Legendary Actor Just Joined the Cast of Henry Cavill’s ‘Highlander’ Reboot
Russell Crowe has officially joined the cast of the upcoming Highlander reboot, starring alongside Henry Cavill. This news was revealed by Collider. The film, directed by Chad Stahelski, known for his work on the John Wick series, has been in development for nearly ten years but is now moving forward with production set to start this fall.
Stahelski has promised that this version of Highlander won’t be a simple remake of the 1986 cult classic. Instead, it will expand the story, moving from the Scottish Highlands in the 1500s to modern cities like New York and Hong Kong. He described the movie as having a lot of action and even said it has a love story, but “not how you think.”
The reboot’s journey has been long and complicated. The rights to Highlander were acquired back in 2008 by Summit Entertainment, and since then, several writers, directors, and actors have been attached and then left the project. Justin Lin was once set to direct, and writers like Melissa Rosenberg worked on the script. Big names such as Ryan Reynolds were even linked to the lead role, but those plans fell through.
Other directors, including Juan Carlos Fresnadillo and Cedric Nicolas-Troyan, were involved at different points. The role of The Kurgan, the villain, saw rumors about actors like Vinnie Jones and Dave Bautista possibly playing the part. However, none of those versions came to life. Finally, in 2016, Chad Stahelski was confirmed to direct, and since then, things have gained real momentum.
Henry Cavill entered talks to star in the reboot by 2021, and his role was revealed two years later. Now, Russell Crowe has officially signed on to play Ramirez, a key character in the story.
As of late 2023, Lionsgate, which owns Summit Entertainment, confirmed that the film is moving ahead with a budget of over $100 million. Stahelski remains the director, and the screenplay is by Mike Finch. Production was expected to begin in early 2024, and more recently, reports say Amazon MGM Studios and Scott Stuber might be taking over distribution under the United Artists banner.
The original Highlander movie, directed by Russell Mulcahy, starred Christopher Lambert as Connor MacLeod. It became famous for its unique story about immortals battling through centuries, its exciting sword fights, and a memorable soundtrack by Queen. Although sequels, spin-offs, and a TV series followed, none matched the impact of the first film.
From the information shared by various sources over the years, it’s clear this reboot is aiming to respect the original while expanding the world in new ways. With Chad Stahelski directing and stars like Henry Cavill and Russell Crowe on board, fans can expect plenty of action and some fresh twists.
Personally, I’m curious to see how this new Highlander will balance honoring the classic and bringing something new. What do you think about Crowe joining the cast? Are you excited to see Henry Cavill’s take on the immortal warrior? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below!