Since the announcement was made back in 2009, that the fantasy classic Highlander (a movie about a centuries long battle to the death, held by a group of immortal beings posing as regular humans) would be getting a remake, there’s been all sorts of movement, rumours, and different possible outcomes, but after a long period of quiet it looks like things may gearing up once again, as Melissa Rosenberg is currently in talks to write a new Highlander screenplay.
Summit Entertainment have brought Melissa in to re-write the screenplay that’s already been drafted by Art Marcum (Iron Man) and Matt Holloway (Punisher: War Zone), as well as Cormac and Marianne Wibberly (National Treasure); a move that will likely see her taking the movie down a much lighter path than Marcum and Holloway would have intended, and introducing a great deal of romantic longing (something she’s becoming adept at; having scripted all five Twilight movies).
Yet despite the core premise of the original film following a medieval Scottish swordsman (who discovers he is one of several hundred immortal beings living across the globe) doing battle with other immortals, and facing off against a huge brute who covets the power he will gain from being the only immortal left alive, romance was a big part of the film; with the Scotsman not only having a modern day romance, but longingly reminiscing over a past love who was stolen from him due to her mortality.
Ever since the first film romance has been a big part of Highlander, and made a big impact on fans of the Highlander TV show, although that isn’t to say that Melisaa can’t handle the action, tension, or drama, that’s to go with it; as she was heavily involved with writing and producing the first series of Showtime’s multi-award winning show Dexter.
Fast and Furious director Justin Lin was previously attached to direct the Highlander remake, and planned to do so in the gap between filming the upcoming Fast Five, and its sequel Fast and Furious 6, but with the current delays there’s no telling if that’s still the case, or if a new director will be hired to helm the reboot that’s now highly unlikely to make its originally planned 2012 release date.
