Vertical Saves $100M ‘Cliffhanger’ Reboot! Targets Spring 2027 Release

In March 2026, distributor Row K was revealed to be facing major financial problems and unable to pay its bills. Several of its projects were consequently suspended, with some offloaded. Maude Apatow's "Poetic License" was one of them, and Jaume Collet-Serra's "Cliffhanger" reboot remains in limbo.

Now, about "Cliffhanger": it was supposed to have found a new home over at Neon, but that didn't pan out. Deadline now hears Vertical Entertainment has acquired U.S. rights to "Cliffhanger" and is targeting a spring 2027 wide theatrical release, potentially the February 24, 2027 date that had been circulating a few months ago.

Before practically going bankrupt, Row K had planned to release "Cliffhanger" in August 2026 on more than 3,000 screens nationwide — hopefully "Cliffhanger" hits as many theaters under Vertical, although that's still not confirmed.

This isn't necessarily a strong indicator of quality, as indie distributors like Vertical, along with labels such as Ketchup Entertainment and Briarcliff Entertainment, often pick up films that other studios pass on. That said, these companies play an important role, helping ensure fewer films get left without distribution and giving more room for unconventional or outlier projects to find an audience.

Don't brush off this movie just yet. "Cliffhanger" has reportedly tested very well, so there is some hope for this one. That may explain why Vertical is taking it on, despite the staggering $100M price tag — a budget that was independently financed through international pre-sales and private investment rather than a traditional studio deal.

Still, this is a steep investment for a movie without conventional A-list headliners — unless Lily James and Pierce Brosnan fit that description for you.

The project itself has quite the rocky history. "Cliffhanger" underwent a major creative overhaul in 2024 after Sylvester Stallone, who was all set to star, exited only weeks before production was supposed to begin over reported "creative differences." The script was rewritten. The original cast was replaced.

Collet-Serra, coming off the mega-streaming success of Netflix's "Carry-On," is one of Hollywood's more interesting practitioners of elevated mediocrity. He has directed several Liam Neeson action movies — "Unknown," "Non-Stop," "Run All Night," and "The Commuter" — alongside less successful efforts such as "Jungle Cruise," "Black Adam," and the Paris Hilton-starring "House of Wax." He certainly doesn't win 'em all, but a $100M "Cliffhanger" is at least an intriguing gamble.