MOVIE NEWS – Henry Cavill’s Highlander is finally moving forward, as director Chad Stahelski has revealed major updates on the action-fantasy reboot. After months of delays, the project now has a planned start date for filming. Speaking to The Direct, Stahelski shared exciting details about what fans can expect from this new iteration of the classic franchise.
It’s been nearly two decades since the idea of a new Highlander movie was first proposed, and Stahelski, known for his work on John Wick, has been attached to the project since 2016. Over the years, many doubted the film would ever happen, and even Henry Cavill’s casting in 2021 didn’t guarantee its realization. Now, celebrating the 10th anniversary of John Wick, Stahelski confirmed that filming is set to begin in spring 2025. He also teased plot details:
“… 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.”
How Stahelski Sold the Role to Henry Cavill
Connor MacLeod, originally played by Christopher Lambert in the 1986 Highlander, became iconic thanks to both the story and Queen’s legendary soundtrack. Stahelski plans to reimagine the Scottish sorcerer’s story for a modern audience.
A key challenge for the director was convincing Cavill to take the role. Stahelski pitched the character in a way that Cavill simply couldn’t resist:
“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…”
The Highlander reboot could be the comeback Cavill needs after stepping away from Superman and The Witcher. While his recent roles have been divisive, this film might deliver the box office success he’s overdue for. Most recently, Cavill surprised fans with a cameo as a Wolverine variant in Deadpool & Wolverine, but he’s betting on Highlander to turn the tide in his favor.
Source: MovieWeb
