Dave Bautista Cast as Iconic Villain in ‘Highlander’ Reboot; Also Set for ‘Road House 2’ Opposite Jake Gyllenhaal

The Dune and Guardians star joins Henry Cavill and Russell Crowe in Amazon MGM’s ambitious revival of the cult fantasy saga, while also gearing up for the sequel to Prime Video’s hit action flick.

Dave Bautista is officially entering the arena of immortals. The action star is in final talks to play the notorious villain Kurgan in Amazon MGM Studios’ high-profile reboot of Highlander, directed by Chad Stahelski (John Wick). Joining forces—and swords—with Henry Cavill as Connor MacLeod and Russell Crowe as Ramirez, Bautista’s casting adds a formidable presence to the revival of the beloved 1986 fantasy epic.

The film, under the banner of United Artists, is scheduled to begin shooting in late September, with principal photography set across the UK and Hong Kong. Bautista’s role as The Kurgan—originally portrayed by Clancy Brown—marks a major villainous turn. In the lore, Kurgan is an ancient, brutal immortal who hunts and decapitates others of his kind to absorb their powers and win “The Prize.”

Interestingly, Bautista’s connection to the role goes back nearly a decade. In 2015, he was rumored to be circling the part during a previous iteration of the remake under Cedric Nicolas-Troyan. Now, with fans already creating mash-up trailers featuring him and Cavill as sword-wielding foes, the casting feels like a long-awaited dream come true.

Written by Michael Finch (John Wick: Chapter 4), the reboot is being produced by Scott Stuber, Nick Nesbitt, Neal H. Moritz, Stahelski’s 87Eleven Entertainment, and Davis Panzer Productions. Louise Rosner is also on board as producer.

But Highlander isn’t the only Amazon MGM title on Bautista’s slate.

He is also locked in for Road House 2, the sequel to the 2024 Prime Video hit that starred Jake Gyllenhaal as ex-UFC fighter Dalton. The first installment, directed by Doug Liman and watched by over 80 million viewers in its first eight weeks, ranks among Prime’s most-watched originals. In the follow-up, Gyllenhaal returns, with a script by Will Beall (Bad Boys: Ride or Die), and direction from Ilya Naishuller (Nobody), replacing Guy Ritchie. Bautista’s role in the sequel is being kept under wraps for now.

Beyond these two high-octane projects, Bautista’s career momentum continues. He recently filmed a cameo for Paramount’s upcoming Naked Gun reboot starring Liam Neeson, and is attached to The Romantic, a comedy from Deborah Kaplan and Harry Elfont. His upcoming films include Trap House, produced by his Dogbone Entertainment, and The Wrecking Crew, a buddy-cop action comedy co-starring Jason Momoa. He also earned acclaim for his performance in Gia Coppola’s The Last Showgirl opposite Pamela Anderson, and stars in the Zellner Brothers’ quirky alien comedy Alpha Gang.

Bautista’s growing presence on Amazon signals a strategic shift for the actor, who continues to diversify his roles while staying true to his action roots. With both Highlander and Road House 2 poised for major buzz, it’s clear he’s not just swinging swords—he’s swinging for the fences.