Could there only be one person? Wrong. Bautista will be the second actor to play this ferocious immortal god.
Dave Bautista and Clancy Brown as Kurgan in the original Highlander film. Photo: Craig Barritt/Getty Images; 20th Century Fox/Courtesy Everett Collection.
Dave Bautista is in final negotiations to play the villain in the remake of the 1980s classic Highlander, produced by Amazon MGM.
The actor will join Henry Cavill and Russell Crowe in this fantasy action film, produced by Amazon MGM’s United Artists and scheduled for theatrical release.
Chad Stahelski will direct the film, which is expected to begin principal photography in late September and will be shot in locations in the UK and Hong Kong.
The original Highlander, released in 1986, starred Christopher Lambert as Connor MacLeod, a medieval Scottish Highlander who discovers he is an immortal warrior. With the help of a swordsman named Ramirez, played by Sean Connery, Highlander battles other immortals across centuries, culminating in a modern-day battle in which, as the classic line goes, “there can only be one winner.” The film switches back and forth between different time periods. In the remake, Cavill plays MacLeod and Crowe plays Ramirez. Veteran actress Marisa Abela also takes on a leading role. Bautista will play the protagonist, an immortal warrior named Kurgen, who has been killing other immortals over the centuries to absorb their essence. Clancy Brown delivered a memorable performance in the original film. Bautista’s impending arrival is both a fitting moment and the realization of a fan-awaited casting choice. Bautista was considered for the role of Kurgen back in 2015 when a version was being made under the direction of Cedric Nicolas-Troyan for Summit Entertainment. In recent months, fans have been pairing Cavill and Bautista as two immortal warriors facing off in fan-made trailers (we’ll link to one, but it’s terrible). Michael Finch wrote the script for the remake. Scott Stuber and Nick Nesbitt produced along with Neal H. Moritz, Stahelski’s 87Eleven Entertainment, Josh Davis of Davis Panzer Productions, and Louise Rosner. Bautista is considering Amazon as one of his top destinations, with Highlander just the latest film project for the streaming platform. He has starred in Amazon action comedies such as My Spy and its sequel, and is currently in post-production on the action comedy The Wrecking Crew, co-starring Jason Momoa. He is also in talks to star in the sequel to The Roadhouse on Amazon. Bautista is represented by WME and Jackoway Austen.
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