Fill: Snowflake Challenge #12

[argentum_ls]

Tell us who you would recast in a film, tv series or webseries, or maybe someone voicing a cartoon or videogame. Or who would you cast to play a character in a book, comic or maybe even your own fiction!


The reboot for the original Highlander movie is reportedly going to start filming soon. The script has been in the works for some time by Chad Stahelski, notably of John Wick, and more recently it's been announced that the role of Connor MacLeod will be played by Henry Cavill, of Superman, Sherlock Holmes in Enola Holmes, The Man from UNCLE, and The Witcher fame.

I am ... not happy about this.

First, as much as I want a new (and hopefully good entry in the franchise), I really don't want a remake of the original movie. That story has been told. The concepts of the Highlander franchise have always been so ripe for exploration--and have rarely had that potential even approached--that the idea of covering the same territory we've already seen again bores me. Maybe Stahelski will be able to find something new to bring to the story, but the early information isn't promising. Especially since we're coming out of the gate with recasts for Connor and The Kurgan, and speculation is underway for who will play Ramirez. (Naturally, a lot of people in the fan community are hoping that Adrian Paul (Duncan MacLeod, from the Highlander series) will be cast for him.)

I understand that existing Highlander fans aren't the audience for this reboot, and the goal is to introduce new people to the ideas. But ... can't that be done with a different story? With different characters?

Second, I am not happy about Cavill's casting. I'm sure he's a great guy, and people-other-than-me seem to think he's a great actor. He's just. so. Hollywood. He's big, imposing, and traditionally handsome in that way Hollywood demands of leading men; based on the popularity of the roles he's landing, he also can't be cheap. That he's got his name attached to several other major franchises means he's everywhere. Granted, from the Hollywood Exec perspective, these are all the reasons he was cast--box office draw, and all that.

IMO, one of the things the low-budget casting of the original Highlander movie got right was to pick a guy who looks and acts like an everyman. The original Connor MacLeod could be a guy who lived for centuries without drawing any notoriety because he doesn't stand out in any immediately obvious way. As the good guy in the story's battle between good and evil, he's also not the one who broadcasts with his looks which side he's on. He's moved silently down through the centuries, living many secret lives -- and looking like the kind of person who could have done that.

The actual challenge here was to suggest a recast. I don't have one. Mostly, because there are two conditions I really want the new Highlander story to meet: 1. I want the main character to be a woman, and 2. I want that character to be played by someone relatively unknown (and, preferably, not Hollywood-beautiful). Casting unknowns has worked wonders for the MCU. And, since the reboot movie is supposedly a setup for a new trilogy or TV series, casting someone who isn't busy with multiple other franchises would make it a lot easier (and cheaper) to keep that actor on in the long term.

But, mostly, I want a different story, a different perspective -- not just a Hollywood-ified version of what's already been done. We've had four movies with Connor MacLeod, and six seasons of a TV show plus two movies with Duncan MacLeod. They've had their time in the spotlight.

There's a great opportunity here to reboot the franchise in a way that's fresh and interesting, and provides for some longevity. I wish we could recast in a way that will help that happen.

Comments

[panisdead]

Oh hell, I didn't know this movie was in the works, but I...would rather not see Henry Cavill in this role? For every one of the reasons you mention? Cavill is not a "secret lives" kind of guy, he's the guy people start a "Connor MacLeod sightings" Instagram that gets 10K posts a day from around the globe about.

I want the main character to be a woman.

Yes. A woman in this role would be a welcome change.

[argentum_ls]

Yes, exactly! Maybe he'll blend into the part. My observations of his physicality so far don't give me much faith in that, though.

[malinaldarose]

I like Henry Cavill well enough, but you're right -- he does rather stand out. I'm not happy about the idea of a reboot, remake, whatever, just for the sake of one. What's wrong with the original? Which doesn't mean I won't watch this eventually, but still.

To be fair, they did try to have a woman as the lead with Highlander: The Raven (which I watched for the first time last year and mostly liked).

[argentum_ls]

Tbf: I don't think it's a reboot for the sake of one. I think it's reboot because it's been over three decades and this is how you bring in a new audience. Also, I actually do get the impression that Stahleski is a fan of the original and he wants to try his hand at it.

I'll watch the reboot. I'll probably even like it. There's a good chance I might get fannish about it, since it is HL. But I still wish it could be something different.

The last time we tried a female lead was over 20 years ago, with a character (and idea: a female lead) the producers and writers all flat out stated they didn't believe could carry a show. The time is right to try again, especially since we have somewhat of a Hollywood trend to do female reboots of franchishes; it would fit right in.

[malinaldarose]

Let's go back to "reboot for the sake of one" instead of "over three decades." Ouch. =)

I wonder how well H:tR would have done if they'd actually believed in it?

[argentum_ls]

The original HL movie was 1986! Which, to my surprise, isn’t “a few years ago.” Ouch, indeed.

HL:tR had sooooo many problems. Believing in it would have helped, but I don’t know if that would’ve been enough to overcome the other issues.

[sef1029]

I love the idea of casting a woman as the protagonist (someone like Rebecca, who was so underutilized). But I doubt Hollywood can envision such a story.

[argentum_ls]

One would think that with the success of Wonder Woman And Black Widow, they might have a better imagination.

[aliensamba]

I didn't know there was a reboot planned for Highlander. I enjoyed the 1986 movie and the tv series (although it was sad sometimes). The quote "there can be only one!" pops up in my head from time to time.

If the main character had been a woman, I'd want Arden Cho to play her mostly because I like seeing her wield a katana. She played Kira Yukimura on Teen Wolf.

[argentum_ls]

Arden Cho would be a really interesting choice! She's the right age for the part, and she clearly has an ageless quality that would allow her to last a long time in the part.