Netflix postpones Alex Honnold’s ‘Skyscraper Live’ ascent due to weather
Netflix’s ‘Skyscraper Live,’ which will follow free solo climber Alex Honnold as he scales the Taipei 101 Tower in Taiwan, has been postponed due to rain – and will instead be moved to Saturday evening US time (Sunday morning Taiwan time).
“Due to the weather, we are unable to go ahead with today’s SkyscraperLIVE event. It has been rescheduled for Saturday, January 24 at 8:00 PM ET / 5:00 PM PT,” the streamer said in a statement. “Safety remains our top priority and we appreciate your understanding.”
In a story posted earlier today by Variety, Plimsoll products. Ltd. CEO Grant Mansfield, Plimsoll head of adventure James Smith and Netflix unscripted VP Jeff Gaspin discussed the possibility of a postponement due to weather conditions.
The January date for the climb was chosen because it is currently the dry season in Taiwan – although rain was still possible and the forecast predicted a chance of moisture on the morning Honnold begins his climb. Rain was expected as “Skyscraper Live” was expected to start at 9 a.m. local time. So far, weather forecasts for tomorrow expect conditions in Taipei to be “sunny and pleasant.” according to Accuweather.
“If it is deemed too wet, if there is too much moisture on the building, we will probably postpone until the next day, which would be a Saturday evening broadcast in the US,” Smith had said. Variety. “We can even postpone another day if necessary. Obviously Alex has to be 100% comfortable and happy in himself and in the circumstances. And then our safety team has to do the same.”
Gaspin had likened the live broadcast to “launching a space shuttle. We’ll be on site for a few days if for some reason he doesn’t go that day,” he said. “But after that it’s probably a bigger move. There are only certain times of the year that you can actually climb the tower because it’s rainy season between April and September.”
Mansfield said: “He won’t be in that building unless we all feel comfortable. But there’s been a huge amount of planning for this. He said he’s the strongest he’s ever been. He’s really trained for this. We went to Taipei in the dry season, but there’s always a risk of a bit of rain. It’s a live event and anything can happen, and we have no control over the weather.”
Honnold has become a renowned mountain climber known for his daring “free solo” feats of ascending cliffs without the aid of ropes or safety equipment. He was the subject of the Oscar-winning documentary “Free Solo,” which chronicled his ascent of El Capitan’s 3,000-foot “Freerider” route in Yosemite National Park.
The two-hour “Skyscraper Live” follows Honnold as he solo attempts to free Taipei 101, a 101-story skyscraper that, at 1,667 feet, is the eleventh tallest building in the world (and the tallest in Taiwan). Plimsoll products. Limited, part of ITV Studios, is producing the special. Al Berman is showrunner and executive producer of “Skyscraper Live,” while Honnold, Grant Mansfield, James Smith, Alan Eyres and Jonathan Retseck are also EPs. Joe DeMaio is director.
