Highlander Reboot Set Photos Reveal Dave Bautista As The Kurgan

By Ryan Scott
Dave Bautista as Duke sitting at the table with his arms crossed in Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery Netflix

We've got our first look at Dave Bautista in Amazon's upcoming "Highlander" remake. This new take on the '80s action/fantasy classic has been a long time coming, with "John Wick" director Chad Stahelski first becoming attached to "Highlander" in 2016. Henry Cavill ("Man of Steel") is playing Connor MacLeod, the role made famous by Christopher Lambert. Bautista, best known as Drax in Marvel's "Guardians of the Galaxy," is playing his foe, the Kurgan, originally played by Clancy Brown ("The Shawshank Redemption"). 

Recently, some photos of Bautista on set in costume began making the rounds on Twitter, via UnBoxPHD. Admittedly, they don't give us much of a sense of what the wrestler-turned-actor is going to look like in action. But we do see him in costume, including a shot of him standing alongside Cavill. He's rocking long hair, a pretty bushy beard, and a leather coat. He looks ripe for a role in this universe, to be certain.

Cavill previously revealed some first look photos of the "Highlander" reboot as filming got underway after years of delays. Originally, Lionsgate was setting up the movie but as the budget increased, they decided the risk was too great. So, the rights were sold to United Artists, with Amazon MGM Studios set to release it under that label. The cast also includes the likes of Karen Gillan ("Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle"), Russell Crowe ("Gladiator"), Jeremy Irons ("Watchmen"), and Djimon Hounsou ("Shazam!").

Dave Bautista is filling Clancy Brown's shoes in Highlander

Clancy Brown as The Kurgan in his battle armor in Highlander 20th Century Studios

Dave Bautista is coming off of "The Wrecking Crew," which co-stars Jason Momoa and is currently streaming on Prime Video. Bautista has become a very in-demand actor in recent years, starring in everything from "Knock at the Cabin" to "Dune." In this case, he'll be filling the shoes once filled by character actor extraordinaire Clancy Brown, who delivered a memorable performance in the original 1986 cult film directed by Russell Mulcahy.

The Kurgan is an Immortal and the main antagonist of Connor MacLeod, as well as his ultimate opponent in the Gathering. He was born of a clan known for cruelty and throughout his many years he caused lots of destruction and did a lot of killing. That made him a particularly dangerous opponent. Brown delivered a performance that was far from subtle, going for broke.

Is Chad Stahelski going for a more grounded, modern "John Wick" influenced tone? What will Bautista bring to it These are questions we're left to ponder.

This reboot has been in development for a long time dating back to at least 2008, changing hands several times along the way. Production was delayed last year when Cavill was injured, once again throwing a wrench into the spokes of this movie that has been fighting an uphill battle for a long time. But now, it's off to the races. Will it be worth the wait? We'll see how it all comes together.

The "Highlander" remake doesn't currently have a release date but stay tuned.

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