Highlander Reboot with Henry Cavill Advances at Amazon MGM Studios

by Annika April 18, 2025

Lionsgate’s long-in-development Highlander project, starring Henry Cavill, is now moving forward at Amazon MGM Studios’ United Artists, signaling an end to a near decade of development limbo. With the new deal, the iconic Highlander franchise is set to return to the big screen under UA’s banner, with its rich mythology about immortal warriors due to be explored further in the forthcoming film. Cavill, who charmed CinemaCon audiences with tales of sword training for the role, is already an established player in the Amazon family with his involvement in the upcoming Voltron movie and the Warhammer 40,000 franchise.

Highlander Reboot with Henry Cavill Advances at Amazon MGM Studios

– The Highlander film project starring Henry Cavill is moving from Lionsgate to Amazon MGM Studios’ United Artists.
– The film will be a fresh take on the original 1986 feature, not a remake, and will continue the Highlander legacy of immortal warriors in battle.
– United Artists will gain full rights to the Highlander franchise under the new deal, and a team including Scott Stuber, Nick Nesbitt, Neal H. Moritz, and Chad Stahelski will produce the film.

A year back, Lionsgate whisked away Henry Cavill to the city of lights, Las Vegas, where he regaled CinemaCon attendees with stories of his extensive sword-fighting training which he was undergoing for his role in Highlander, endorsed by the same studio. The esteemed filmmaker Chad Stahelski had been working on this project for approximately ten years and it appeared that things were finally getting underway.

Currently, progress on the project continues at a steady pace. However, the project is now in the finalization stages of shifting to Amazon MGM Studios’ United Artists. A deal is in the works between United Artists and Lionsgate for the acquisition of the movie, which is intended to be primarily a cinematic experience.

Initially, Lionsgate planned to create a whole Highlander universe, with Stahelski at the helm, supervising each aspect. However, this new agreement offers UA complete franchise rights dating back to the 1986 Highlander film featuring eternal warriors and stars like Christopher Lambert and Sean Connery. The franchise’s iconic catchphrase, “there can only be one,” refers to these immortal combatants who fight one another until only one remains; growing stronger with each competitor they defeat. The franchise eventually produced four more films and three television series.

Under this new agreement, UA’s Scott Stuber and Nick Nesbitt will assume the producer roles. Neal H. Moritz will also participate, co-producing alongside Stahelski’s banner, 87Eleven Entertainment. The script shall be written by Michael Fench, known for his contribution to Stahelski’s John Wick: Chapter 4.

Cavill has been associated with this project since 2021, while Stahelski’s association dates back to 2016. On this project, Stahelski was previously quoted in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, mentioning the complexities of reinventing Highlander while maintaining the essence of the original narrative and making it unique at the same time. He stated they were not interested in remaking or reinventing, but wanted to execute a fresh direction that respects the beloved mythology from the first film.

Already establishing ties with Amazon, Cavill is set to star in the forthcoming Voltron movie from Amazon and is also planning on building Warhammer 40,000 as a franchise.