Henry Cavill and Dave Bautista were spotted in newly released set photos from the upcoming Highlander reboot, offering a closer look at their roles in the fantasy action film. The images show the two actors in costume during a late-night shoot in London, hinting at an intense confrontation between their characters.

Highlander’s Henry Cavill and Dave Bautista appear in set photos

Set photos from Chad Stahelski’s Highlander reboot have revealed Henry Cavill as Connor MacLeod and Dave Bautista as The Kurgan.

Cavill returned to filming at Westminster Abbey in London following a calf injury that previously halted production. Bautista appeared in full costume as the Kurgan, wearing a blood-stained priest’s uniform and wielding a sword during late-night action sequences.

In the film’s official synopsis, “Centuries after his first death on a Scottish battlefield, immortal warrior Connor MacLeod lives quietly in the modern world… When the ruthless immortal Kurgan resurfaces… Connor is forced back into the Game.” The Kurgan, originally portrayed by Clancy Brown in the 1986 film, was part of a tribe that “toss[ed] children into pits full of starved dogs… for entertainment.”

Henry Cavill wore a leather jacket, dark hoodie, and combat trousers, leaving the hoodie open at the chest, while makeup gave him a bruised appearance after the fight sequence. Dave Bautista portrayed the sword-wielding villain with long, slicked-back hair and a thick beard.

In one setup, the production team suspended Cavill and Bautista over a car as a motorbike ridden by co-star Siobhan Cullen or her stunt double raced beneath them.

Filming continued into the early hours, with both actors performing wire stunt work for the dramatic sequence. Despite their onscreen rivalry, Cavill and Bautista shared moments of laughter between takes. At CinemaCon 2024, Cavill had said, “If you thought you’d seen me do sword work before, you haven’t seen anything yet” (via IGN).

The reboot stars Henry Cavill, Dave Bautista, Russell Crowe, Marisa Abela, Karen Gillan, Djimon Hounsou, Max Zhang, and Drew McIntyre. Directed by Chad Stahelski and written by Kerry Williamson and Mike Finch, the film is currently in production.