Posted in: Amazon MGM Studios, Movies | Tagged: highlander

Highlander Reportedly Adds Davie Bautista To The Cast As The Villain

A new report says that Dave Bautista is in talks to join the cast of the Highlander reboot, which has been in some form of development since 2008.

Published Thu, 07 Aug 2025 20:49:03 -0500

by Kaitlyn Booth

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Article Summary

Dave Bautista is reportedly in talks to play the villain The Kurgen in the Highlander reboot.
Henry Cavill, Russell Crowe, and Marisa Abela are confirmed for key roles in the new Highlander film.
Amazon MGM Studios and United Artists plan to start production on Highlander as soon as next month.
The Highlander reboot, this version will be directed by Chad Stahelski, has faced years of delays since its initial 2008 announcement.

Amazon MGM Studios and United Artists have taken another step forward in getting this Highlander reboot off the ground. Following years of almost no movement, since it was announced that the rights had completely changed studios, Amazon is wasting absolutely no time with reports saying they want to enter production as early as the end of next month. We don't have a release date yet, but we know it's going on that slate of theatrical releases that Amazon committed to earlier this year. The Hollywood Reporter is saying that Dave Bautista is closing in on a deal to join the cast, which includes Henry Cavill as Connor MacLeod, Russell Crowe as Ramirez, and Marisa Abela in "a leading part." If Bautista signs on, we'll have another villain turn from him, and he doesn't even need to enter the wrestling ring. Bautista would be playing The Kurgen in this new version, which is currently set to be directed by Chad Stahelski.

: London, United Kingdom – January 24, 2024: Henry Cavill attends the World Premiere of "Argylle" at the Odeon Luxe Leicester Square in London, England. Editorial credit: Fred Duval / Shutterstock.com

: Dave Bautista attends world premiere of Knock at the Cabin at Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York on January 30, 2023. Editorial credit: lev radin / Shutterstock.com

: London, United Kingdom – May 11, 2025: Marisa Abela attends the 2025 BAFTA Television Awards at The Royal Festival Hall in London, England. Editorial credit: Fred Duval / Shutterstock.com

: Photo by Shutterstock Copyright (c) 2019 lev radin/Shutterstock. No use without permission.

: Highlander Poster: Credit: Thorn EMI Screen Entertainment, Davis-Panzer Productions, Highlander Productions Limited

Highlander Has Been Languishing In Development Hell Since 2008

Highlander has been on a bit of a weird journey from the beginning. When the film was first released in theaters, it didn't do that well critically or commercially. It's one of the old school cult classic films that found a following once it went to home video, and people have been obsessed ever since. There was a sequel that everyone hated, and people like to pretend it doesn't even exist, so there's this reboot. It was first announced in 2008, but nothing much happened with it until it was announced that John Wick director Chad Stahelski was signing onto the project in 2016. This followed the runaway success of the first film for Lionsgate in 2014, before the franchise became a true juggernaut with the sequel in 2017.

In May 2021, we finally got some casting confirmations as it was announced that Henry Cavill would star in the project, but there was still no movement forward. In 2023, it was announced that the project was happening, under Lionsgate, with Cavill starring, Stahelski directing, and a script from Mike Finch. There was another casting rumor, such as Michael Fassbender being in talks to be the villain, but nothing ever set in stone, and its absence from the Lionsgate stage makes a lot more sense now. In late 2024, it was reported that they wanted to film very soon, eyeing a possible 2026 release date, but nothing came from it. Considering how long Stahelski and Cavill have been working on the project, there is a chance that a lot more of the pre-production has already been done, and they just need to get some contracts signed, get some schedules ready, and go.

In April 2025, it was officially confirmed that United Artists and Amazon MGM Studios gained "full rights to the franchise, which Lionsgate developed, with potential to also develop a new series." Since then, there has been actively bringing on cast members. Highland had begun a new journey and one that many films before it had failed: the long trek out of development hell.

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