Will This Be the Year That Hollywood Gets Climbing Right? We Analyze 6 Contenders.
When it comes to how climbing shows up on the big screen, last year perpetuated the status quo set by accidental spoofs like Cliffhanger and Vertical Limit. We had a few moments of hope, like when we heard that Adrian Ballinger, Hazel Findlay, Brette Harrington, and Alex Honnold played roles in the independent horror film The Sound. But while the film ended up getting most climbing details reasonably right, the plot, acting, and weird effects all fell short. A few months later, Netflix debuted its murder mystery series Untamed, set in Yosemite—and a former member of Yosemite Search and Rescue had some words. In 2025, we even witnessed a cringe 5.15 reference (“It’s probably a 5.13, 5.15.”) from Scar Jo in the movie Jurassic World: Rebirth.
But maybe, just maybe, 2026 will end our long wait for a mainstream film or TV show that both depicts climbing accurately and is actually good. So far, there are four forthcoming films—plus a couple documentaries—slated for mainstream channels that tell stories about our still relatively niche sport.
This watch list does not include actual climbing films purveyed by the likes of Mellow or Reel Rock. These are films about climbing, packaged for a non-climbing audience. But will they be any good? Let’s get into it.
A Cliffhanger sequel, Charlize Theron free solos, and more mainstream films
Four mainstream films that feature climbing are currently on our radar, two of which are confirmed to drop in 2026.
From a Warren Harding tribute to a much-awaited Cliffhanger sequel, this might be the biggest year for climbing cinema since Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin won an Oscar for Free Solo.
Apex, starring Charlize Theron
Billed as “a spiritual successor” to the classic Cliffhanger, this Netflix thriller follows a climber named Sasha (Charlize Theron), as she hunts down a wildlife poacher in the mountains. Just like your current sport climbing project, this film involves themes of grief, moral battles, and survival.
Projected release date: April 24, 2026
Starring: In addition to Theron, the film stars Taron Egerton as the bad guy poacher, and a still-secret character played by Eric Bana, who starred in the Yosemite-based Netflix series Untamed.
Where to watch it: Netflix
Chances it will depict climbing correctly: High. Apex pulled in legend Beth Rodden to teach Theron how to climb and nail technical details. (Stay tuned for a behind-the-scenes analysis from Rodden in Climbing in April, shortly before Apex starts streaming.) At the helm is Baltasar Kormákur, who also directed the drama Everest.
A Cliffhanger sequel
Over three decades after the original, Cliffhanger gets a fresh take—but tragically, without Sylvester Stallone. In this redux, a team of mercenaries capture an alpinist who runs a high-end chalet in the Dolomites with one of his two daughters. The other daughter escapes, but in order to save her father and sister, she must power past traumatic memories of a climbing accident in her past to execute a technical rescue.
Projected release date: August 28, 2026
Starring: Pierce Brosnan, no stranger to action at altitude from the James Bond series, plays the alpinist dad. Lily James stars as the escaped daughter. Stallone was apparently initially supposed to appear in the Cliffhanger sequel, but an unpaid fee led the 79-year-old actor to pull out, according to Variety.
Where to watch it: The Cliffhanger sequel will be released initially in theaters, with an IMAX option
Chances it will depict climbing correctly: Low. Directed by Spanish horror specialist Jaume Collet-Serra, Cliffhanger 2: The Final Ascent may take the tack of its 1993 predecessor to focus on high stakes and haunting drama over technical accuracy. James told Seth Meyers on his late night show that she spent “weeks and weeks” climbing with an Ibiza instructor for five hours a day (hell yeah!), but we haven’t heard about any climbing consultants being brought on set for accuracy. Until further notice, we look forward to the Cliffhanger sequel being the next movie that climbers love to hate for decades to come.
In the meantime, if you want to refresh your memory on the original Cliffhanger, it’s currently available for rent on Apple TV and Prime Video.
Reach, starring Ryan Phillippe
Filmed in Thailand, Reach follows two best friends, Zack and Chris, who end up dangling off a mountain from a rope. They’re all but doomed to fall to their death, unless Zack decides to save himself by cutting the cord.
Projected release date: To be announced
Starring: Ryan Phillippe. The production hasn’t revealed any other actors.
Where to watch it: To be announced
Chances it will depict climbing correctly: Low. Admittedly, we know little about this film. While shooting has wrapped in Southeast Asia, this Phillipe flick has yet to see a distribution deal. But with a big name actor and a far-fetched premise, we’d guess the plot and production might scream, “I booked a guide to toprope in Thailand once and am now a certified spraylord.” Prove us wrong, Reach.
Batso, about Warren Harding
Most climbers have had the pleasure of viewing the famous photo of Yosemite OG Warren “Batso” Harding clutching a bottle of wine on the wall. And most know of his 28-day epic first ascent on El Cap’s Wall of Early Morning Light (5.7 A2+; 2,800ft) with Dean Caldwell in 1970. This film aims to shed new light on the 50-year-old tale.
Projected release date: To be announced
Starring: Originally set to star Daniel Radcliffe and Ethan Hawke, these stars bailed in fall 2025. Instead, Walter Groggins of the most recent season of White Lotus will portray Harding, while Lewis Pullman will play Caldwell. Jessica Biel also stars as Beryl “Beasto” Knauth, a Yosemite climbing community cornerstone who was in a belaytionship with Harding.
Where to watch it: To be announced
Chances it will depict climbing correctly: High. As the child of two mountaineers, director Kyle Marvin told Climbing that it was important to him that his film is “in dialogue with the climbing community.” Like an expedition, Marvin related that filmmaking requires extensive preparation—as well as holding out for a good weather window. “Right now, we’re waiting for the ‘weather’ as it goes,” Marvin shared in September. Ken Yager, founder of the Yosemite Climbing Association and director of the organization’s museum, also consulted on the project. In our view, this one will be worth the wait.
Climbing documentaries coming to mainstream channels
Neither send films nor the types of stories found in, say, the Mellow Film Tour kicking off later this month, these climbing documentaries intend to appeal to a mainstream audience. Think Free Solo, The Alpinist, or, more recently, Girl Climber. But we bet climbers will like these documentaries, too.
The Dark Wizard, about Dean Potter
The climbing world mourned deeply when Dean Potter fell to his death in a wingsuit accident in 2015. A true luminary of the sport, Potter achieved a volume of accomplishments in free soloing and big wall speed climbs that could fill a tome. Now, over a decade after his untimely end, the directors at Sender Films (the production company behind Reel Rock) are telling his story. The documentary includes commentary from Jen Rapp, Timmy O’Neill, Dean Fidelman, and Alex Honnold, among many others.
Projected release date: Premiering March 15, 2026 at SXSW, available for streaming a few weeks later on April 14
Where to watch it: HBO
The Last First Winter: K2
In 2021, a Pakistani father-son team, as well as Icelandic mountaineer John Snorri Sigurjónsson, aimed to become the first people to summit K2 in winter. But when they arrived on the mountain, they realized that two Nepalese teams led by Nims Purja and Mingma G Sherpa, as well as several other international teams, had the same goal. Their attempt ultimately became compromised by overcrowding and tensions on the dangerous peak. Directed by Amir Ben Lev, Last First Winter examines pressing issues in the world of alpinism, including socioeconomic status, the impacts of social media, and commercialization.
Projected release date: This documentary premiered at the 2026 Sundance Film Festival last month. Streaming release date yet to be released.
Where to watch it: Apple+
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