Henry Cavill is diving headfirst into his next major role — and he’s not looking back. The British actor has confirmed that his upcoming Highlander reboot is currently taking “all of [his] focus” as production gears up for its next phase this summer.
Set to star as the immortal Scottish swordsman Connor MacLeod in director Chad Stahelski’s reimagining of the 1986 cult classic, Cavill revealed in a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporterthat he’s fully committed to the epic fantasy project. “Highlander! That is taking all of my focus,” Cavill said. “It’s a project that I’m extremely excited about. This character is going to be a lot of fun to play, and I’m loving working with Chad Stahelski. He is a very talented man.”
Filming initially began in January in the Scottish Highlands, with Amazon MGM Studios eyeing a 2026 release. In the reboot, Cavill steps into the role originally made famous by Christopher Lambert. His character, Connor MacLeod, is an immortal warrior battling rivals across centuries, eventually clashing with his greatest foe in modern-day New York for the ultimate prize.
Stahelski, best known for his work on the John Wick franchise, revealed that his pitch to Cavill focused on the emotional and physical journey of a man who’s lived over 500 years. “You get to cover quite a broad spread of a character arc there,” he said. “And you get to experience someone that’s trained over 500 years and sort of played with many types of martial arts.”
The director also teased a richer world-building approach, saying the film moves from the 1500s to “beyond present-day New York and Hong Kong.” He described it as a story that blends action, history, and unexpected emotional depth. “There’s big opportunity for action,” Stahelski said. “And it’s a bit of a love story, but not how you think.”
Joining Cavill in the cast is Oscar-winner Russell Crowe, who takes on the role of Juan Sánchez-Villalobos Ramírez — originally played by Sir Sean Connery. Also appearing is Industry star Marisa Abela in a mysterious new role. Following her casting, Abela called it a “real honour to step into such a legacy” and expressed excitement about working with Cavill and Crowe.
With Cavill putting his full energy into Highlander, and Stahelski promising a martial-arts-fuelled epic with centuries-spanning lore, the reboot is shaping up to be a bold and modern take on one of action-fantasy’s most beloved sagas.
