As Nebula in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Karen Gillan has gone from conflicted villain to much-loved hero, but she is about to have a “full-circle moment” in her next role – playing the wife of Henry Cavill’s Connor MacLeod in Chad Stahelski’s reboot of the Highlander franchise. As Gillian recently revealed, getting the role was just something she knew she had to do.
Highlander will revive the action fantasy franchise that began in 1986, with Christopher Lambert playing MacLeod, an immortal who becomes locked in an epic battle for “the Prize.” Now, the saga will begin all over again with Henry Cavill taking on the role of MacLeod in a new take on the story from John Wick helmer Stahelski. The director’s involvement was one reason Gillan really wanted to be part of the movie, along with the fact that she herself is “a Highlander.” She told BASIC magazine:
“Ever since I heard about the reboot of Highlander, I wanted to be in it—because I’m a Highlander! When would that opportunity ever come again? There are so few Highland Scottish roles anyway, but this is a classic and a beloved film I’m honored to be involved in. I got word from the director, who also directed the John Wick films, which I love so much. That was one of the most exciting parts of the project—that someone as good as him is going to take this film and make it even better.”
As it turned out, even the meeting between Gillan and Stahelski had a Scottish precursor and, thankfully for the actress, they really connected.
“I sat down with him, and I had just come from a whisky tasting, which is maybe the most Scottish thing I’ve ever done in my life. We got on great and, luckily, I was offered the part. Filming near my hometown is going to be a beautiful full-circle moment.”
‘Highlander’ Can Finally Give Henry Cavill a Post-Superman Cinema Hit
Despite seemingly having one of the biggest fanbases in cinema, Henry Cavill’s movie releases have not been incredibly impressive of late. Since his appearance in Mission: Impossible – Fallout, his big spy movie Argylle was a disaster in theaters, ending a dismal box office run on just $96 million (although it did redeem itself with a massive viewership on Apple TV later), and his Guy Ritchie team-up on The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare only made $26 million.
Highlander could have all the makings of a box office winner thanks to a combination of Stahelski’s ability to deliver a distinctive action movie and the nostalgia of the returning franchise in a new guise. The film is also not short of star talent, with Cavill and Gillan being joined by Russell Crowe, Dave Bautista and Jeremy Irons.
Highlander begins filming in early 2026, which could mean the film will not be released until 2027.
- Writers
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Ryan J. Condal, Michael Finch, Kerry Williamson
- Producers
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Neal H. Moritz