Alex Honnold, the rock climber known for his daring “free solo” feats of ascending cliffs without the help of any ropes or safety equipment, has set his sights on a new challenge: Taiwan’s Taipei 101 skyscraper. And this time, he’ll be doing it live on Netflix.
“Skyscraper Live,” a 2-hour special set to take place some time in early 2026, will follow Honnold as he attempts to free solo the Taipei 101, a 101-story skyscraper that is the 11th tallest building in the world (and the tallest in Taiwan) at 1,667 feet.
Brandon Riegg, the VP of nonfiction series and sports at Netflix, bills it as the streamer’s “latest global must-watch live event… Watching Alex Honnold free climb Taipei 101 will be an adrenaline inducing spectacle that you can’t look away from,” he said. “Everyone will be talking about it as it happens.”
Plimsoll Prods. Limited, a part of ITV Studios, is producing the special. The company has previously documented Honnold’s feats via the series “The Devil’s Climb” and “Arctic Ascent With Alex Honnold,” both for Disney+ and National Geographic. Plimsoll has also been behind live specials including “Earth Live” and “Yellowstone Live,” both for Nat Geo.
Earlier this month, Honnold was spotted in Taipei conducting a practice climb of the Taipei 101, as chronicled by TVBS News: “Using specialized climbing gear including clips and ropes, Honnold executed a spectacular free climb of the 508-meter tower, showcasing his extraordinary technical prowess and fearless approach,” the outlet wrote in a report translated into English.
“The daring ascent transformed downtown Taipei into an impromptu amphitheater as crowds gathered to witness this unprecedented climbing feat,” the report added. “Taipei 101 management implemented rigorous safety protocols for the climb, with all procedures meticulously designed by professional teams and properly reported to relevant authorities. Honnold charmed building occupants during his ascent by spontaneously interacting with surprised onlookers through office windows, creating memorable moments throughout the tower.”
What wasn’t revealed at the time, however, was how this was a prelude to the Netflix special early next year. Al Berman will serve as showrunner and executive producer of “Skyscraper Live,” whole Honnold, Grant Mansfield, James Smith, Alan Eyres and Jonathan Retseck are also EPs. Joe DeMaio is director.
Honnold is one of the most famous climbers in the world thanks in part to “Free Solo,” the documentary that chronicled his climb of El Capitan’s 3,000-foot “Freerider” route in Yosemite National Park. That 2018 Nat Geo doc, directed by Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin, won the Oscar for best documentary feature, as well as the BAFTA for best documentary feature and seven Emmys.
Other notable free solo climbs by Honnold include Zion’s Moonlight Buttress, Yosemite’s Half Dome and the Yosemite “Triple Crown,” which he completed alone under 24 hours. Honnold is also an author, co-host of the podcasts “Climbing Gold” and “Planet Visionaries,” and founder of the nonprofit Honnold Foundation.
At Netflix, besides series like “WWE Raw” and “Dinner Time Live With David Chang,” live events have included Paul vs. Tyson, “The Roast of Tom Brady,” “Jake vs. Tank,” Canelo vs. Crawford, Taylor vs. Serrano 3, and both the NFL Christmas Day on Netflix amd FIFA Women’s World Cup.