‘Highlander’s Dave Bautista Reveals What Makes Henry Cavill the Perfect Action Hero [Exclusive]

The long (and we mean, long) awaited reboot of the beloved 80s action fantasy film, Highlander, is finally happening. Led by Henry Cavill as the titular immortal warrior, MCU star Dave Bautista will clash swords with the former Man of Steel as the villain of the piece, The Kurgan. In an exclusive interview with MovieWeb’s own Joe Deckelmeier, Bautista heaped praise on Cavill’s dedication to the project and why he’s the perfect actor to take on the role of the Highlander.

Speaking with MovieWeb, Bautista said that, while Highlander hasn’t started filming yet, preparation is well underway. And, it seems, there’s nobody more prepared than Henry Cavill. He might even be too prepared, if his recent injury is any clue.

“We haven’t started filming yet. I can tell you this: Henry is easily one of the hardest-working actors I’ve ever worked with in my life. It’s because I’ve seen him train. I’ve seen him work out because it’s a grind, man. It’s a grind. It’s like a pro athlete grind. I say that coming from 20 years of professional wrestling, before that, amateur wrestling. I know what hard work in a gym, workouts, and training for professional sports. I know what it is. I know how hard it is. I’ve been through a fight camp.

I know how hard it is, how awful. This is really, really hard. It’s really hard, and watching that dude grind daily, and this was like before the injury, because we were training every day. He’s easily not only one of the hardest actors I’ve ever seen work, but he’s also a real gentleman.”

Dave Bautista Faces off With Henry Cavill in ‘Highlander’

Steve Wilkie /©Apple TV+ / Courtesy Everett Collection

Action fans have been waiting for what feels like forever for the Highlander reboot to get off the ground. After flailing around in development hell for what seems like an eternity and having previously cast Deadpool star Ryan Reynolds in the lead, the Highlander reboot is finally happening and finds Henry Cavill in the lead as the titular immortal warrior in Amazon’s reboot.

Directed by John Wick’s Chad Stahelski, Highlander also stars Cavill’s Man of Steel co-star Russell Crowe and Bautista’s MCU co-star Karen Gillan. The former will play Ramirez, the mentor of Cavill’s Connor MacLeod, while Gillan will reportedly play Heather MacLeod. Bautista, meanwhile, will play The Kurgan, the villain portrayed with scenery-chewing brilliance by Clancy Brown in the 1986 original. A synopsis for the upcoming Highlander reboot was recently revealed, and you can check it out below…

Centuries after his first death on a Scottish battlefield, immortal warrior Connor MacLeod lives quietly in the modern world, haunted by loss and the endless cycle of violence among his kind. When the ruthless immortal Kurgan resurfaces, backed by a secret organization bent on unlocking the secret of eternal life, Connor is forced back into the Game – an ancient battle where ‘there can be only one.’

Guided by his mentor Ramírez and a mortal ally, archaeologist Kate Bennett, Connor must confront his past and rediscover his purpose. As immortals clash across time and continents, the fight for the mysterious ‘Prize’ becomes a battle for humanity’s soul.

See also  Killer Grannies Is A Real Show That's Happening, And The Series Description Is Even Better Than The Title

Release Date

March 7, 1986

Runtime

116 minutes

Writers

Gregory Widen, Peter Bellwood, Larry Ferguson