We get the first plot details for the upcoming Highlander reboot starring Henry Cavill from director Chad Stahelski who is known for the John Wick movies.
Similar to the popular films starring Christopher Lambert and the TV series starring Adrian Paul, Henry Cavill will play a centuries-old warrior who struggles with the past in the present day.
The movies and TV show follow a secretive group of immortals who are locked in an eternal battle for ultimate power, known as The Prize. These warriors can only be defeated by decapitation, and with each fallen opponent, the victor grows stronger. Guided by the mantra “There can be only one,” the story weaves themes of destiny, love, loss, and the burden of immortality as the remaining immortals fight to determine who will claim The Prize and its unimaginable power.
What does Chad Stahelski say about the Highlander reboot?
Chad Stahelski offers an update about the film which is now confirmed to start shooting in the Spring of 2025. Reports have said filming has been delayed from January as a result of Stahelski’s involvement with the Ballerina reshoots; Henry Cavill will now shoot the live-action Voltron first.
Speaking with TheDirect, Stahelski reveals three settings the Highlander reboot will take place, and teases the action and some of the love story. Recall that Henry Cavill is playing an immortal warrior, so everyone around him, including the loves of his life, age and die:
“… And we’re bringing it forward from the early 1500s in the highlands to the beyond present-day New York and Hong Kong, and seeing how it goes. There’s big opportunity for action. There’s a chance to play a character that not a lot of people get to play. And it’s a bit of a love story, but not how you think. On ‘John Wick,’ I learned a lot on how to bend the storytelling a little… another kind of myth.”
What does Chad Stahelski say about Henry Cavill in Highlander?
Stahelski also describes how he pitched Highlander to Henry Cavill. Fans know Henry is a big nerd, just like them. Fans also know that Henry is a staunch supporter of source material and such. It’s probably safe to say, just like a lot of us, that Henry Cavill is a big fan of Highlander:
“My selling point was, to [Henry Cavill], look, you’ve got a guy that’s been alive for over 500 years. He’s the last person in the world that wanted to be in this situation. So you get to cover quite a broad spread of a character arc there. And you get to experience someone that’s trained over 500 years and sort of played [with many types of] martial arts…”
What is the Highlander release date and who stars?
With Stahelski having confirmed the start of production to be Spring 2025 (he previously said in Scotland) while the release date and the rest of the cast hasn’t been announced, you can expect the announcements soon.
Presently, only Henry Cavill has been announced but what is unknown is how much of a direct adaptation they are doing of the material. Is Cavill playing Connor MacLeod from the movies who Christopher Lambert played? Could he play Duncan MacLeod from the TV series who Adrian Paul played? Still another possibility is that Henry Cavill could be playing a third MacLeod.
Then there is the question if Henry is playing Connor, does that mean the reboot will also feature Sean Connery’s Ramirez? Of course, that means Clancy Brown’s Kurgan will be a part of the film. How about Jason Momoa?
Let’s also hope they stick with the Queen theme! Or at least some sort of close updated version.