Henry Cavill and Chad Stahelski’s attempts might prove beneficial in reviving the Highlander franchise. The highly-speculated and much-anticipated reboot has been in the making for over a decade. The remake of the original 1986 fantasy action-adventure Christopher Lambert starrer sounds promising, especially with the John Wick director’s involvement in the project. However, certain factors may have influenced the endeavor’s present development.
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It has taken years for the remake to get off the ground, and previously, reports of its failings to move forward as a project made headlines frequently. With Stahelski attached to helm the premise since 2016, fans of the multimedia franchise were offered a sliver of hope. Although the director’s recent remarks imply that the project is moving forward slowly but surely, the fans might have to wait a little longer.
Would Cavill’s hectic schedule, which Stahelski made a point to highlight in his statements, be one contributing factor? It might be more than that.
What To Expect From Chad Stahelski’s Highlander Reboot
Stahelski may be taking a “small break” from the John Wick series, but that doesn’t mean the renowned director has any less on his plate. He is attached to upcoming endeavors such as the highly-awaited Highlander reboot, adaptations of Rainbow Six, Ghost of Tsushima, Black Samurai, etc. Although they are all in different stages of development, Chad Stahelski is committed to seeing them all through to completion.
Regarding the Highlander remake, which the director has been involved with for seven years, Stahelski didn’t shy away from sharing a quick glimpse into his plans. On the Happy Sad Confused podcast, the following is what the John Wick alum told Josh Horowitz when asked about the reboot’s progress and whether Henry Cavill is still attached to the premise:
“Yes [about Cavill being attached]. I think we have some very good elements now. The trick is when you have the tagline, ‘There can only be one,’ you can’t just kill everybody the first time. […] Our story engages a lot of the same characters, but we’ve also brought in elements of all the TV shows.”
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The latter part of the statement alludes to the 1992 Highlander TV series, which ran for six seasons. Additionally, there were implications that the Henry Cavill-led iteration might serve as a prequel. “We’re trying to do a bit of a prequel—a setup to The Gathering—so we have room to grow the property,” the director affirmed.
Although he never saw John Wick as a full-fledged franchise, Chad Stahelski recognizes the franchise potential in Highlander as it can birth countless stories.
He undoubtedly harbors high hopes for the endeavor.
Chad Stahelski Mentioned Henry Cavill’s Busy Schedule
In an interview with Inverse, Chad Stahelski was asked about his upcoming ventures, which include the Cavill-starring Highlander reboot. In response, the director first divulged his 7-year-long association with the remake. Then, he showered the Man of Steel alum in praise. However, he also made it a point to underscore the actor’s busy schedule. This revelation barely comes off as a surprise, given how many highly-anticipated projects Cavill has committed to. Following was Stahelski’s statement:
“We have Henry Cavill attached. He’s a fantastic guy, a busy guy, but he’s fantastic, very athletic.”
Is Henry Cavill‘s busy schedule one of the elements that might compel fans to wait longer for the franchise’s revival? It might be, but it’s certainly not the only (or primary) obstruction the project may face in its production. Firstly, Stahelski is involved in just as many pursuits. Secondly, remarking how most of his projects are in different developmental stages, the director highlighted the recent and ongoing strikes:
“They’re all in different stages of development, and because of the strikes and all that stuff, there’s obviously a wait… But those are all projects that I’m very proud of, that if you had to put a gun on my head and make any one of them tomorrow, I’d throw myself into.”
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The director once affirmed in previous reports that given the extensive and rich mythology of the Highlander epic, it only makes sense for him to take things slowly and carefully to get them right rather than sacrificing the reboot’s quality by speeding up the production in a hectic fashion. If fans have waited so long, it doesn’t hurt to wait a bit more.
Besides, with names like Stahelski and Cavill attached to the project, there’s a sure-shot guarantee of the fantasy premise’s revival. It’s only a matter of when now.
Source: Happy Sad Confused and Inverse
