Summit taps Lin, Moritz for 'Highlander'

Director, producer set for franchise reboot

By DAVE MCNARY

'Highlander'

Summit Entertainment has tapped Justin Lin to direct and Neal H. Moritz to produce its reboot of "Highlander," aiming at turning the fantasy actioner into a franchise.

Lin and Moritz teamed on "Fast and Furious," Universal's most successful title this year. Move comes a year after Summit acquired the "Highlander" remake rights from Davis-Panzer Prods. and assigned "Iron Man" scribes Art Marcum and Matt Holloway to pen the script.

Summit hasn't cast actors or set a start date for production, but it's clearly hoping that it can attract the "Highlander" fanbase, built up over the past two decades.

The orginal 1986 film was directed by Russell Mulcahy and starred Christopher Lambert, Sean Connery, Clancy Brown and Roxanne Hart. It launched four sequels and three TV spinoffs.

Longtime "Highlander" producer Peter Davis is also producing along with Moritz.

Summit plans to expand on the original "Highlander" premise of immortals hunting each other through the ages. The new pic will center on the immortal Scottish swordsman Connor MacLeod, who must confront a murderous barbarian who lusts for a fabled prize.

Lin's helming credits include "The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift" and "Better Luck Tomorrow." Moritz and his Original Film banner are producing the upcoming "Flash Gordon" and "The Green Hornet."

In addition to "Iron Man," Marcum and Holloway wrote "Convoy" for Par.

Summit's domestic distribution arm launched in 2007 and struck gold with "Twilight" last fall, with the second entry -- "New Moon" -- out in November, followed by the third next June. Summit focuses on projects budgeted in the middle range and plans to release 10-12 films annually.

Lin and Moritz are repped by CAA.