Question of the day: How does one go about breathing new life into a franchise that, for the most part, has a track record of sucking pretty bad?
The answer, according to Lionsgate, is to give the proverbial keys to the castle over to someone who’s proven on multiple occasions that he’s more than capable of not sucking at all, which is precisely what they’ve done in giving the one and only Chad Stahelski the green light to oversee a rebooted Highlander franchise.
As reported by Variety, Stahelski, of John Wick fame, will take the reins of Highlander in addition to the John Wick franchise, and will hit the ground running by gearing up a new Highlander movie as his next feature film. His production company, 87eleven, will spearhead a multi-pronged effort to revitalize the Highlander franchise through film, television, and other mediums.
For those who don’t understand the gravity of this development, picture Chad Stahelski—the man responsible for the impeccably-crafted assassin action of the John Wick films—getting permission to tinker in a playground full of immortal Scottish warriors that do battle with each other across several centuries and only ever die if they get beheaded; if that’s not the perfect recipe for delectable action-fantasy films, I don’t know what is.
Exactly what a Stahelski-helmed Highlander film could look like is a tough call, but the parameters of the franchise’s magic system will give him ample room to put his stunt-work talents to the test, and it goes without saying that he’ll feel right at home directing stories that take place in the nooks and crannies of a murder-happy underworld that has no time for those who break its rules.
There’s, of course, no word yet on when we can expect Stahelski’s Highlander take to appear on the horizon, but knowing that it’s at least in the process of getting into the oven should be enough to keep the fans satisfied for a hot minute.
(featured image: 20th Century Fox)
