The Man of Steel is ready to wield a sword and fight for immortality in a reboot of the classic fantasy film Highlander. Henry Cavill, best known for his roles as Superman, Geralt of Rivia, and Sherlock Holmes, has confirmed that he will star as an immortal warrior in the upcoming film directed by Chad Stahelski, the man behind the John Wick series.
Highlander is a cult classic from 1986 that tells the story of Connor MacLeod, a Scottish clansman who discovers he is one of the immortals, a group of warriors who can only be killed by decapitation. He must face other immortals in a centuries-long battle for supremacy, known as the Gathering. The film spawned several sequels, TV shows, comics, and video games, but none of them matched the original’s popularity and charm.
Stahelski has been working on the reboot for over a decade, and has finally found his leading man in Cavill. The director revealed that he has many ideas for expanding the mythology and creating cool characters, and hopes to launch a new franchise with the reboot. He also said that he will incorporate elements from the original film, the TV shows, and a prequel to the Gathering.
“I think the TV show hit on a lot of great stuff wasn’t in the feature, between the watchers and all the different types of immortals. How do we get this into a feature mode before we dribble it into the TV world? Well, let’s restructure it in parts, let’s look at it like it was a TV show, let’s look at it like it was a highlander show, and use the best of all that mythos rewrite it as one feature film,” Stahelski said.
Stahelski is a fan of the original film and its soundtrack, which featured songs by Queen. He wants to pay homage to them while also bringing his own vision and style. He is known for his stunning action sequences and choreography, which he honed as a stuntman and coordinator before becoming a director. He has worked with Keanu Reeves on all four John Wick films, as well as The Matrix trilogy.
“I have a huge, heartfelt love for that property. I think it’s such a great concept. I love the original movie. I think I’ve seen it 200 times. I love the Queen soundtrack. It’s one of my favorite movies of all time,” Stahelski said.
Cavill also expressed his enthusiasm and passion for the project, as well as his respect for the original source material. He said he has been a fan of Highlander since he was a kid, and is not shy with swords. He has proven his skills in action and fantasy genres with The Witcher, Mission: Impossible – Fallout, and Enola Holmes.
“I’ve been a fan of Highlander since I was lad. From the movies in all of their 80s, Queen slathered glory to the TV show with an actor who looked remarkably like one of my brothers. Being not shy with swords, and having a director as skilled as Chad Stahelski at the helm, this is an opportunity like no other,” Cavill said.
The reboot has not yet announced its release date or other cast members, but fans are already excited to see Cavill take on the role of an immortal Highlander. There can be only one!
Relevant articles:
– Henry Cavill’s Highlander Reboot Could Be the Start of a New Franchise, IGN, Aug 29, 2023
– John Wick director offers promising update on Henry Cavill’s Highlander reboot, teasing franchise potential, GamesRadar+, Aug 30, 2023
– Chad Stahelski’s ‘Highlander’ Reboot To Launch A Franchise With Henry Cavill, Koimoi, Aug 29, 2023
– Highlander Reboot Director Details Why Project Is Taking So Long, Comicbook.com, Mar 27, 2023