Dave Bautista to Star as Villain in Amazon MGM’s ‘Highlander’ Remake

Dave Bautista is on the cusp of joining Henry Cavill and Russell Crowe in the upcoming remake of the 1980s cult favourite, “Highlander.” This Amazon MGM project, directed by Chad Stahelski, will feature Bautista as the villainous immortal barbarian, Kurgen. The recent fan-favourite casting comes full circle, given Bautista’s previous association with the character back in 2015. The film is set to go on floors later this year and will hit theatres under the banner of United Artists.

– Dave Bautista is in final negotiations to play the villain in the Amazon MGM’s remake of the iconic 1980s film Highlander, joining Henry Cavill and Russell Crowe.
– Bautista is set to play the immortal barbarian, The Kurgan, a role played by Clancy Brown in the original film, while Cavill plays MacLeod and Crowe plays Ramirez.
– This project marks Bautista’s continued relationship with Amazon having previously starred in My Spy and its sequel, and is currently in post-production for another action comedy The Wrecking Crew.

Dave Bautista is close to reaching an agreement to act as the villain in Amazon MGM’s remake of the iconic 1980’s film, Highlander. The movie will be presented under Amazon MGM’s United Artists brand and is expected to be premiered in theaters. Bautista will be joining a star-studded cast that includes Henry Cavill and Russell Crowe. Told through an action fantasy lens, the film is set to be directed by Chad Stahelski and the major shooting will commence in late September, taking place primarily in the UK and Hong Kong.

The original Highlander film, which debuted in 1986, featured Christopher Lambert in the role of Connor MacLeod, a Highlander from medieval Scotland who becomes aware of his destiny as an eternal warrior. Aiding in his battles against other eternal beings over centuries is a swordfighter named Ramirez, who was portrayed by Sean Connery. The film is well-known for its classic dialogue line, “there can be only one”, associated with a contemporary clash in which only one immortal can survive. The time-hopping storyline created a legendary status for the film.

In this remake, Cavill is set to portray MacLeod, while Crowe takes on the role of Ramirez. The well-known industry actress Marisa Abela will also be featured in a leading role. Bautista will portray the primary antagonist, The Kurgen, a brutal immortal who has been murdering other immortals throughout the centuries to acquire their power. The character was made famous by Clancy Brown in the original film.

With Bautista potentially securing this role, it marks a significant moment as he was initially rumoured to play Kurgen back in 2015 when Summit Entertainment planned another version of the film under the direction of Cedric Nicolas-Troyan. Recently, fans have created speculative trailers featuring Cavill and Bautista in a face-off as immortal warriors.

Bautista has made Amazon MGM a frequent platform for his acting ventures, with Highlander becoming his most recent film project with the streaming giant. He starred in the Amazon action-comedy film My Spy and its sequel and is currently in the process of wrapping up another action-comedy film, The Wrecking Crew, co-starring Jason Momoa. He is also in discussions to star in the sequel to Amazon’s The Roadhouse.