Henry Cavill’s Highlander Reboot Finally Gets a Major Update

The Highlander remake is finally picking up some momentum, nearly two decades after it was first proposed and four years after Henry Cavill was offered the lead role. On Thursday, Deadline reported that the project is moving to Amazon MGM Studios and going into production fast. In addition to Cavill, many of the other names attached to this project are sticking around as well, including director Chad Stahelski and screenwriter Michael Finch. Amazon reportedly intends to release the movie in theaters, and while some reports are claiming it will premiere in 2026, Deadline‘s sources did not go quite that far.

The original 1986 Highlander was a cult classic, but as it grew in popularity years after its release, it inspired five sequel films and a TV series, none of which were much more beloved than the original in their times. The last sequel came out in 2007, and the first rumors of a reboot started in 2008. Stahelski — whose breakout success John Wick premiered in 2014 — was first attached to the project in 2016.

Since then, announcements and rumors about this remake have trickled out while concrete progress has been slow at best. Cavill was announced for the main role in 2021, Finch came onboard in 2023, and Michael Fassbender was rumored to be playing the villain after that. Through all of this, Lionsgate was responsible for developing the movie, but now it looks like Amazon is taking over the project wholesale and keeping the lineup more or less as-is.

[RELATED: Highlander’s Henry Cavill Says Reboot Goes “Deeper” Than Original Movie]

Highlander is a fantasy-adventure film about a select few people who are born immortal, but destined to fight against each other. These immortals can recover from any injury except beheading, and they must meet at a fated “Gathering” in order to compete for the “Prize.” In the meantime, some are eager to thin out the competition or work on developing the upper hand. The movie is remembered for its infamous tagline: “There can be only one.”

The original movie starred Christopher Lambert as Connor MacLeod, an immortal born in the Scottish Highlands in the 16th century. His mentor, Ramírez, was played by Sean Connery, while his nemesis, Kurgan, was played by Clancy Brown. The movie was a commercial flop, but its legacy speaks for itself.

Hopefully a remake can outperform the original — and all of its sequels, for that matter. Highlander is streaming now on Peacock, Tubi, and Pluto TV for those interested. The remake is moving forward at Amazon MGM Studios, but there’s no word on when it may be released.