Netflix has announced Skyscraper Live, a new live event that will follow world-renowned free solo climber Alex Honnold as he attempts to scale Taipei 101, the 1,667-foot, 101-story skyscraper in Taiwan and the eleventh tallest building on Earth.
The special will stream live on Netflix in early 2026.
Honnold, known globally for his Oscar-winning documentary Free Solo and more recently for the Nat Geo series Arctic Ascent with Alex Honnold, is stepping into uncharted vertical territory: taking his ropeless climbing to the face of an engineered giant rather than a natural rock wall.
A skyscraper unlike any other
Taipei 101 is one of the most recognizable skyscrapers in the world, famous for its tiered pagoda design and extreme height. Standing 1,667 feet (508 meters) tall with 101 floors, it once held the title of the world’s tallest building and remains an architectural landmark in Asia. Free soloing its exterior would make Honnold the first climber ever to attempt such a feat on this scale, and to do it live in front of a global streaming audience.
Netflix describes the event as a two-hour special that will blend live coverage of the climb with expert commentary and behind-the-scenes storytelling. The network promises an “adrenaline-inducing spectacle” that unfolds in real time.
Netflix continues its live-event push
Skyscraper Live joins Netflix’s growing roster of live programming, a slate that now includes major boxing cards (Paul vs. Tyson, Canelo vs. Crawford), WWE Raw, NFL Christmas Day games, comedy roasts, and global sports events. The platform’s bet on live spectacles suggests a strategy to keep audiences engaged beyond scripted series and films.
“Watching Alex Honnold free climb Taipei 101 will be an adrenaline-inducing spectacle you can’t look away from,” said Brandon Riegg, Netflix Vice President of Nonfiction Series & Sports, in the announcement.
The team behind Skyscraper Live
The special comes from Plimsoll Productions, a powerhouse in premium unscripted television and natural history. The company’s credits include A Real Bug’s Life (Disney+), Super/Natural executive produced by James Cameron, and Animal (Netflix).
- Showrunner & Executive Producer: Al Berman
- Executive Producers: Alex Honnold, Grant Mansfield, James Smith, Alan Eyres, Jonathan Retseck
- Director: Joe DeMaio
Plimsoll has worked with some of the biggest names in factual storytelling, from David Attenborough to Pedro Pascal and Sigourney Weaver, and is now bringing its live-event expertise to Honnold’s most audacious climb yet.
Why this climb matters
Honnold’s career has centered on redefining what’s possible without ropes. He famously free soloed El Capitan in Yosemite, a 3,000-foot granite wall, but skyscrapers present an entirely different challenge: polished surfaces, exposed steel, unpredictable wind, and complex engineering features. Doing it live raises the stakes even higher.
For Netflix, the event is part extreme sport, part global television experiment. If successful, Skyscraper Live could become a new tentpole in its live-event portfolio and redefine how climbing feats are shared with mass audiences.
Key Details: Skyscraper Live
- Premiere: Early 2026 (live on Netflix)
- Title: Skyscraper Live
- Focus: Alex Honnold attempts to free solo Taipei 101 (1,667 ft / 508 m), the world’s 11th tallest building
- Format: Two-hour live special
- Production company: Plimsoll Productions (ITV Studios partner)
- Showrunner & EP: Al Berman
- Executive producers: Alex Honnold, Grant Mansfield, James Smith, Alan Eyres, Jonathan Retseck
- Director: Joe DeMaio
- About Alex Honnold: American free solo climber known for Free Solo and Arctic Ascent