The highly anticipated Highlander reboot, starring Man of Steel and The Witcher star Henry Cavill, has experienced a frustrating production delay, shifting its scheduled start from January to May 2025. While this comes as a setback for fans of the 1986 classic, sources report that early preparations for the project are already in motion, hinting at a promising approach to the film's complex lore. The delay stems from Cavill's recent commitment to a new Voltron movie under Amazon MGM Studios, a competing priority that has postponed the Highlander reboot.
However, there's a silver lining: reports from Redanian Intelligence confirm that preliminary pre-production has begun, with director Chad Stahelski and his team scouting locations across Scotland, Italy, and Hong Kong. Stahelski, best known for his work on the John Wick series, has emphasized the importance of setting and visuals in enhancing the film's thematic depth. The 2025 timeline also offers Cavill and Stahelski more time to dig into the lore of the immortal warriors—an area Cavill is especially eager to explore.
The Highlander reboot promises a refreshed look at Connor MacLeod, an immortal warrior navigating centuries of battle, tragedy, and survival against other “immortals” seeking ultimate power. Cavill, a lifelong fan of the franchise, has hinted that this version will add new layers to MacLeod's character, allowing the audience to see the toll of immortality on a character who must endure endless conflict while retaining his humanity. Stahelski, too, has praised Cavill's understanding of this “burden of immortality,” remarking on his ability to bring both youth and age to MacLeod's character.
With filming set to commence in mid-2025, Highlander fans will need to hold out a bit longer, but the commitment of both director and lead actor bodes well for a faithful and revitalized adaptation of the cult classic.
The latest delay is disappointing, especially since the Highlander reboot is one of those long-promised projects that has seemed just out of reach for years. That said, it's encouraging to see how invested both Cavill and Stahelski are in honoring the series' lore and characters. Their shared enthusiasm suggests they're treating this as more than just another action reboot—they're aiming to add emotional weight to MacLeod's journey. Cavill's comments hint at a version of the character that's more introspective, perhaps leaning into the psychological toll of immortality. While waiting another year for production to start isn't ideal, the early pre-production efforts and location scouting reflect careful planning. If handled right, this could be the reboot Highlander fans have been waiting decades to see.
Do you think a deeper exploration of the “burden of immortality” will bring a fresh perspective to the Highlander franchise, or is the original's simple hero's journey hard to beat?
