legend," "S.W.A.T.," and "Sonic the Hedgehog," as well as Amazon's smash hit TV series "The Boys."
"I'll never forget the thrill I felt watching Sylvester Stallone in 'Cliffhanger,'" Moritz told Variety. "I am incredibly excited to be working with him and Ric Waugh to continue the story of Gabe Walker and introduce this iconic story to a new generation of filmgoers around the world."
Also in the production line up is London-based Rocket Science, with credits including Aaron Sorkin's "The Trial of the Chicago Seven" and "All Quiet on the Western Front." Rounding out the production team is Sylvester Stallone and Braden Aftergood's Balboa Productions, with credits including the "Samaritan" and "Rambo: Last Blood." Balboa Productions is also involved in television series production, including recent work on Taylor Sheridan's "Tulsa King."