Highlander Reboot With Henry Caville [Archive]

ZariusTwo

05-21-2021, 03:15 PM

In the world of the Highlander films, there can be only one and Henry Cavill has his eyes on the title. Sources tell Deadline that the Man of Steel star is in talks for one of the lead roles in Lionsgate’s reboot of Highlander with John Wick director Chad Stahelski helming.

Neal H. Moritz and Josh Davis are producing the project. Amanda Lewis, Patrick Wachsberger and Gregory Widen will exec produce. Peter Davis, the original producer of the first film, was also on board to produce before his death this past February.

The original 1986 Highlander pic starred Christopher Lambert, Sean Connery and Clancy Brown as immortal beings, hunting down one another and collecting more power. The film — with its “There can be only one” catchphrase — spawned four sequels and three television series including the popular USA series starring Adrian Paul.

https://deadline.com/2021/05/henry-cavill-lionsgates-highlander-reboot-chad-stahelski-1234761916/

Andrew NDB

05-21-2021, 03:42 PM

And he's saying he is brushing up on his Scottish heritage... so he's definitely Connor and not, say, the Kurgan (which I actually think he'd be better at).

neatoman

05-21-2021, 06:38 PM

Here we are, born to be kings
We're the princes of the universe
Here we belong, fighting to survive
In a world with the darkest powers
Heh
And here we are, we're the princes of the universe
Here we belong, fighting for survival
We've come to be the rulers of you all
I am immortal, I have inside me blood of kings, yeah, yeah
I have no rival, no man can be my equal
Take me to the future of you all
Born to be kings, princes of the universe
Fighting and free
Got your world in my hand
I'm here for your love and I'll make my stand
We were born to be princes of the universe
No man could understand
My power is in my own hand
Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, people talk about you
People say you've had your day
I'm a man that will go far
Fly the moon and reach for the stars
With my sword and head held high
Got to pass the test first time, yeah
I know that people talk about me, I hear it every day
But I can prove them wrong 'cause I'm right first time
Yeah, yeah
Alright, let's go, let's go, ha ha
Yeah, watch this man fly, wooh
Bring on the girls, c'mon, c'mon, c'mon
Here we are (here we are)
Born to be kings, we're the princes of the universe
Here we belong
Born to be kings, princes of the universe
Fighting and free, got your world in my hand
I'm here for your love and I'll make my stand
We were born to be princes of the universe (universe, universe, universe)

Chris

05-23-2021, 04:53 PM

Yeah based on Cavill’s comments he’s almost certainly Connor. Personally I could see him more as Duncan than Connor but I also wouldn’t be too surprised if they draw some elements from Duncan and the series mythology if they’re planning this out for sequels rather than just a one off.

IMJ

05-23-2021, 08:27 PM

This is interesting.
Was always a much bigger fan of the T.V. show than the movie's though....

neatoman

05-30-2021, 08:12 PM

So I looked into the Highlander series and as it turns out, they're all box office bombs, even the first one. The only exceptions are the TV/DVD movies for rather obvious reasons. How the hell does that happen?

"Let's make Highlander 2!"
"But sir, Highlander bombed! Why would we make another one?"
"Becuase it gained popularity on video!"
"OK..."

One movie later

"Let's make Highlander 3!"
"Sir, not only was Highlander 2 the second bomb in a row, it was hot garbage, nobody liked it."
"Sure, OK, let's just ignore it..."
"Sir, it doesn't matter, the general audience don't seem to like this series!"
"... And call it Highlander 3 despite ignoring the second one!"
"... OK, whatever you say..."

Another movie later

"Let's make Highlander 4!"
"Jesus Christ, why?"
"Why not?"
"We lost money three times in a row on this horseshit! Why do you want to make another one at all!?"
"..."
"Fine... Whatever, I'm dead inside..."

Yet another movie later

"Let's make Highlander 5!"
"..."
"You're not going to object?"
"What's the point?"
"Don't you... Have any objections at all?"
"Well... If home video is the only venue where people watch these, let's just ignore the theatres..."
"OK"
"OK"

Leo656

05-30-2021, 09:04 PM

I think it's basically just that there's a germ of a good idea in there that people like in theory, even if it's only really been successfully done once. It's a concept that gets people buzzing a bit when they hear that they might be getting more of it, but then they get a series of diminishing returns and over time that causes problems. But in theory, people are generally on-board with the broad strokes of it, to the point where they'd be okay getting more of it so long as it was done well.

I mean the "elevator pitch" is pretty cool, honestly; bunch of "immortal" guys hacking each others' heads off with swords, "last one standing claims The Prize", all that. There's lore and catchphrases... on paper it's got everything a franchise needs. They just continually forgot to make good movies after the first one. And another problem is, the first one ties things up SO neatly that it left nowhere to go unless they were either going to go full-prequel, rewrite the lore, or shift protagonists, each of which could be problematic (and some of which they've tried along the way, but in ways that always felt like desperation rather than organic storytelling).

It's honestly very much like the Terminator franchise, really. With a lot of the same things working for it but also a lot of identical problems along the way. Aside from the story being based around Future Robots instead of Ancient Immortals, the only real difference is that the Terminator franchise at least managed to produce two-and-a-half good movies and Highlander only managed the one.

Andrew NDB

05-31-2021, 01:33 AM

Highlander 1 was modestly a success. They made Highlander 2 but it destroyed all credibility of Highlander as a movie franchise. Highlander 3 was a requel to the first movie, basically an apology... but too little too late and not as good as the first one. Highlander 4 was their attempt to (relatively cheaply) launch the Highlander from the TV series into his own while wrapping up Connor's story. Highlander 5 was an even cheaper attempt by Lion's Gate to literally make a Highlander slasher movie... it didn't work but nobody saw it anyway.

The TV series and the first movie is mostly what has made the fandom endure, in that order. Personally I really like the fourth movie. 90% of the fandom has always mostly been comprised of older ladies who dig the romance the most and want to have sex with Adrian Paul or Peter Wingfield (or write fanfics where they f*** each other). The remaining 10% is guys like me, who enjoy the idea of... you know... the guy on the subway might be a 2,000 year old Immortal packing a sword.

FrederikWolferson

05-31-2021, 02:12 PM

Highlander is a perfect movie. It doesn't need a rebbot.

Andrew NDB

06-01-2021, 01:23 AM

Highlander is a perfect movie. It doesn't need a rebbot.

Decent for its time but it hasn't really aged well (well, the Scotland stuff still looks great). And all the Queen stuff really dates it.

IMJ

06-01-2021, 10:48 AM

Decent for its time but it hasn't really aged well (well, the Scotland stuff still looks great). And all the Queen stuff really dates it.

This exactly. It's a lot like the Crow. It's watchable, but it isn't timeless and it certainly takes you back for the good and the bad.

Sumac

06-01-2021, 02:03 PM

And all the Queen stuff really dates it.
Not really sure what is the problem with it.
One of the strength of the Queen is that their music is not like anything else, thus, in effect, timeless.

IMJ

06-01-2021, 04:16 PM

Not really sure what is the problem with it.
One of the strength of the Queen is that their music is not like anything else, thus, in effect, timeless.

Queen is largely associated with 70's arena rock. It's not a problem, but it is dated.

Leo656

06-01-2021, 04:48 PM

It's not Queen's fault that "culture" has fallen into the toilet since then.

We have not made progress.

Xav

06-02-2021, 04:00 AM

I'm just surprised they are doing a reboot of a franchise and cast a white male as the lead.

Andrew NDB

06-02-2021, 04:17 AM

Queen is largely associated with 70's arena rock. It's not a problem, but it is dated.

It's always been a kind of "camp" music. Gloriously... but beyond hipsters today who appreciate that, it doesn't sound modern and hasn't for a couple of decades.

That said, I love the original Michael Kamen orchestral score. THAT is timeless.

I'm just surprised they are doing a reboot of a franchise and cast a white male as the lead.

They kind of have to. It's in the name Highlander. Not a whole lot of black Scots in the 1500s. And it was almost Ryan Reynolds maybe 5 years ago. That was all the news. Also that Tom Cruise would be Ramirez.

IMJ

06-02-2021, 10:18 AM

It's always been a kind of "camp" music. Gloriously... but beyond hipsters today who appreciate that, it doesn't sound modern and hasn't for a couple of decades.

That said, I love the original Michael Kamen orchestral score. THAT is timeless

Agreed completely....
There's no denying Queen's popularity either, and I have some appreciation for what they did too. But the truth is that the biggest cross-generational bump that they got was renewed relevance because of Wayne's World.

Sumac

06-02-2021, 04:43 PM

It's always been a kind of "camp" music. Gloriously... but beyond hipsters today who appreciate that, it doesn't sound modern and hasn't for a couple of decades.
I politely disagree. :lol:

They kind of have to. It's in the name Highlander. Not a whole lot of black Scots in the 1500s.
As if wokesters would worry about that.
Guess, its just a lucky cards.

Leo656

06-02-2021, 05:59 PM

I politely disagree. :lol:

As if wokesters would worry about that.
Guess, its just a lucky cards.

Right? I mean when you have Netflix casting a black chick as Neal Gaiman's Death for the sole purpose of trolling anyone who'd actually be interested in watching their "Sandman" show, you know that all bets are off.

By the way, we're super lucky that Netflix isn't in charge of the Highlander reboot.

FrederikWolferson

06-06-2021, 01:39 AM

Decent for its time but it hasn't really aged well (well, the Scotland stuff still looks great). And all the Queen stuff really dates it.
Heresy.

But seriously,I hate the "it aged badly" argument since EVERY movie will look dated after a few years.

Andrew NDB

06-06-2021, 01:42 AM

But seriously,I hate the "it aged badly" argument since EVERY movie will look dated after a few years.

No, not really. Highlander: Endgame still seems to have aged fine and it's 21 years old now.

You put things like electric guitar music and such and very specific pop culture stuff relevant only to specific times... it dates it. Hardcore.

ZariusTwo

06-06-2021, 02:08 AM

By the way, we're super lucky that Netflix isn't in charge of the Highlander reboot.

They'd have probably rebooted Highlander: The Raven:lol:

FrederikWolferson

06-06-2021, 03:04 AM

No, not really. Highlander: Endgame still seems to have aged fine and it's 21 years old now.

You put things like electric guitar music and such and very specific pop culture stuff relevant only to specific times... it dates it. Hardcore.

You can apply that criticism to anything.

frank_one

06-06-2021, 03:54 AM

The whole concept of immortals fighting each other is dated, they should just let it die... ironically.

Andrew NDB

06-06-2021, 02:38 PM

You can apply that criticism to anything.

Anything with electric guitar music and specific to the era pop culture stuff? Yes. That's what I said.

FrederikWolferson

06-06-2021, 02:56 PM

Anything with electric guitar music and specific to the era pop culture stuff? Yes. That's what I said.
Anything with music, according to you.

Andrew NDB

06-07-2021, 03:33 AM

Anything with music, according to you.

That's not what I said.

Sumac

06-07-2021, 04:18 PM

That's not what I said.
Its not like every decade has its own style of music and popular singers or something...

Aside from that there are other specific things which "date" movies, like cinematography, color correction, special effects, clothes, technology.

chad

01-17-2024, 03:42 PM

https://variety.com/2024/film/news/chad-stahelski-highlander-john-wick-1235873941/

[QUOTE][Stunt master and director Chad Stahelski will oversee the “John Wick” and “Highlander” franchises across all media for Lionsgate, the company announced Tuesday.

His next feature film will be directing the “Highlander” reboot, starring Henry Cavill as the immortal Scottish action hero. Under his expanded partnership with Lionsgate, Stahelski will have creative oversight of “Highlander” and “John Wick” across film, TV and all multimedia platforms.

His production company 87Eleven, co-founded with David Leitch, will design a “comprehensive multiplatform content strategy for both franchises” and “guide the short- and long-term creative direction, franchise strategy and strategic growth of these two iconic properties to ensure that quality, tone and vision remain consistent.” Stahelski will work with Thunder Road’s Basil Iwanyk and Erica Lee on the “John Wick” franchise and Neal H. Moritz and the estate of the late Peter S. Davis on “Highlander.”/QUOTE]

ZariusTwo

09-11-2025, 11:46 PM

Pre-Production was underway, only now Henry went and got injured during training, and it's serious enough to have delayed full on production until 2026

https://deadline.com/2025/09/henry-cavill-injury-highlander-delay-1236529275/

neatoman

01-15-2026, 03:10 PM

I decided to watch Highlander 2 for the first time yesterday.

I know the available version is a different, supposedly better cut from what was released originally and that the original one literally stated the Immortals were aliens, so I am aware that I didn't quite watch what was critically panned back in the day. That said, it was still pretty damn bad, there is so much goofy crap in it, the whole ozone shield thing seems like it belongs in a totally different franchise and I don't think implying the Immortals were sent from a fantasy past instead of the future is that much better because it's still a really stupid idea.

IMJ

01-15-2026, 04:01 PM

Andrew NDB

01-15-2026, 04:10 PM

I decided to watch Highlander 2 for the first time yesterday.

Why would you want to do an awful thing like that?

I know the available version is a different, supposedly better cut from what was released originally and that the original one literally stated the Immortals were aliens, so I am aware that I didn't quite watch what was critically panned back in the day. That said, it was still pretty damn bad, there is so much goofy crap in it, the whole ozone shield thing seems like it belongs in a totally different franchise and I don't think implying the Immortals were sent from a fantasy past instead of the future is that much better because it's still a really stupid idea.

There isn't any version of Highlander 2 that is canon so none of that matters. And the "original version" where they're aliens hasn't been available for almost 30 years, anywhere. There is only the last version.

Basically the "we're time travellers from the future" makes even less sense than the aliens. You have the time travelling overlords from the future IN the future, watching events unfold in "real time" on monitors showing them events from the past. None of that makes one iota of sense. And the way they brought back Connery's character in the movie to do exactly nothing in the movie only hurts things.

If you have an hour and a half or so to kill watching some good Highlander, just watch the first film or Highlander: Endgame.

neatoman

02-13-2026, 10:55 AM

Alright, so now I have seen every single Highlander movie. Aside from the first one, The Search for Vengeance is really the only one with any sort of merit to it, and that's really only because it doesn't pretend to have anything to do with the first one or tries to overcomplicate the concept of immortals. It's basically just an alternate take on the premise of the first one, basically just making the timescale longer and the revenge thing a more active element rather than just a reason for the hero to hate the villain.

The insistence of these movies to all be sequels to the first one but ignoring the ending is probably the most baffling thing about this series. I get that the original ending with the immortals all being killed and Connor using the Prize to become mortal means there can't be any sequels (unless the premise is something virtually unrelated), but to just go "nope, he didn't claim the Prize!" every time is just insulting. What makes it funnier is that they also ignore the previous sequels, as if to say that "this time we did a good job, not like all the previous times!" with each new one.

Andrew NDB

02-13-2026, 10:59 AM

It's basically just an alternate take on the premise of the first one, basically just making the timescale longer and the revenge thing a more active element rather than just a reason for the hero to hate the villain.

Technically "The Time of the Gathering" can be a thing that lasts decades or centuries, not just a specific year. These are Immortals, after all. And there's really no reason "Search for Vengeance" isn't compatible with the larger Highlander universe. It's just... it's pretty weird and doesn't really add much to anything.

What *I* don't understand is TPTB's obsession with dragging Highlander into some kind of post-apocalyptic future. They keep doing it, over and over and over again (H2, the animated series, H5, Search for Vengeance) and it never works. Highlander works best when it's a recognizable present day juxtaposed against different eras in the flashbacks.

The insistence of these movies to all be sequels to the first one but ignoring the ending is probably the most baffling thing about this series. I get that the original ending with the immortals all being killed and Connor using the Prize to become mortal means there can't be any sequels (unless the premise is something virtually unrelated), but to just go "nope, he didn't claim the Prize!" every time is just insulting. What makes it funnier is that they also ignore the previous sequels, as if to say that "this time we did a good job, not like all the previous times!" with each new one.

H2 and H3, each in different ways (and neither is compatible with the other one and H3 is only canon if you apply the same retcons to it as H1 with the series/Endgame) was their attempt to somehow treat the end of H1 "as-is," and both were disastrous. The TV series and Endgame treat H1 as-is... EXCEPT for the ending, which works. And it's not like it's a DRASTIC retcon. The movie happens exactly the same as it did except Connor and Kurgan aren't the last Immortals and no Prize was won. That's it.