Seven years have gone by since John Wick franchise director Chad Stahelski signed on to direct a reboot of the 1986 classic Highlander (watch it HERE), and the filmmaker has been focused on making John Wick sequels while developing the new Highlander. But now John Wick seems to be taking a little break, so it looks like Stahelski might finally have some time to bring sword-wielding immortals back to the screen. Deadline reports that Lionsgate will be presenting Stahelski’s Highlander project to potential buyers at the upcoming American Film Market, looking for partners that will help them recoup the film’s budget, which is said to be over $100 million.
Two years have passed since Henry Cavill of Man of Steel and The Witcher signed on to star in the film, and Cavill remains attached to the project.
The original Highlander had the following synopsis: When the mystical Russell Nash kills a man in a sword fight in a New York City parking lot, he leaves a sliver of an ancient weapon lodged in a car in the process. After brilliant forensics specialist Brenda Wyatt recovers evidence of the mysterious weapon, she and her partner, Lt. Frank Moran, embark on an investigation Of Nash that will land them in the middle of a dangerous, centuries-old feud between powerful immortals.
Stahelski has described the reboot as “a bit of a prequel” to the story told in the original Highlander. He and and his collaborators see plenty of opportunities to rebuild the Highlander franchise from the ground up. He previously told the Happy Sad Confused podcast, “We have ideas for days for the coolest characters [that could make for] an epic TV show. I just think that’s rich mythology when you can pick any period of time, any nationality, any culture, any type of person and make them an immortal that have to duel and deal with the burden of immortality — that’s f*cking cool.“
Filming on the reboot is expected to get underway sometime in 2024. Stahelski is producing the film through his 87Eleven Entertainment production company alongside Joshua Davis, Louise Rosner, and Neal H. Moritz. The latest draft of the screenplay was written by Michael Finch, who worked with Stahelski on John Wick: Chapter 4. Finch’s other credits include Predators, The November Man, Hitman: Agent 47, and American Assassin.
Are you looking forward to the Highlander reboot? What do you think of the film having a budget over $100 million? Let us know by leaving a comment below.
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