Summit to Remake Highlander
Highlander (Remake 2010) Movie — By Nix on May 20, 2008
“There can be only one!” Well apparently not, because Summit Entertainment has already snagged remake rights to the 1986 original, and plans to reboot it with writers Art Marcum and Matt Holloway, whose last film was some little indie called “Iron Man”, maybe you’ve heard of it. Peter Davis, one of the “Highlander” franchise’s original producers, will return as producer, probably as part of the deal when he sold the rights to Summit.
“Highlander” fans will recall that a fifth installment in the franchise, “The Source”, was made and sat on the shelf for years, before finally being released onto DVD and cable TV to less than spectacular responses from the core fans. Oh who am I kidding; I hated the crap out of it, and so did everyone else. It was unGodly terrible in every way.
The Hollywood Reporter has more about the reboot:
Summit acquired the rights to remake the cult classic from Davis/Panzer Prods. Peter Davis, one of the original producers of the 1986 film, also will produce the new film.
By acquiring the rights to the property, Summit gains a recognizable brand and a franchise with worldwide popularity amonng both the young and old.
Summit’s president of production Erik Feig, along with the company’s senior vp production Geoff Shaevitz and creative executive Gillian Bohrer, will oversee the project for the studio.
If you’ve never seen the franchise, “Highlander” is about a bunch of immortals from ancient times, who goes through the centuries trying to chop each other’s heads off, the only method by which they can be killed. Why all the head chopping? Because when only one immortal is life (“There can be only one!”), he was supposedly to receive the prize, a super duper power or something like that.
The 1986 original supposedly ended with Christopher Lambert as the last remaining Highlander, but that sort of went out the window when the movie proved so successful that they decided to do a sequel, which completely rewrote the rules of the franchise. After that point it was anyone’s guess what the hell was going on.
8 Comments
It would probably be easier to list the films they are not remaking.
The 1986 Highlander film was very successful, however I think we must give credit to Adrian Paul and the 1992 Highlander series. I think more people became fan of the franchise after the series.
Truthfully, I did not even know there was a movie until I became a big fan of the show. But then again i was born in 1982.
Finally, Adrian Paul, I think, did an excellent job as Duncan McLeod, where Christopher Lambert was not as great as Connor.
Very interesting, however, the original movie is so good that I cringe when I think about a re-make.
I like all the original Highlander movies. They were well done and the actors fit the roles almost perfectly. Everytime they remake a movie it seems that don’t make it as good and it makes everyone believe the originals were bad as well. I say leave the original as is and don’t remake it.
I dont know people act like they hate remakes. I love movies. I dont care if it is a remake or not. It is always interesting to see new ideas based off an good theme. Sometimes a re-imagining of an old classic is better than a new movie with similar characters. I say REMAKE everything and I will decide which version I like best.
I’m a HUGE Highlander fan. Love the original movie. Absolutely love the concept. Love the series. Love all the characters.
I’m just surprised that there have been 5 movies. The original series went 6 seasons and could have gone on longer. The Raven spin off had it’s own unique problems. There was even a cartoon! Folks there are still conventions!! All of this… since the 1986 feature film.
I can’t think of another story line that’s been abused to the extent that Highlander has. I mean this thing has the “Mother Of All Cult Followings” !!
With that said… there’s no reason to rush this. Even die hard fans like myself will be torn away eventually if movies like “the source” (no caps on purpose) are spewed out. There is NO EXCUSE for how bad that movie was. I guess when you film in “Slovenia” or wherever that was filmed on a miniscule budget … what do you expect. That movie takes the cake for me as the worst movie ever made. It was so pitiful to watch Adrian and Peter and Jim in that movie. Just SAD!!
As far as this new script is concerned… Don’t throw out the edged weapon combat! Don’t make Connor a peace nick. Don’t use Methos as the main character. If you make it a trilogy have the “Gathering” in phases. Just take the time and put the effort in to make it right. What makes me nervous is Peter Davis (producing and was co-producer of the first movie and series) coming out recently and saying that it will be a,”re-imagining”!! Let’s just hope that they don’t drastically change the concept. If they want to better define the prize i’m fine with that. Don’t change Connors character and don’t throw away the edged weapon combat!!! I could go on forever but i’ll stop here.
OK OK OK!!! Enuf already First Im not crazy about this DAMN remake! But I sure as hell hope they do it right! But there off to a bad start from the begining by bringing in the fu!@%#g guns!! Buts whats all this hate with the SOURE?! I actult enjoyed it ! With the excption of the end and the whole prise thing. But all in all I thought it was a good movie.. But this remake..? BAD IDEA!!
sorry for the shitty spelling in the above but I think You get the Idea.