Alex Honnold, the world-renowned climber known for his daring feats, is set to undertake a perilous climb of Taipei 101, a towering 1,667-foot skyscraper in Taiwan. The ascent will take place without any safety equipment, amplifying the stakes of this live event, which will be streamed on Netflix. While fans eagerly anticipate the spectacle, questions arise about Honnold’s earnings for this unprecedented challenge.
The High-Stakes Ascent
Tonight, or technically tomorrow morning in Taipei, Alex Honnold will attempt one of the most daring climbs of his illustrious career: a free ascent of Taipei 101. Eschewing any safety measures, including ropes and harnesses, Honnold faces a life or death situation. If he slips, the consequences would be dire.
The live broadcast of this event, titled “Skyscraper Live,” is set to begin at 8 PM ET on Netflix, although there will be a built-in 10-second delay. This delay is significant; it reflects the actual time it would take for Honnold to fall to the ground in case of a misstep—a chilling reminder of the gravity of the situation. This precaution was carefully calculated by Netflix.
Payday Comparisons
Given the immense risks involved, one might expect that Honnold’s financial compensation would be substantial. Following high-profile boxing events recently, such as those featuring Jake Paul and Anthony Joshua—who reportedly each earned around $92 million—there are comparisons to be drawn regarding potential earnings in the streaming world. If Netflix can allocate such sums for sports entertainment, could a climbing feat of this magnitude warrant a similarly high payday?
- For “Red Notice,” Dwayne Johnson reportedly received $23.5 million, while his co-stars each received $20 million, despite the film’s low Rotten Tomatoes score of 37%.
- Will Smith was paid $20 million for “Bright,” which has a 26% rating and faced its own share of controversies.
- Ryan Reynolds earned $27 million for “6 Underground,” another film that garnered a mere 36% approval rating.
- Adam Sandler’s Netflix agreements can reach as high as $60 million per film, yet many question their entertainment value.
This raises important questions: If Netflix is willing to spend millions on forgettable movies, wouldn’t they be inclined to pay a significant fee for Honnold to risk his life climbing Taipei 101?
Honnold’s Earnings Revealed
(Photo by FREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP via Getty Images)
In a recent interview with the New York Times, Honnold discussed his financial compensation for this climb, deeming it an “embarrassingly small amount.” When prompted by the interviewer about the sum, he quickly clarified that it was not in the millions, indicating a far lower figure.
Sources with knowledge of the arrangement have revealed that Honnold’s payment falls in the mid-six figures range, likely around $500,000 before taxes. Living in Nevada means no state taxes, but federal taxes will reduce his take-home amount to about $350,000.
Honnold elaborated that Netflix is compensating him not merely for the climb itself, but for the entire production and the spectacle that comes with attempting a potentially fatal ascent. He underscores that his decision to climb would stand independent of any financial incentives, stating, “I’m climbing the building for free. I’m getting paid for the spectacle.”
As he prepares for this monumental event, fans hope that should future climbing endeavors arise, Honnold will consider negotiating for a more substantial sum.
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