Henry Cavill 'Highlander' on Set Glimpse: Chad Stahelski Ditches Green Screens for Authentic Landscapes

Published 09/09/2026, 10:35 AM EDT

Henry Cavill, The Witcher Season 2 (2021). Photo credit: Susan Allnutt/Netflix/The Hollywood Archive PUBLICATIONxINxGERx

The Highlander reboot is already looking considerably more ambitious than it would have been with a man with a sword wandering through a green-screen forest, and it is not even close to release yet. Even mere glimpses of Henry Cavill on real locations have been more than just booster shots for the imaginative. True to his word, director Chad Stahelski has committed to getting Highlander's mythology to the T, and is taking the immortal warrior across real landscapes and cities.

It is pretty evident that he has understood that if immortals are going to spend centuries wandering the world, their movie probably should not look like it was filmed in one room.

Highlander takes Henry Cavill from Scotland to Hong Kong

Principal photography for the Highlander reboot began on January 28, 2026, in Scotland, following multiple delays, including an injury Henry Cavill sustained during pre-production training. From then on, production has been a rollercoaster ride, rapidly moving between London back to Scotland, where Cavill was spotted at locations including Eilean Donan Castle, the Isle of Skye, Glencoe and Glen Nevis.

RECORD DATE NOT STATED Highlander Shooting In Hong Kong Highlander film crew shooting at the New Hung Hom Harbourfront on August 14, 2026 in Hong Kong. This comes right after actor Henry Cavill was spotted filming the action reboot on Peel Street in Central. (Photo by Kobe Li Nexpher Images) Hong Kong

The Highlander crew, in fact, proceeded to expand the map considerably. Filming moved to Poland in May and eventually Hong Kong, where Cavill was recently photographed filming amid recreated streets, neon signs and traditional storefronts; the information has quickly spread across the likes of X by dedicated and anticipating fans. The result is a production that looks determined to give Connor MacLeod a world that actually feels lived in.

It also helps that Stahelski is not exactly unfamiliar with making action look physical. His John Wick background is already written all over the Hong Kong footages, which featured sword fights, motorcycle chases and a neon-lit rave sequence.

'Highlander' Reboot: Henry Cavill’s First Look and Action-Packed Adventure’s Locations

Stahelski is rebuilding one of fantasy cinema’s strangest mythologies from the ground up.

Everything known about Chad Stahelski’s Highlander reboot

This Highlander is a reboot and reimagining of the 1986 original, with Chad Stahelski directing from a screenplay by Kerry Williamson and Mike Finch. Henry Cavill plays Connor MacLeod, an immortal Scottish warrior whose centuries-long existence eventually brings him into conflict with other Immortals and the brutal Kurgan.

The cast includes Russell Crowe as Ramirez, Dave Bautista as the Kurgan, Karen Gillan, Marisa Abela, Djimon Hounsou, Drew McIntyre, Max Zhang and Jeremy Irons. Dan Laustsen serves as cinematographer, while Tyler Bates handles the score.

RECORD DATE NOT STATED Peel Street in Central was transformed with neon signs and outdoor hawker stalls for the film set of a new Highlander movie starring British actor Henry Cavill on Thursday. 13AUG26. SCMP Connor Mycroft HONG KONG CHINA EDITORIAL USE ONLY Copyright: xx 202608136d8594f5 ConnorxMycroftx scmpphotostwo030526

The story retains the franchise’s central mythology of Immortals fighting toward the Gathering and the mysterious Prize, while Stahelski has indicated that the new film can draw from the wider Highlander mythology. Amazon MGM Studios is backing the project, with a 2027 release expected. For a franchise whose entire premise is that one man has been around for centuries, going global with the production seems less excessive than overdue.

Henry Cavill’s 'Highlander Reboot' Role Is Clearer Now, With Fresh Character Updates and a Confirmed Filming Timeline

What do you think of the Highlander's real-life locations? Let us know in the comments.  

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Adiba Nizami

1071 articles

Adiba Nizami is a journalist at Netflix Junkie. Covering the Hollywood beat with a voice both sharp and stylish, she blends factual precision with a flair for wit. Her pieces often dissect celebrity narratives—both on-screen and off—through parasocial nuance and cultural relevance.

Edited By: Hriddhi Maitra

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