Highlander's Henry Cavill Says Reboot Goes "Deeper" Than Original Movie

The swordfights in the Highlander series are often what audiences most remember about the fantasy world, but after multiple movies, TV shows, and comic books, the franchise has developed a rich mythology, with star of the upcoming reboot Henry Cavill teasing the new film will go much "deeper" than what audiences are expecting. The actor largely played coy about actual plot details, noting that he's been getting updates about the status of the script, but promised the experience will be more than just a "cool guy with a cool sword." The Highlander reboot will be directed by Chad Stahelski and is aiming for a 2026 release.

"I'm going to have to answer that very carefully. I was, am, a Highlander fan. They were great fun movies," Cavill shared with the Happy Sad Confused podcast about the reboot. "Obviously, I watched them when I was a lot younger, and since rewatched. But also the TV show. I really enjoyed the lore behind it. That sense of a tragic warrior, with more of a story to tell than just a cool guy with a cool sword doing cool things. And this goes even deeper into that."

While the original 1986 movie earned four movie sequels, in addition to an animated film, there were also three TV shows inspired by the concept of immortal warriors. Stahelski has previously shared how he aims to honor both the cinematic and small-screen legacy of this world with the new reboot, to which Cavill addressed, "I can't speak to [the reboot embracing TV lore] at the moment. What they've done so far and what we're doing with the development of the script is extraordinary. I think people are gonna be really, really pleased."

As far as whether it could be a bit overwhelming for such a reboot to offer up a dense storyline, the actor admitted, "Big swings are important. You play it safe and you go, 'Eh, I guess it was fine.' But you take a big swing, and people love it. Or they hate it, and sometimes hating it is just as good."

Earlier this year, Lionsgate confirmed that Stahelski would be playing a significant role in developing the future of the Highlander franchise, which came with the implication that the mythology will expand into a variety of mediums outside the cinematic realm. How big a part Cavill will play in the franchise as a whole is yet to be seen.

Highlander is expected to earn a 2026 release.

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