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Henry Cavill and Karen Gillan are among the Hollywood stars in Scotland filming what look like flashback scenes for the new Highlander movie.
Highlander, from John Wick steward Chad Stahelski, is a reboot of the cult classic 1986 Highlander, starring Christopher Lambert as immortal Scottish warrior Connor MacLeod and Sean Connery as his mentor, Juan Sánchez-Villalobos Ramírez.
In this new version, Superman star Henry Cavill plays immortal sword master Connor MacLeod, who was born in 1518. Based on recent set photos, Highlander, like the original movie, will include flashbacks to MacLeod’s 16th-century origins in the Scottish highlands. As reported by the BBC, the set photos show Cavill in fine form with long hair and tartan clothing.
Meanwhile, Scottish actress Karen Gillan, who played Nebula in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, posted a number of images on Instagram showing her character out and about at Eilean Donan Castle. She plays Heather MacLeod, Connor’s first wife.
Gladiator’s Russell Crowe, who plays Juan Sánchez-Villalobos Ramírez, is also in Scotland filming Highlander, as is MCU star Dave Bautista, who plays villain Kurgan, and Trainspotting actor Kevin McKidd. WWE wrestler Drew McIntyre plays Angus MacLeod, Connor’s brother and chieftain of Clan MacLeod.
A Highlander trailer was revealed behind closed doors last month at CinemaCon, where IGN was in attendance. The presentation began with a message from Cavill from the set (Cavill had to pause filming due to a leg injury he sustained last year while training for the movie, which delayed production to early 2026). The footage itself, set to Queen’s ‘We Will Rock You,’ saw The Kurgan tell Connor MacLeod: “When my sword changes history, you will have a front row seat.”
Cavill swordfighting scenes evoke the tone of the John Wick movies. That makes a lot of sense, given Highlander has been described as ‘John Wick with swords.’
Highlander is set in beyond present-day New York and Hong Kong, with Connor MacLeod forced into battle at The Gathering. In Highlander lore, The Gathering is a summoning that forces the immortal warriors to face each other in what’s called the Game, leaving just one alive.
Last month, Siobhán Cullen, who plays Brenda in Highlander, hyped up the action scenes, saying the movie is “definitely one for the fans,” adding: “some of the fighting scenes I’ve seen are just insane.”
“It’s exciting to work with somebody who is so fluent in the language of action, and it’s like there’s this whole other script that’s happening that is parallel to our dialogue,” she continued. “The subtext and incredible detail to character is incredible and I’m just a keen student.”
There’s no release date yet for Highlander.
Wesley is Director, News at IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.
