David Blaine completes stunt that sent him 25,000 feet into the sky via 52 balloons


David Blaine just pulled a Carl Fredricksen.
The illusionist in his latest stunt on Wednesday broadcast himself on YouTube floating thousands of feet into the sky via 52 balloons. Because why not?
"The idea is I want to grab a bunch of balloons and go floating all the way up into the sky until I almost disappear," Blaine declared.
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Ultimately, Blaine reached an altitude of 24,900 feet, at which point he detached himself from the balloons and parachuted down.
Originally, the plan had been for Blaine to float over the Hudson River, but the stunt ended up being moved to Arizona. According to Variety, he "dreamed of flying through the air on balloons" ever since he saw the short film The Red Balloon as a kid, and like anyone who ever pondered the idea of ascending into the sky, he decided to really do it.
"This is a dream, and I can't believe this," Blaine said while in the air.
What Pixar movie-style stunt might be next for Blaine? A Finding Nemo-inspired deep sea dive, perhaps? Brendan Morrow
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Brendan worked as a culture writer at The Week from 2018 to 2023, covering the entertainment industry, including film reviews, television recaps, awards season, the box office, major movie franchises and Hollywood gossip. He has written about film and television for outlets including Bloody Disgusting, Showbiz Cheat Sheet, Heavy and The Celebrity Cafe.
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