Chad Stahelski Teases Highlander’s Martial Arts-Heavy Reboot

Hollywood’s been trying to get a Highlander reboot off the ground for years, with different directors, writers, and actors at the helm. As we learned back in January, the latest attempt is set to star ex-Superman Henry Cavill and be helmed by John Wick director Chad Stahelski. We haven’t heard much about it since then, but Stahelski’s recently teased some interesting aspects of the film.

Speaking to the Direct (thanks, IGN), Stahelski revealed the new Highlander is set “beyond” present-day New York and Hong Kong. As he described it, Cavill’s character has been an immortal warrior for “over 500 years. He’s the last person in the world that wanted to be in this situation, so you get to cover quite a broad spread of a character arc there.” Definitely not Cavill’s first rodeo as a reluctant hero, but the director apparently sold him on the project by explaining that the role would provide “a chance to play a character that not a lot of people get to play.”

As for what else you can expect from Highlander, Stahelski teased there’d be a whole lot of action. You’re shocked, surely, but he more explicitly stated audiences would “experience someone that’s trained over 500 years and sort of played [with many types of] martial arts.” During his journey, Cavill’s hero becomes embroiled in a love story, though it’s apparently not as eyeroll-worthy as that may sound. There’s “another kind of myth” at play with that part of the movie, said Stahelski, helped by learning “how to bend the story” while working on the John Wick movies.

If that sounds like your kind of action flick, it’ll be a while: production on the Highlander movie is set to kick off in spring 2025, and Lionsgate hasn’t set down a firm release window at time of writing.

Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.