Dave Bautista as the Kurgan? 'Highlander' Reboot Feels Dangerously Promising
A cult fantasy reborn with a new edge — and blade.
Keeping an eye on how beloved cult films get reimagined can be a dangerous hobby. One moment you’re wincing at a shameless cash-grab, the next you stumble upon a project that makes you lean forward.
That’s exactly what happened when news broke that Dave Bautista will play the Kurgan in Chad Stahelski’s upcoming Highlander reboot for Amazon/MGM.
He joins Henry Cavill and Russell Crowe in a revival of the 1980s swords-and-sorcery classic. The Kurgan — immortal, brutal, unforgettable — was first brought to life by Clancy Brown in the 1986 original.
Since leaving wrestling, Bautista has built a surprisingly varied career, working with Denis Villeneuve, Rian Johnson, Sam Mendes, James Gunn and M. Night Shyamalan. Now he’s teaming with Stahelski, the director who turned John Wick into a billion-dollar ballet of violence.
It made me curious what others are thinking.
"A project I’m cautious about. I have to admit that if there was ever a franchise that could be improved with complete reboot, it’s this one," Negative_Baseball_76 wrote on Reddit.
Meanwhile, cockblockedbydestiny shared a more reserved view: "I know Dave Bautista is taking his acting career seriously and is trying not to be just another one of those ex-wrestlers....But I just haven't seen much out of him to this point that makes me want to watch a movie just because he's in it."
Well, we’ll see what comes of it — and whether Bautista can truly make the Kurgan his own. For now, filming begins next month, aiming for a late 2026 release. I can already picture sword fights cut with Stahelski’s trademark precision — and a fresh take that won’t feel like the 1986 film (and its ill-fated sequels).
