Upcoming ‘Highlander’ Reboot to Feature Dave Bautista Facing Off Against Henry Cavill

Dave Bautista has joined the cast of the new Highlander reboot directed by Chad Stahelski. Henry Cavill stars as Connor MacLeod, a man who discovers he is an immortal Highlander. Bautista will play the villain, The Kurgan, who has been hunting down Highlanders for centuries. The Hollywood Reporter revealed the news.

Previously, it was confirmed that Russell Crowe will also star as Ramirez, the Highlander who mentors MacLeod.

The original 1986 Highlander movie starred Christopher Lambert as MacLeod, Sean Connery as Ramirez, and Clancy Brown as The Kurgan. While those actors were iconic, the new cast looks just as impressive.

The idea to remake Highlander has been around for a while. Summit Entertainment bought the rights back in 2008 and planned to remake the film. Over the years, several writers, producers, and directors were attached to the project, including Justin Lin and Juan Carlos Fresnadillo. There were even rumors that Ryan Reynolds would play MacLeod, but he eventually left the project.

Producer Neal H. Moritz said in an interview that they want to “stay true to the mythologies as a whole of the Highlander series,” aiming to respect the original while also appealing to both new and old fans.

The project went through many changes before Chad Stahelski was confirmed as director in 2016, with Ryan J. Condal brought on to write the script. What’s interesting is that Dave Bautista was first cast as The Kurgan back in 2015, but the project kept evolving.

In 2023, Lionsgate pushed forward with the reboot, with Cavill as MacLeod and Stahelski still directing.

The script is by Mike Finch, and the film’s budget is reported to be over $100 million. Producers include Joshua Davis, Moritz, Stahelski, and Louise Rosner. Filming was expected to start in early 2024, and Amazon MGM Studios later acquired the project under the United Artists banner in 2025.

This reboot promises to bring a fresh take on the Highlander story, mixing intense action with the classic immortal rivalry. Fans of the original and new viewers alike have plenty to look forward to with this star-studded cast and experienced crew behind the scenes.

News first reported by THR.

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