Lionsgate looks like it’s backing away from the Highlander reboot, and Amazon MGM Studios is set to pick it up. More here.
Here’s an odd story regarding the status of Chad Stahelski’s planned remake of Highlander, the 1986 adventure film starring Christopher Lambert and Sean Connery.
The film is set to star Henry Cavill and in one version or another, has been in development for well over a decade. Finally, with Stahelski – the filmmaker behind the success of Lionsgate’s John Wick films – at the helm, everything looked in place to finally move ahead, not least because the casting of Henry Cavill seemed like a smart move too.
The studio at one point was reportedly planning to build an entire universe around the movie, with Chad Stahelski in place to oversee things, much as he does with the Wick franchise, Although John Wick: Chapter 5 has been officially announced, with other spin-off projects also planned, Keanu Reeves isn’t going to play that role forever. Highlander seemed like just the kind of title that Lionsgate could build on to ensure it has another action franchise in the pipeline, but for whatever reason has elected to now divest itself from entirely.
Per The Hollywood Reporter, Amazon is now in negotiations to pick up the project through its United Artists label. The outlet’s understanding is that this deal does involve a theatrical release, which is a relief.
The 1986 film was the origin point for four sequels and several TV shows. With a heightened world, colourful characters and many eras of history that these immortals have lived through, you can see why Highlander is so ripe with potential, and we can’t help but wonder why Lionsgate has elected to let this one go.
Henry Cavill will certainly be right at home with the move, given that he is already starring in its upcoming Voltron movie, and is developing Warhammer 40,000 for the studio too. How this further delays the project’s planned production, we don’t yet know but when we do hear more rest assured that you’ll be able to read about it here.
