\n Posted on: April 19, 2026, 12:42h.\u00a0\n <\/p>\n
\n Last updated on: April 19, 2026, 12:51h.\n <\/p>\n
![\"Avatar](\"https:\/\/www.casino.org\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/cropped-3-3-50x50.png\")
<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n- \n
- On April 14, 2026, a man looking exactly like Alex Honnold, the world\u2019s most famous free-climber, and possessing his exact skillset was filmed by bystanders scaling the exterior of the Las Vegas Sphere while being circled overhead by a helicopter with a professional camera rig<\/strong><\/li>\n
- The absence of any police response means the climb was sanctioned, though Sphere Entertainment has maintained total silence on the stunt and the climber\u2019s identity<\/strong><\/li>\n
- Last year, Sphere Entertainment announced that Honnold would star in its upcoming original extreme-sports film, a segment of which would be shot in Vegas<\/strong>
\nOn April 14, 2026, bystanders filmed a man who looked exactly like Alex Honnold \u2014 and moved exactly like Alex Honnold \u2014 scaling the exterior of the Las Vegas Sphere while a helicopter with a professional camera rig circled overhead. Sphere Entertainment has stayed silent, but the evidence is overwhelming.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.casino.org\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/GettyImages-2153557084-858x572.jpg\")
Alex Honnold is shown in 2024, before climbing the Rainbow Wall in Las Vegas\u2019 Red Rock Canyon in an orange T-shirt. (Image: Brian van der Brug \/Los Angeles Times via Getty)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n 7 Reasons It Has to Be Honnold<\/strong><\/h2>\n
1. His Technique: <\/strong>Multiple witness videos<\/a> show a man climbing the Sphere without ropes, possessing identical skills to the world-renowned soloist. The man looks exactly like Honnold and even wears his signature orange climbing shirt.<\/p>\n
2. The Sphere\u2019s Announcement:<\/strong> In April 2025, Sphere Entertainment confirmed<\/a> that Honnold would star in its fourth original production, From the Edge,<\/em> co-directed by Jimmy Chiin \u2013 the Oscar-winner who shot Honnold\u2019s 3,000-foot ropeless ascent of El Capitan for his 2018 film, Free Solo.<\/em><\/p>\n
3. The Location: <\/strong>The production announcement listed seven global filming sites, including Las Vegas, where Honnold resides. The region\u2019s most recognizable structure \u2014 one owned by the film\u2019s producers \u2014 makes the Sphere the most obvious choice.<\/p>\n
4. The Camera System: <\/strong>Sphere Entertainment said all stunts would be filmed using Big Sky, its proprietary hi-fidelity camera platform. Bystander videos showed a helicopter with a stabilized camera pod circling the climber\u2013 exactly what a Big Sky aerial unit looks like in action.<\/p>\n
5. The PR Strategy: <\/strong>A press release announcing \u201cAlex Honnold climbed the Sphere\u201d would have generated a day of headlines. Refusing to acknowledge the climber\u2019s identity \u2014 or even that the event occurred \u2014 generated far more buzz for the upcoming film.<\/p>\n
6. No Cops: <\/strong>After 23-year-old free-climber and anti-abortion activist Maison Deschamps became the first person to ascend the Sphere\u2019s exterior<\/a> in Feb 2024, police arrested him immediately. On April 14, no officers were waiting \u2014 a clear sign the climb was sanctioned.<\/p>\n
7. Brand Management: <\/strong>Deschamps\u2019 illegal ascent is something Sphere Entertainment would prefer erased from public memory. Having the world\u2019s most famous free\u2011soloist repeat the record-breaking stunt legally is the cleanest way to accomplish this.<\/p>\n
But Wait\u2026 What About the Damage?<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Las Vegas police estimated Deschamps caused $100,000 in damage to the LED tiles simply by pulling himself upward on panels never designed to bear the weight of a human. So how did Honnold avoid doing the same?<\/p>\n
In sanctioned building climbs, engineers reinforce or brace specific panels, tighten mounting hardware, and route the climber along structural seams rather than fragile tiles.<\/p>\n
- The absence of any police response means the climb was sanctioned, though Sphere Entertainment has maintained total silence on the stunt and the climber\u2019s identity<\/strong><\/li>\n