Yet Another Guardians of the Galaxy Star Joins Henry Cavill’s ‘Highlander’ Remake

Chad Stahelski‘s Highlander reboot just added another new cast member. Two-time Oscar nominee Djimon Hounsou will star alongside Henry Cavill in the latest entry in the immortal cult-classic action franchise. According to reports, he’s set to star as a sword-wielding African immortal in the film. The film will begin production at the end of this month.

Hounsou is no stranger to genre work, with roles in Gladiator, Stargate, Rebel Moon, and both the DC and Marvel cinematic universes. In fact, he appeared with fellow Highlander stars Dave Bautista and Karen Gillan in one MCU entry, Guardians of the Galaxy. Oscar-nominated for his roles in 2002’s In America and 2006’s Blood Diamond, Hounsou is a familiar face on the silver screen. Next year, he’s set to star with Phoebe Dynevor and Whitney Peak in the survival thriller Shiver, and is also slated to headline The Zealot, with Kodi Smit-McPhee, and The Monster, with Lauren LaVera.

What Is ‘Highlander’ About?

A remake of the classic 1986 fantasy adventure, Highlander will star Cavill as Connor MacLeod, a Scottish highlander from the 16th century who discovers that he’s part of a secretive race of immortal beings. Guiding him through this journey is a fellow immortal, the swordsman Ramirez (Russell Crowe, taking on the mantle of Sean Connery from the original film). The unaging MacLeod will have to deal with his all-too-mortal Scottish wife (Gillan) as the years pass, with a new love in the modern day (Marisa Abela), and ultimately with a deadly enemy: the Kurgan (Bautista), a merciless immortal killer. When immortals clash, they can be killed, and the victor gains the power of the other; the Kurgan intends to be the last immortal standing to receive a mysterious reward known only as “the prize.” The original film has become a cult classic hit and spawned several sequels and television spin-offs, although none quite matched the grandeur of the original and its all-Queen soundtrack.

In the original Highlander, Connor MacLeod is friendly with an African immortal, which may be the role Hounsou is playing. Sunda Kastagir, played by The Phantom Menace‘s Hugh Quarshie, is, like MacLeod, a resident of modern-day New York City. However, he and MacLeod have no intentions of dueling with each other; the Kurgan has no such compunctions. He slays Kastagir and takes his power, setting the stage for his climactic confrontation with MacLeod.

Highlander will begin production at the end of September. Stay tuned to Collider for future updates.