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'Twilight' Writer Melissa Rosenberg to Script a 'Highlander' Remake

by Ethan Anderton
February 9, 2011
Source: THR

This is bound to rub plenty of fans the wrong way, but don't shoot the messenger. Summit Entertainment has been working on a remake of the fantasy film Highlander with producer Neal H. Moritz since 2008. When the rights were picked up, a script followed by Art Marcum and Matt Holloway (two of the writers of Iron Man) with revisions by Cormac and Marianne Sellek Wibberley (the duo behind National Treasure). Now THR reports that Twilight Saga screenwriter Melissa Rosenberg is taking over the script with a new take on the story of a Scottish swordsman, who discovers he is part of a secret race of near-immortal beings.

The epic fantasy had our hero battling an unstoppable barbarian who covets the power gained from there being only one of near-immortal beings left alive. That's a far cry from sparkly vampires and melodramatic romance, but there has been some action in The Twilight Saga, so it's not entirely out of left field. In addition, Rosenberg was also a writer and co-executive producer on "Dexter," so her abilities are probably far beyond her work in Twilight. Here's hoping she finds a way to work in Queen's song Princes of the Universe, the opening credits song from the original film. Thoughts?

Explore tags: Movie News, Opinions

The Highlander MacLeod

i hope this is a joke stick with the original story not some super race which will turn out to B pale vampires falling in love to some little goth girls fantasy where she also goes out with a werewolf pleases stick with the original story oh and Thomas Jane 2 play Connor MacLeod

Davinciboson

Thomas Jane HELL YES!!!!!! He looks like Lambert and is one of the most underrated action heroes ever.
There can be only Juan.

I'm pretty sure that Christopher Lambert, Tom Jane and Aaron Eckhart all emerged from the same cloning facility... I blame the Kaminoans.

Anonymous

all great actors. Even considering it's Raiden, The Punisher, and Two-Face.

http://twitter.com/ganaeshd Ganaesh D.

When I saw "Twilight", I was like D: But then I saw "Dexter" and I was like So now I'm... cautiously optimistic.
http://www.facebook.com/SuperChef85 Vreeland Holt

Gotta agree with Ganaesh...stick to the story! The original storyline!!!
Thanos

They should just leave it alone. No Remake at all.
Anonymous

I'm not sure why fans would be any more upset about this than with the last two or three movies.. however many there are. So far the only thing Highlander related that's worth a shit is the first movie. Surely most fans have moved on...

El Hoopso

What about the one with Sean Connery??

Anonymous

Sean Connery was in the first one...

Anonymous

He had the turkey of all cameos in the second one.

p86

exactly there have been more shitty highlander movies than good
Johan

"There can be only one."

Manuel

"... one movie"

Anonymous

"... one good movie" "There can be many." "... many shitty sequels"

Paul Cyr

I watched the original with my kid over the weekend - I was so excited to watch it with him - it was one of my favourite movies back in the day. It was embarassing, doesn't hold up well at all. I'm glad they're going to do a remake.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9emWB_rrMt0 Crapola

It is pretty cheeseballs, funny they made a Scotsman pretend to be Spanish and a Frenchman pretend to be Scots. But the Queen soundtrack is pretty good. "Who waants to live foreeeeeeeeeevaaaaa................"

Ultim8

True, However....... Sean Connery Played an EGYPTIAN! (Ra-Mi-Rez) who was in the court of the King of Spain, and thus adopted the neme Juan Sanches Villalobos Ramirez. You also forgot the American playing a Russian (Clancy Brown/Kurgan).

http://profiles.yahoo.com/u/2GJAL5XLSAPEVGPIHZ4XOJE5QI RandallM

Good job Ultim8...."There can be only one."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9emWB_rrMt0 Crapola

That's prett mad, Ultim8, I never knew that. He looks much more Egyptian than Spanish anyway. Connery used to be mates gran's milkman you know...
Bewitching

Not only has Sean Connery played an Egyptian from the Spanish court, he has been a Russian (Hunt for Red October), an Arab (The Wind and the Lion, The Next Man), an Ancient Greek King (Time Bandits), an Irishman (Darby O,Gill and The Little People), as well as an Englishman in many films (James Bond, First Knight, Robin and Marian) and so on an so forth. My point is Sean Connery is the caliber of actor that can be anything and anyone. I thoroughly enjoyed his roll in the Highlander. I wish he were young enough to reprise his roll in the remake.

Anonymous

have to agree. i saw it again after years away recently and it has not dated well. the only thing that elevates it for me, now is Clancy Brown. he *owns* that film. 'i am in... disguise. this way, no one will recognise me.'

Spellbane

The Series was better then all the movies imo...
Anonymous

Muss Be Kidding o_o
Blackmanju

The first movie and the series(except for Richie) were top notch, off the hook and great. The rest of the films were garbage. Even if the writer goes for the angst-ridden, I hate to be immortal, melodramatic love triangle formula it can only be way better than the sequals of the first fim. So, no worries here...
Anonymous

Please please PLEASE pleeeeease please please please PLEASE No planet Zeist.
http://twitter.com/El_MUERkO El_MUERkO

If they make Connor MacLeod into a moody little shite then someone is getting smacked with the 'NO!' bat!
Cracky

Highlander is supreme. 'Princes of the Universe' is probably one of the best original songs for a movie. I still replay the parking lot sword fight in my head sometimes. Thrilling shit, that Highlander. A remake is just so very sad to hear about.
Harm

As long as they get Kevin McKidd to play Colin McCloud then I'm in! A real Scotsman - oh and he needs to keep the kilt, even in the modern world!

Jon

Who's "Colin" McCloud? Connor McCloud's cousin?

Anonymous

Hard to top the acting and directing of the first one, they did a lot with a stupid story. Yes it is dumb. So with a good plot/script it could surpass it. I feel sorry for the music producer. Can't top a Queen soundtrack. Ever.
Darklord_bs

Sparky vampires? She screwed that up royal. The 1st Highlander movie was GREAT. They have screwed it left and right since. Chicken men assassins on flying skateboards from Ziest? Come on!!! This is just wrong and she is the WORST person to try a remake. It's like Princess Bride. Leave the classics be...
Jon

Keep in mind Rosenberg only wrote the screenplays based on those crap books by another author - she didn't come up with sparkly vampires and whatnot. Hopefully she's professional enough to have shaken off any lingering influence from those complete cow-pat stories and will keep this movie true to the original. Cautiously optimistic...
Lost Son

Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo! Actual am not surprised at all though. They have been fricking up Highlander since the 1st sequal Highlander 2 back in 1991. Every movie except the 1st film are all crap. The original film was fantastic.
Chaos1979

i hope they include the Queen Song!
Matrixgeeza

To be fair most writers end up with their names against some rubbish at some point in time. Hers in our opinion is the twilight movies. I dont know how old most of you are on here but im 31. I first saw highlander in 1991. It was amazing and made am immediate impression, so much so I then went onto watch Highlander every Saturday morning for about the next 12 months and periodically there after. Anyway, point being Highlander back then is what we all like and hope it stays the same (perhaps a little slicker in some places, like no wires showing in quickening sequences). Hopefully this new writer will be a fan and be able to tap into what we like and want just as she has done when writing Dexter for the Dexter crowd and as she has done when writing the screenplays for the twilight films. The expression "horses for courses" springs to mind, we dont rate twilight but they were'nt meant for us (30 year olds) were they. Its a teenage girls series of novels adapted for more teenagers, just as when she was writing for Dexter it would be the 20 and upwards age group. It would seem she can hit demographics quite well. Lets not forget the script that was originally put in by the Ironman 1 writers was shocking!!! Macleod using a sniper rifle to shoot off rival immortals heads from a safe distance!!!! Whats that all about?!?!?!? Personally I think a trilogy of films based only on the 1st films concept and drawing from the best concepts of the highlander series would be the best way to go.
http://www.facebook.com/Vil1975 Vil Rovner

I have one reply, and one reply to this, only. ahem "EX-TER-MIN-ATE! EX-TER-MIN-ATE! EXXXX-TER-MIIIIIN-AAAATE!!!!!"

Ray Burke

I love all of the highlander movies its still remains an adventure, after all these years. lets keep the immortals alive there are still many fights to be won and lost.makes me feel like a watcher.may be i am........ '' there can be only one'' Ray Burke