Filming on Chad Stahelski‘s Highlander reboot may have been stalled by star Henry Cavill‘s injury, but casting for the movie continues at a steady pace. Oscar, Emmy, and Tony-winner Jeremy Irons will join the movie in a villainous role that’s a departure from the original film. Irons will play a human antagonist for Cavill‘s Connor MacLeod.
According to reports, Irons will play the leader of a secret order of humans, the Watchers, who monitor the activities of the sword-wielding Immortals, of whom MacLeod is one. If you’re only familiar with the big-screen incarnations of the Highlander franchise, the concept may seem new, but it’s a well-established part of Highlander lore. The Watchers first appeared in Highlander: The Series, which ran for six seasons and centered on Duncan MacLeod (Adrian Paul), an Immortal clansman of Connor. The Watchers featured heavily in the series, as Duncan eventually befriended the Watcher assigned to him, disabled Marine veteran Joe Dawson (Jim Byrnes). While most Watchers simply wanted to observe the Immortals, a splinter group, the Hunters, sought their destruction. They also constructed the Sanctuary, a refuge for Immortals who wanted to escape the endless death-duels of “the Game”: this was featured in the film Highlander: Endgame.
What Do We Know About the ‘Highlander’ Reboot?
A remake of the 1986 cult classic, Highlander stars Cavill as Connor MacLeod, a 16th-century Scottish Highlander who is grievously wounded in battle. When he miraculously survives, he’s shunned by his clansmen (including his brother, played by professional wrestler Drew McIntyre) but sought out by Ramirez (Russell Crowe), who inducts him into the brotherhood of Immortals. Karen Gillan will play Connor’s wife, who proves all too mortal, and Dave Bautista will play the Kurgan, a merciless Immortal who’ll stop at nothing to be the last Immortal standing to claim “the Prize.” The Kurgan haunts Connor into the modern day, where the latter also finds a new love interest, played by Industry‘s Marisa Abela. The film will also star Djimon Hounsou and Max Zhang as Immortals. It was set to begin filming in Scotland this month, but an injury to Cavill‘s foot during training has delayed it.
British actor Irons is one of the most acclaimed living thespians; he won an Oscar for Reversal of Fortune, an Emmy for the miniseries Elizabeth I, and a Tony for The Real Thing in 1984. This year, he starred in the historical drama Palestine 36, and is set to appear in the drama Rizana — A Caged Bird and the action sequel The Beekeeper 2.
Chad Stahelski‘s Highlander reboot is in pre-production.
via Collider