MOVIE NEWS – Four decades after the original, the new Highlander is already making it clear that it does not want to be a scene-by-scene copy. One of the clearest signs is the new approach to Brenda, a change that suggests Chad Stahelski’s film is trying to pull audiences into the mythology from a far more emotional angle.
One of the more intriguing genre projects on the horizon is easily the Highlander reboot, and not only because the original film still has a cult grip on fantasy fans. A big part of the curiosity comes from seeing what Chad Stahelski, the director most closely associated with the John Wick films, will do with a story built around immortality, destiny, and myth rather than gun-fu mayhem. Very little is still known about the Henry Cavill-led movie in concrete terms, but a recent interview has now opened the door on one meaningful change, specifically involving one of the story’s recognizable supporting figures.
Anyone familiar with the 1986 film starring Christopher Lambert will remember Brenda Wyatt, played back then by Roxanne Hart. In the original version, Brenda was a metallurgical specialist and forensic investigator working with the NYPD who gets entangled in Connor MacLeod’s deadly clash with the Kurgan. She functioned as a sharp, grounded professional, someone used to following evidence and piecing together reality through logic, which made her central to uncovering the truth behind Connor and the bizarre world surrounding him. In Stahelski’s new take, however, Brenda seems to be entering the story from a very different place.
Brenda Is No Longer Being Introduced as the Same Kind of Character
Siobhan Cullen, who plays Brenda in the reboot, explained that this version of the character is encountered at a very different stage of her life. According to her, Brenda is already sliding into trouble when she crosses paths with Connor on a crucial night, and while still fully mortal, she is swept into the world of immortals. As the human figure inside this strange eternal universe, she becomes a kind of audience surrogate, discovering an unfamiliar reality that completely reshapes how she sees humanity, time, and the limits of possibility. That alone marks a noticeable shift in emphasis, because this Brenda is not being framed first and foremost as a technical expert decoding events from the outside.
There are no further plot specifics yet, but the implication is already fairly clear. The reboot appears to be reshaping Brenda into a more immediate emotional entry point for viewers, someone who experiences the shock of this mythology head-on rather than analyzing it from a position of detached competence. That does not mean the film is severing ties with the 1986 classic altogether, but it does show that the new Highlander is willing to reinterpret core pieces of the old structure instead of simply dusting them off. As the road to its planned 2027 release continues, more changes of this kind are likely to emerge.
Cavill Is Surrounded by a Cast That Looks Almost Too Good to Ignore
Henry Cavill leads the film as Connor MacLeod, and the rest of the ensemble is stacked with names that make the reboot even harder to dismiss. Russell Crowe is set to play Juan Sánchez-Villalobos Ramírez, while Dave Bautista takes on the role of the Kurgan. Karen Gillan joins as Heather MacLeod, Connor’s first wife, with Djimon Hounsou playing Sunda Kastagir, Drew McIntyre appearing as Angus MacLeod, and Jeremy Irons stepping in as the leader of the Watchers. Put that cast together with Stahelski behind the camera and a screenplay by Kerry Williamson and Michael Finch, and it becomes very obvious why expectations around this thing are already running hot.
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