Henry Cavill to star in Highlander reboot

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**Shadow Walker**

BobtheInquisitor wrote:
I was a big fan of the TV show and hope they keep some of the lore. That said, I don’t know why they need to reboot this series instead of writing a film from the POV of a different immortal. They wouldn’t be tied to Scotland and could cast whoever was best for the story without fan outrage.

100% this!

**Elemental**

Azreal13 wrote:
They've already done it twice, to mixed, at best, results.

The original was lightning in a bottle. My skepticism that this can recapture that is off the scale, but if it does flop, then it's one set of variables one can account for which starting from scratch doesn't allow.

Yeah....I mean, the Highlander franchise itself never recaptured the magic of the first movie and heaven knows they gave it a lot of tries!

Plus, Highlander invented (or at least codified) so much of urban fantasy, even up to today--if you've seen or read anything about immortals fighting a shadow war under the cover of modern society (Underworld, Dresden Files, 99% of paranormal romances), there's going to be some Highlander DNA in there somewhere. It's easy to forget just how cool and new the concept was back when the movie came out, and the familiarity is going to work against it.

Pointer5 wrote:
I loved the first movie but for the love of God please don't remake the second one. It was horrible. It will be interesting to see who does the soundtrack. Queen A Kind of Magic is how I first heard of Highlander.

Highlander II....was an early lesson in that sometimes you really don't want to explain the mystery that made the first entry so memorable, especially if you didn't have it planned out beforehand. Highlander kind of hints at an underlying reason the Immortals exist, what Quickenings or the Prize are, but never really explains it, just using it for cool imagery.

One thing the remake could definitely do better than the original would be to have a coherent mythology in place right from the start, and logically build towards that rather than panicking and throwing out a "They're all aliens!" twist. A new Highlander II that follows the same mission statement of "explain the origins of the Immortals" but which has a better answer has a heck of a lot of potential!

**Pacific**

The people involved with this make me a lot more excited about it than I would be otherwise!

As has been said Henry Cavill as the Kurgan would probably work well.

Then if they can just find someone with a good Scottish accent to do the Spaniard..

**Flinty**

It would be so funny if they got Daniel Craig in to do it

(yes I know he isn’t Scottish, but it follows
The ex bond route).

Or go full LOTR with Billy Boyd.

**Vulcan**

Dreadwinter wrote:
Considering how difficult it is to lose money on a movie, even a flop, with all the crazy accounting that happens in Hollywood. I don't think it is fear of losing money.

Do bear in mind the American corporate mindset. To them 'not making as much as we expected' IS 'losing money'.

**Turnip Jedi**

Vulcan wrote:
Dreadwinter wrote:
Considering how difficult it is to lose money on a movie, even a flop, with all the crazy accounting that happens in Hollywood. I don't think it is fear of losing money.

Do bear in mind the American corporate mindset. To them 'not making as much as we expected' IS 'losing money'.

Troo story, wasnt it one of the new Star Wars film got labelled as disappointing from a money angle for 'only' just breaking the billion mark

**Dreadwinter**

But then they kept making them.

Of course they are going to say it was a disappointment. They wanted more money from it.

**gorgon**

Elemental wrote:
Highlander II....was an early lesson in that sometimes you really don't want to explain the mystery that made the first entry so memorable, especially if you didn't have it planned out beforehand. Highlander kind of hints at an underlying reason the Immortals exist, what Quickenings or the Prize are, but never really explains it, just using it for cool imagery.

I think I'd argue that the main issue wasn't that they explained things, but that their explanation was dumb and made little sense.

**Elemental**

gorgon wrote:
Elemental wrote:
Highlander II....was an early lesson in that sometimes you really don't want to explain the mystery that made the first entry so memorable, especially if you didn't have it planned out beforehand. Highlander kind of hints at an underlying reason the Immortals exist, what Quickenings or the Prize are, but never really explains it, just using it for cool imagery.

I think I'd argue that the main issue wasn't that they explained things, but that their explanation was dumb and made little sense.

Yes, but that's a common effect of not having an explanation in mind right at the start. If you just throw out stuff that seems cool with no idea what it means and THEN you have to retroactively come up with an explanation for everything that's been seen so far, that explanation is very unlikely to be satisfying. See also: Lost, BSG, X-Files.

**Cronch**

filbert wrote:
Why is Hollywood so creatively bankrupt that all we ever seem to get is reboots? What happened to letting classics lie and creating new art?

They wouldn't make them if they didn't make money. I blame the intense demand for nostalgia among Gen X an Millennials personally. I get why it's there, but it does mean those reboots keep making money.

**gorgon**

Cronch wrote:
filbert wrote:
Why is Hollywood so creatively bankrupt that all we ever seem to get is reboots? What happened to letting classics lie and creating new art?

They wouldn't make them if they didn't make money. I blame the intense demand for nostalgia among Gen X an Millennials personally. I get why it's there, but it does mean those reboots keep making money.

A good part of it isn't 'demand for nostalgia' per se -- adults wanting to relive their childhoods or whatever -- but in having IP that doesn't need to be 'sold' to audiences.

People say they want fresh ideas, but at the same time they didn't go see John Carter or Cloud Atlas or Mortal Engines or Jupiter Ascending or Ender's Game. You can say some of those weren't good movies, but I can say that about certain Marvel films that made a boatload of cash. The trend is that audiences show up in theaters for big-budget franchise-style films with recognized brands. Basically everything else they're content to watch at home. Studios are gunshy about big-budget new-idea feature films, and with good reason.

Highlander is an interesting case because I'm not sure how strong the brand really is. But if brought back to its roots as 'urban fantasy', it could be made on a fairly modest budget to lower its risk profile. And it should be if recent history is any guide.

**AndrewGPaul**

Yeah, what do you need, really? Some latex heads, some fight choreography and some cgi lightning.

You don't need the same massive level of CGI that the Marvel or Star Wars movies have.

**Easy E**

Could be interesting if they follow more of the series path.... especially if they chose to go with The Raven spinoff.....

**Ghaz**

It looks like there's some movement on this project after two years:

Lionsgate Moving Forward With Henry Cavill & Chad Stahelski ‘Highlander’ Reboot As Action-Fantasy Pic Heads To AFM To Enliven A Strike-Hit Market - Deadline

EXCLUSIVE: In the world of Highlander reboots, there can still only be one…and it’s a good one at that.

For the first time, Lionsgate will be launching sales at the AFM on their long-gestating fantasy reboot which has Henry Cavill aboard to star as the eponymous Scottish swordsman and John Wick filmmaker Chad Stahelski set to direct.

We hear this will be a big-budget proposition, north of $100M. Stahelski himself has previously talked about it as akin to John Wick with swords. The team is eyeing a 2024 start.

This will be welcome news for AFM buyers whose pool of pre-sale projects has been diminished by the ongoing strike.

The new movie will be based on the 1986 original, which starred Christopher Lambert, Sean Connery and Clancy Brown as immortal beings, hunting down one another and collecting more power. The time-jumping film — with its “There can be only one” tagline — spawned four sequels and three TV series including the popular USA series starring Adrian Paul. Queen memorably provided the soundtrack for the original movie.

Producing the reboot are Joshua Davis, Fast And The Furious producer Neal H. Moritz, Stahelski (thru his 87Eleven Entertainment production company) and Louise Rosner.

The current draft of the screenplay is by Mike Finch. The late Peter S. Davis, producer of the original Highlander, initiated development of the new film. Summit first acquired remake rights to the original in 2008.

Former Superman and The Witcher actor Cavill remains in high demand. Among movies in post are Matthew Vaughn’s Argylle and two Guy Ritchie projects, including WWII pic The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare.

Stahelski has directed all four John Wick films, which have been a goldmine for Lionsgate, taking more than $1BN. He previously talked about the new Highlander as the first in a trilogy but we’ve not had word whether that’s still the case.

Cavill and Stahelski were attached and reported before the strike.

The arrival of the Highlander reboot is a shot in the arm for the AFM, whose business has been hampered by the SAG-AFTRA strike. This and Kevin Costner’s Horizon movies, which we told you this week would also be on sale, are the two biggest-budget prospects revealed for the market so far. A number of packages haven’t come together or aren’t being officially announced due to strike restrictions or anxiety over optics. Frankly, given the limitations posed by the strike, I’ve been surprised at the number of new or reworked projects that are on sale (many are shooting in Europe). There are still a handful of pre-sales packages for buyers to get their teeth into, even if more action may be done this market on completed and near-completed movies.

**Lance845**

Cavil is a good pick for this. The original highlander is only really let down by the crapy swordplay. Putting the John Wick guy behind it hopefully corrects it's biggest flaw and gets us the highlander we all deserve.

**cuda1179**

If you're going to have a Highlander reboot, you best be doing either Connor or Duncan for the first movie. All respects to Highlander: The Raven, but you need a jumping off point before thowing in the spin-off.

I watched Highlander: The Source on the SyFy channel. About half way through I was wishing I had my own sword, just to end my own suffering.

**Azreal13**

The only actually watchable Highlander films are 1 and Endgame, with maybe The Sorcerer if you're feeling generous (although in many places it just feels like a retelling of 1.)

That said, the gap between One and anything else is quite significant.

**Vulcan**

Turnip Jedi wrote:
Vulcan wrote:
Dreadwinter wrote:
Considering how difficult it is to lose money on a movie, even a flop, with all the crazy accounting that happens in Hollywood. I don't think it is fear of losing money.

Do bear in mind the American corporate mindset. To them 'not making as much as we expected' IS 'losing money'.

Troo story, wasnt it one of the new Star Wars film got labelled as disappointing from a money angle for 'only' just breaking the billion mark

That would be Episode IX, which did $300 million or so less than VIII, and literally half the take of VII. Losing a billion dollars of profit hurts. Sadly, it didn't hurt enough to teach them NOT to keep going down the same path.

**Kid_Kyoto**

Hopefully they'll use the original soundtrack.

And the plot.

And set it in NY.

And maybe do a deepfake swap we can have Sean Connery back.

And actually, why not just rerelease the original. I have no interest in seeing Highlander with an Eminem soundtrack set in Shanghai to get Chinese government subsites.

**Ahtman**

I know it won't happen but I think it would be more interesting if Cavill plated The Kurgan.

**Lance845**

Kid_Kyoto wrote:
Hopefully they'll use the original soundtrack.

And the plot.

And set it in NY.

And maybe do a deepfake swap we can have Sean Connery back.

And actually, why not just rerelease the original. I have no interest in seeing Highlander with an Eminem soundtrack set in Shanghai to get Chinese government subsites.

I dunno. I think if they are going to have a Spainard named Juan Ramirez they might want to cast an actor from Spain or at least Spanish decent.

Also, again, the sword fighting in this movie about sword fighting is pretty terrible.

**Kid_Kyoto**

A Belgian guy playing a Scot and a Scottish guy playing a Spaniard are pretty much the hallmarks of the series!

Besides wasn't Ramirez originally Sumerian or something?

**Lance845**

Kid_Kyoto wrote:
A Belgian guy playing a Scot and a Scottish guy playing a Spaniard are pretty much the hallmarks of the series!

Besides wasn't Ramirez originally Sumerian or something?

Maybe? I don't remember that bit. I honestly had to look up if he was meant to be from Spain or Egypt while wielding a Katana. I just remembered that Sean Connery and his inability or unwillingness to do an accent made it wrong lol.

**beast_gts**

Kid_Kyoto wrote:
Hopefully they'll use the original soundtrack.

‘Highlander’ Remake Will Use Queen Songs From the Original Movie, Director Chad Stahelski Says

**Easy E**

Ramirez was Egyptian, but he obviously got around.

**Kid_Kyoto**

beast_gts wrote:
Kid_Kyoto wrote:
Hopefully they'll use the original soundtrack.

‘Highlander’ Remake Will Use Queen Songs From the Original Movie, Director Chad Stahelski Says

And there was great rejoicing.

Now where is my Queen Soundtrack Flash Gordon remake?

**Ghaz**

Kid_Kyoto wrote:
beast_gts wrote:
Kid_Kyoto wrote:
Hopefully they'll use the original soundtrack.

‘Highlander’ Remake Will Use Queen Songs From the Original Movie, Director Chad Stahelski Says

And there was great rejoicing.

Now where is my Queen Soundtrack Flash Gordon remake?

From Wikipedia:

An animated film was under development at Disney/Fox with Taika Waititi writing and directing. In August 2019, the animated film was believed to be canceled, but in July 2021, producers John Davis and John Fox revealed that Waititi was still working on the film, albeit it would now be live action instead of animation.

So 'Flash Gordon of the Galaxy'...

**Lance845**

Ghaz wrote:
Kid_Kyoto wrote:
beast_gts wrote:
Kid_Kyoto wrote:
Hopefully they'll use the original soundtrack.

‘Highlander’ Remake Will Use Queen Songs From the Original Movie, Director Chad Stahelski Says

And there was great rejoicing.

Now where is my Queen Soundtrack Flash Gordon remake?

From Wikipedia:

An animated film was under development at Disney/Fox with Taika Waititi writing and directing. In August 2019, the animated film was believed to be canceled, but in July 2021, producers John Davis and John Fox revealed that Waititi was still working on the film, albeit it would now be live action instead of animation.

So 'Flash Gordon of the Galaxy'...

That would have been Gunn. Waititi is Thor 3 the best one and Thor 4 the worst one (maybe?).

**Ghaz**

Eh, close enough IMHO

**Gitzbitah**

Granted, Connory was amazing- but what about Kumail Nanjiani as Cavill's wisecracking mentor? He's got some great comedic chops, and could really sell the Spanish Peacock look.