Ryan Reynolds Exits ‘Highlander’ Reboot
To say Summit’sHighlanderreboot has been as long-lived as its characters would be a massive exaggeration, obviously, but it has been kicking around for quite a while now. And it’ll be sticking around for some time yet, as it’s now headed back to square one.Ryan Reynoldshas just dropped out of the project, months after directorJuan Carlos Fresnadilloexited. Hit the jump to get the details.
The script has passed through a few different hands over the years.Art MarcumandMatt Holloway(Iron Man) were behind the first draft, andMelissa Rosenberg(Twilight) was brought on for rewrites in 2011. The most recent draft was penned byNoah Oppenheim(the upcomingThe Maze Runner).
The film centers on Connor MacLeod, an immortal warrior who’s pulled into a game for the Prize. His fiercest competition is the brutal Kurgan. Reynolds would have played MacLeod, who was portrayed by Christopher Lambert in the 1986 original.Highlandergot off to a shaky start in its initial release, but eventually gained enough of a following to spawn four sequels and live-action and animated TV adaptations.
While Reynolds' departure forces producersNeal MoritzandPeter Davisto start from scratch, a source tellsThe Wrapthat a clean slate could prove a blessing. Whomever they hire to direct will be able to book a new lead, rather than trying to work with Fresnadillo’s choice.
Reynolds, meanwhile, has plenty on his plate even withoutHighlander. He has two more films due out this year, DreamWorks Animation’sTurboand the Men in Black-esqueR.I.P.D.He recently wrapped Atom Egoyan’sQueen of the Nightand Marjane Satrapi’sThe Voices, and is attached to star in Tarsem Singh’sSelfless.
