The red-haired movie star is the latest name linked to the Amazon MGM remake, which also includes Russell Crowe, Dave Bautista, and Marisa Abela.
Gillen, who got her break playing Amy Pond on Doctor Who, has starred in a number of Hollywood blockbusters. If the film is successful, she may have a third franchise on her resume.
The actress is best known for playing cybernetic alien Nebula in Marvel Studios’ Guardians of the Galaxy and Avengers series. And she also starred in Sony’s Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle and Jumanji: The Next Level – with a third on the way.
Karen Gillen as Nebula in Guardians of the Galaxy (Image: NQ) Highlander tells the story of immortal warriors who fight through the centuries till only one is left to claim a mystical prize.
The action fantasy, which hails from Amazon MGM’s United Artists banner, is being directed by Chad Stahelski and is slated for a theatrical release.
Principal photography is due to begin at the end of September at locations around Scotland before moving to Los Angeles.
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Gillen’s casting brings a Scot into the fold of the new film for the first time as she follows in the footsteps of Sean Connery.
The 1986 original is famous for some of the oddest casting in film history, with a Frenchman – Christopher Lambert, who spoke little English and learned his lines phonetically – playing a 17th Century Highland warrior.
Connery, who delivered his lines in his customary Edinburgh brogue, played McLeod’s mentor and fellow immortal, Ramirez – and Egyptian who had been based in Spain.
The villain of the tale, a warrior from the Steppes of Russia called The Kurgan, was played by the American Clancy Brown.
Henry Cavill, as The Witcher, right, will take over the role of Highlander Connor McLeod, played by Christopher Lambert, left. (Image: NQ) In the remake, Cavill is playing MacLeod while Crowe is Ramirez. Bautista takes the role of The Kurgan, while Industry actress Marisa Abela also has a leading role.
Gillen can currently be seen in Neon’s The Life of Chuck, based on the novella by Stephen King.
The film premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival, where it was honored with the People’s Choice Award.
Speaking back in August 2023, director Chad Stahelski – created and directed all four John Wick movies – suggested the reboot could be the start of a major franchise.
He said: “I think we have some very good elements now. The trick is when you have the tagline ‘there can only be one’, you can’t just kill everybody the first time.
“Our story engages a lot of the same characters and stuff like that. But we’ve also brought in elements of all the TV shows, and we’re trying to do a bit of a prequel, a setup to The Gathering, so we have room to grow the property.”
Karen Gillen has become a Hollywood star (Image: NQ) Henry Cavill confirmed he was attached to the reboot back in 2021, and revealed that had been “dipping into” his Scottish heritage and getting his “base line research” underway.
Posting on his Instagram account, he wrote: “I’ve been a fan of Highlander since I was lad. From the movies in all of their 80s, Queen slathered glory to the TV show with an actor who looked remarkably like one of my brothers.
“Being not shy with swords, and having a director as talented as Chad Stahelski at the helm, this is an opportunity like no other. Deep diving into franchise storytelling with all the tools at our disposal, is going to make this an adventure I (and hopefully all of you) shall never forget.”
