After a long period of silence, Chad Stahelski offered a highly anticipated update on his planned Highlander reboot starring Henry Cavill.
Highlander was an epic film that was first released in 1986 and told the story of a great Scottish swordsman named Connor MacLeod (portrayed by Christopher Lambert). The great warrior hailed from the Scottish Highlands and was aptly known as the Highlander. As a brave warrior, MacLeod soon discovered that he is one of several immortal warriors that can only be killed by beheading. Once he realises this, he lives a somewhat peaceful life for many centuries before eventually settling down in New York City.
Unfortunately, it isn’t long before he is dragged back onto the battlefield when his greatest enemy returns to kill him, wanting to obtain “the Prize”. As an immortal warrior himself, by killing Highlander he would be granted a special ability, given only to the last living immortal warrior. This ability grants vast knowledge and the ability to enslave the entire human race.
With so much potential, lore, and intrigue, it comes as no surprise that a reboot for the Highlander films has been pinned and planned since as far back as 2008.
Highlander Reboot Is Still In The Making
While unveiling the first trailer and sneaky details of his latest and highly anticipated project John Wick: Chapter 4 at San Diego Comic-Con, director Chad Stahelski snuck in a statement to update Highlander fans regarding the reboot starring Henry Cavill and tell them not to lose hope. In a short statement, the filmmaker assures his fans that it “is still happening.”
The stunt man/actor turned director revealed that he is still working hard to get the latest instalment of the franchise off the ground and in front of cameras and sounds determined to bring the property back to life on the big screen.
Reports surfaced that Henry Cavill joined the project back in May 2021, and Stahelski can’t seem to stop gushing about why he believes The Witcher actor is the perfect choice to resurrect Highlander.
Henry Cavill As Highlander
The Man of Steel actor is no stranger to stepping into demanding roles with large audiences and decades of lore behind them, as seen by his performance as Superman that kicked the DC Extended Universe off with its success, and his fantastic portrayal of Geralt, an immortal mutant, in The Witcher, a franchise with multiple books, games, and a steep reputation to uphold.
Being a fantasy nerd himself, Henry Cavill brings to each project a passion for the source material, and according to the director, an insight into the idea of immortality that makes him perfect for the project.
“Henry obviously has the physicality but that doesn’t mean a whole lot if you can’t also carry the empathy of a character that’s lived 500 years, and I needed somebody who could do both.” He continued to boast about his perfect casting, “During our first meeting, my suspicions were confirmed: Henry was immediately riffing on the idea of the burden of immortality and you could see in his eyes that he can transform himself from being a young, vibrant soul to an old, wise soul. He had this combination I was fascinated by.”
Stealing hearts since Man of Steel, no doubt many fans would love to see Henry Cavill stepping into yet another immortal role, and to see this long-awaited Highlander reboot finally spread its wings and fly onto the big screen.
