Cover What goes through your mind when one wrong move could mean everything? Step into Alex Honnold’s world through the films that capture his most extraordinary climbs, adventures and the mindset behind them (Photo: Alex Honnold/Instagram)
What goes through your mind when one wrong move could mean everything? Step into Alex Honnold’s world through the films that capture his most extraordinary climbs, adventures and the mindset behind them (Photo: Alex Honnold/Instagram)
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Watch Alex Honnold push climbing to new heights in the essential films and series documenting his most daring adventures
Adventure filmmaking has come a long way from grainy footage made for a small community of outdoor enthusiasts. Few people have played a bigger role in that evolution than Alex Honnold, the climber who turned the seemingly impossible act of scaling sheer rock faces without ropes into a global spectator sport.
Long before his exploits became mainstream, Honnold was already a legend among climbers, particularly for his free solos in Yosemite National Park. But films and documentaries brought a much wider audience into his world, revealing that his appeal goes beyond the sheer danger of what he does. His story is equally about preparation, discipline, fear and the extraordinary level of mental control required to perform when there is virtually no margin for error.
From landmark climbing documentaries to series that follow his adventures around the world, Honnold's screen appearances offer a fascinating look at both the athlete and the mindset behind some of climbing's most remarkable feats. This guide rounds up the essential films and series featuring Alex Honnold, exploring why they matter and where you can watch them today.
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‘Free Solo’ (2018)
Above A raw look at the mental discipline, risk calculations, and crew ethics behind Alex Honnold's historic, ropeless climb of Yosemite's El Capitan
Directors Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin focus heavily on the psychological tension within the camera crew itself. The film documents Alex Honnold silently mapping out the Freerider route on El Capitan, recording every minute hand-jam and foot-smear in a physical notebook. Rather than framing the feat as pure adrenaline, the narrative highlights his low-reactivity brain chemistry and the moral dilemma faced by his friends, who fear their presence might cause a fatal mistake on the 3,000-foot wall.
The film won the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature in 2019 and fundamentally altered public perception of extreme sports. It shifted big-wall cinema from chaotic, handheld outdoor footage to high-budget, narrative-driven filmmaking. You can stream the feature on Disney+ and Hulu, or rent it via Apple TV and Prime Video.
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‘Arctic Ascent with Alex Honnold’ (2024)
Above Alex Honnold leads an expedition to Greenland's unclimbed Ingmikortilaq sea cliff, combining technical big-wall climbing with real-time glacier research
This three-part series replaces traditional rock climbing with cold-weather expedition logistics across Eastern Greenland. Alex Honnold leads a team toward Ingmikortilaq, a remote 3,000-foot sea cliff that requires crossing a treacherous, cracking ice cap just to reach the base. The production balances technical big-wall progress with the work of glaciologist Dr Heidi Sevestre, who uses special radar gear to measure real-time ice depth and melt rates in uncharted territory.
The project pushed wilderness television toward a hybrid format, blending high-consequence athletic first ascents with environmental science. It demonstrated how extreme athletes can use their logistical reach to transport researchers into inaccessible climate zones. The complete series is available on Disney+ and Hulu.
‘Valley Uprising’ (2014)
Above A historical chronicle of Yosemite’s seven-decade climbing counterculture, placing modern free soloists alongside early big-wall pioneers
Created by Sender Films, this documentary traces the counterculture lineage of Yosemite Valley from post-WWII dirtbags to modern athletes. The narrative contrasts the wild, law-defying lifestyle of 1970s climbers with the hyper-focused, disciplined approach of Alex Honnold. Using archived footage, animated stills and interviews, the film frames his ropeless ascents as the logical climax of a sixty-year progression in big-wall technical difficulty.
The film serves as the definitive historical document of American climbing culture, capturing the generational feuds between purists and speed climbers. It preserves the social history of Camp 4 before the sport became a multi-million-pound industry. You can stream it on Prime Video and Tubi, or purchase it on Apple TV.
‘Get a Little Out There’ (2026)
Above An accessible road-trip series exploring desert scrambles and routine training routes across Nevada alongside fellow pro climbers
Hosted alongside Travel Nevada, this five-part travel series moves away from life-or-death international expeditions and focuses on road-tripping through the desert. Alex Honnold travels in his van across Nevada, tackling first ascents in the Wild Granites alongside Tommy Caldwell, battling snowstorms in Great Basin National Park with Cedar Wright, and hunting for gems in old mining towns.
The show abandons the high-stress tension of big-wall films in favour of an accessible look at routine training and regional conservation. It highlights local outdoor recreation and everyday desert life rather than high-stakes milestones. You can watch the series on Outside Watch and Philo.
‘Skyscraper Live’ (2026)
Above A live broadcast special documenting Alex Honnold’s technical free solo ascent of Taipei 101’s steel-and-glass facade
Broadcast globally on Netflix, this live special captures Alex Honnold scaling Taipei 101, a 1,667-foot building in Taiwan. The event focuses on the technical challenges unique to man-made structures, such as navigating slippery painted steel, handling massive wind gusts, and maintaining focus while surrounded by city traffic and a cheering crowd.
The real-time broadcast marked a major shift into live event engineering for streaming platforms, complete with a ten-second delay protocol for safety. It sparked wide debate across mainstream media and the outdoor community about the ethics of broadcasting high-consequence solo climbs live to millions. The full special remains available for streaming on Netflix.
Chonx Tibajia is a senior editor at Tatler Asia’s T-Labs team, where she writes widely on lifestyle subjects including beauty, style, entertainment and travel. She has a long career in journalism, including roles as a columnist at The Philippine Star, and is the founder of the creative platform Pineappleversed. Beyond Tatler, her bylines appear in regional lifestyle and business publications, showcasing a broad portfolio that spans beauty trends, travel guides and culture pieces.
