Summit Entertainment has confirmed that its number one choice for the helm of the new Highlander film is Juan Carlos Fresnadillo.
Fresnadillo most recently directed Intruders – which is currently being shown at the Toronto International Film Festival – and is also set to direct The Crow reboot. While Fresnadillo has not officially accepted, he had expressed interest previously, so there is little chance he’ll turn down this great opportunity.
I reported a few weeks ago that Justin Lin, the original choice for director for the film, was forced to step down due to other obligations.
Lin expressed regret at the need to pass up the opportunity, but had already committed to sitting in the fabric chair for the sixth Fast and Furious film, as well as the new Terminator reboot.
“I don’t know where it’s going to lead, but I never thought at this level [I would] be able to meet filmmakers and be in situations where they’re that gracious and insightful and so inclusive,” Lin said at the time, referencing a meeting with Arnold Schwarzenegger and James Cameron regarding the Terminator franchise.
Highlander spent several years in development hell until this summer when the company decided that it was time to pull it off the shelf. The push to get the Highlander film out likely stems from Summit’s need to get another fantasy franchise going now that Twilight is finished.
The Highlander script was written by Art Marcum and Matt Holloway and recently updated by Melissa Rosenberg – who also worked with Summit on the final versions of the Twilight scripts. Neal H. Moritz and Peter S. Davis are producing.
Highlander is currently set to arrive in theaters sometime in 2012, but I wouldn’t be surprised if it was pushed back to the 2013 blockbuster season.
