Karen Gillan Joins Henry Cavill in Chad Stahelski’s HIGHLANDER
The sword-swinging Highlander reboot just leveled up: Karen Gillan has joined the cast as Heather, the mortal wife and great love of Connor MacLeod (played by Henry Cavill). Gillan confirmed and, as a proud Scot, joked she won’t need a dialect coach.
This new take is directed by Chad Stahelski (John Wick), with cameras expected to roll in late September for a theatrical release down the road.
The cast (so far)
- Henry Cavill as Connor MacLeod
- Karen Gillan as Heather
- Russell Crowe as Ramirez (the immortal mentor role originated by Sean Connery)
- Dave Bautista as The Kurgan, MacLeod’s brutal nemesis
- Marisa Abela in a key (undisclosed) role
Stahelski is at the helm from a script by Michael Finch (John Wick: Chapter 4). Filming is expected to take place in Scotland and England, with other locales (reportedly including Hong Kong) in the mix.
Behind the scenes, Amazon MGM Studios’ United Artists is steering the project after securing the rights earlier this year. Producers include Scott Stuber and Nick Nesbitt for UA, alongside Neal H. Moritz, Stahelski’s 87Eleven Entertainment, Josh Davis (Davis Panzer Productions), and Louise Rosner.
What kind of remake are we getting?
Plot specifics are under wraps, but expect a fairly direct return to the franchise’s core: immortals waging a centuries-long battle where, in the end, there can be only one. Stahelski has teased Cavill’s MacLeod as a warrior with 500+ years of training and a wide emotional arc—exactly the kind of scope you want for a dueling, head-lopping epic.
Between Gillan and Bautista (a mini-Guardians reunion), Crowe channeling Ramirez, and Stahelski calling the action, this has all the makings of a legit Highlander revival. Sharpen your claymores.
