News about a reboot of a beloved Hollywood franchise is never too far away. Lionsgate’s revamp of the Highlander series is slowly moving forward, with John Wick’s Chad Stahelski confirmed for the director’s chair and Man of Steel’s Henry Cavill being eyed for the lead role, of which there can be only one.
It’s still possible that this incarnation of the project won’t come to fruition, because a reboot of the Highlander franchise has languished in development hell for years. At one point, Fast & Furious director Justin Lin was attached to direct. Over the years, Tom Cruise, Ryan Reynolds, and Dave Bautista have all been rumored for roles in a new Highlander movie. However, with Stahelski and Cavill both at the height of their game right now, this version seems likely to finally make it to screens.
The script for the new Highlander movie has been penned by Kerry Williamson, whose previous screenwriting credits include the Alex Cross movie starring Tyler Perry and Netflix’s dystopian sci-fi thriller What Happened to Monday, so she’s no stranger to action-driven storytelling or playing in a genre sandbox. Neal H. Moritz and Josh Davis are on board to produce the reboot, as was the original movie’s producer Peter Davis before he passed away last February.
The Highlander series was initially launched in 1986 with the original movie, starring Christopher Lambert and Sean Connery in the story of a band of immortal warriors battling it out for a lucrative title. Although the movie bombed at the box office, grossing just over $12 million against a $19 million budget, it amassed enough of a cult fan base to kickstart a long-running franchise. It’s since spawned four sequels, three TV series, and an animated spin-off, and the catchphrase “There can be only one” is so prevalent in popular culture that even people who don’t know the movie know its tagline.
The plot of the new movie is currently unknown, as is the part that Cavill will play. It could either be a straight remake of the 1986 original, with Cavill taking on Lambert’s role, or Cavill could play a brand-new character in an original story set in the familiar Highlander universe. Either can be successful in today’s franchise-obsessed filmmaking landscape.
With Warner Bros. announcing the development of a new Superman movie from producer J.J. Abrams and screenwriter Ta-Nehisi Coates, it appears that Cavill’s days as the DCEU’s Clark Kent are numbered. Still, the actor is hardly struggling to find work. In addition to possibly starring in the Highlander reboot, he’ll be reprising two of his past roles for Netflix. He’ll be playing Geralt of Rivia in the second season of The Witcher and Sherlock Holmes alongside Millie Bobby Brown in the announced Enola Holmes sequel.
Source: Deadline