The Highlander movies don't have the strongest track record, but the involvement of Henry Cavill and Chad Stahelski of the action-packed John Wick franchise in the forthcoming Highlander reboot could turn the franchise's fortunes around. The movie is set for production in 2022, with Cavill on board to lead and Stahelski to direct. Few other details are known about the new Highlander reboot, but there's also reason to think it could be a major step up from previous installments.
The Highlander series is unusual in that, despite its longevity, it's had more disappointments than successes, at least when it comes to movies. The 1986 original Highlander set the table for the franchise and remains a cult classic to this day, but it's also the series' only entry with an all-around positive reputation. The infamous Highlander 2: The Quickening all but torpedoed the series back in 1991, and even became the Justice League Snyder Cut of its time with the heavily re-edited and tweaked Highlander 2: Renegade Version.
Though the subsequent sequels Highlander: The Final Dimension and Highlander: Endgame wisely retconned Highlander II, neither was positively received on its own terms either, while the franchise finally ended with the disappointing 2007 SyFy movie Highlander: The Source. As Highlander's return to cinemas, the reboot already has nowhere to go but up. Fortunately, Cavill and Stahelski are very well-equipped to take the next Highlander reboot far beyond that low bar.
Outside of his portrayals of Superman, Cavill has consistently been a strong performer in the various action-heavy roles he's taken on. This was especially true in his performance as August Walker in Mission: Impossible - Fallout, along with his role as the formidable monster hunter Geralt of Rivia on Netflix's The Witcher. The latter also showed Cavill's skill in sword-based fight choreography, an obvious must for the bladed combat of Highlander, so the reboot has certainly chosen its immortal hero well.
Additionally, given his skill at directing action films like John Wick, Chad Stahelski's credentials as a director more than speak for themselves. Stahelski's background as a stuntman coupled with his directing work also ensures that the horrific shaky cam that plagues modern action movies will be nowhere to be found in the Highlander reboot. While the John Wick movies mostly deal in gun-fu and intricate unarmed martial arts fights, they've also brought knives, swords, and other bladed weapons into the equation. Stahelski's approach to directing action as seen in the John Wick franchise could therefore form the basis for some of the best sword battles ever seen in the Highlander franchise.
The Highlander series has had hits outside of the original film, particularly in the more positively received Highlander television series. Still, when it comes to the film side of the franchise, the original cult classic has been followed by a succession of lackluster follow-ups. With Henry Cavill leading and Chad Stahelski directing, the Highlander reboot could be the franchise's first real hit, both on cinema screens specifically and following the more liked Highlander TV series, in a very long time.