Sylvester Stallone Paid $1 Million of His Own Money for the Most Dangerous Aerial Stunt in Movie History—And It’s Still Unmatched
Action movies are packed with wild stunts—but few have ever come close to the real-life danger and Hollywood legend behind Cliffhanger’s million-dollar aerial feat. In 1993, Sylvester Stallone didn’t just star in the mountain thriller—he put his own money, and reputation, on the line to make film history.
The Stunt That Insurance Wouldn’t Touch
The scene: a stuntman slides on a cable between two planes, 15,000 feet above the Rockies, at 150 mph. No green screen. No CGI. Just pure, pulse-pounding risk. The move was so dangerous that no insurance company would cover it. So Stallone, determined to keep it real, paid $1 million out of his own pocket to legendary stuntman Simon Crane.
A Guinness World Record—And a Near-Death Experience
The result? The most expensive aerial stunt ever performed, earning a Guinness World Record that still stands more than 30 years later. Crane wore a hidden parachute and a survival suit, but even then, he barely survived after bouncing off the second plane and parachuting to safety. The stunt was so risky, they only tried it once—and clever editing made it look flawless on screen.
Why It Still Matters
In a world now dominated by CGI, Cliffhanger’s real-deal danger is the stuff of legend. Stallone’s commitment, and Crane’s nerves of steel, created a moment that’s never been topped—and probably never will be.
Would you risk it all for movie history? Sly did—and that’s why he’s still the king of action.