Famous rock climber Alex Honnold is taking his talents from mountains to city buildings. The streaming giant this week announced “Skyscraper Live,” a 2-hour live special debuting in early 2026, in which Honnold will climb a 101-story skyscraper in Taiwan without ropes or a harness.
The 40-year-old climbing sensation is well known for his ropeless ascents, chronicled in the Oscar-winning documentary, “Free Solo.” But the upcoming “buildering” project will not be the first time Honnold has tackled a skyscraper. In 2018, while promoting the debut of “Free Solo,” Honnold attempted to scale a 69-floor luxury apartment building in New Jersey (a project he had to abort after the 24th floor due to wet conditions).
“’Skyscraper Live’ will kick off 2026 as our latest global must-watch live event,” Brandon Riegg, Netflix’s vice president of nonfiction series and sports, said in a press release. “Watching Alex Honnold free-climb Taipei 101 will be an adrenaline-inducing spectacle that you can’t look away from. Everyone will be talking about it as it happens.”
Netflix’s ‘Skyscraper Live’: Honnold Sends a Building
In the live special, Honnold will attempt to free solo the aptly named Taipei 101, a 101-story skyscraper in Taiwan.
The structure, built in 2004, is 1,667 feet tall, making it the 11th-tallest building in the world. He is the first person to attempt to free solo the building.
Honnold said he’s been toying with the idea of climbing the Taipei 101 as far back as 2012. Already the most famous rock climber in the world, the event will likely draw viewers in. The special is part of Netflix’s growing push toward live sports.
“’Skyscraper Live’ will kick off 2026 as our latest global must-watch live event,” Brandon Riegg, Netflix’s Vice President of Nonfiction Series & Sports, said in a press release. “Watching Alex Honnold free-climb Taipei 101 will be an adrenaline-inducing spectacle that you can’t look away from. Everyone will be talking about it as it happens.”
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