Deleted Highlander Action Sequence With The Kurgan Was Cut Because It Was 'Too Good,' Actor Says

An histrion who starred successful a combat series chopped from the archetypal Highlander movie has revealed what happened, 40 years later.

Swordsman Alex King told The Telegraph that helium filmed a sword combat with Clancy Brown, who played the towering villain The Kurgan, successful 1985 successful London. But the series was chopped from the movie — thing King, who was successful his precocious twenties astatine the time, had nary cognition of. His sanction did not look successful the credits, nor was helium invited to be screenings.

King played an immortal called Yung Dol Kim, who is beheaded successful accepted Highlander manner by The Kurgan aft what was described arsenic an “ambitious” combat sequence. Yung Dol Kim, astatine bid with his fate, kneels for the last blow, smiling arsenic The Kurgan’s sword comes down.

According to The Telegraph, the film’s combat choreographer, swordmaster Bob Anderson (who appeared arsenic a stunt treble for Darth Vader's lightsaber battles successful The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi) warned that the choreography risked overshadowing adjacent the enactment scenes starring Christopher Lambert’s protagonist, Connor MacLeod. King, present 69, was a determination level-4 fencing teacher astatine the clip helium changeable the scene.

Highlander fans volition get a footwear retired of this statement of the deleted scene, per The Telegraph:

“I deliberation they were embarrassed,” King said of the determination to chopped his combat scene. “How bash you archer a feline that you’ve chopped him retired due to the fact that his series is excessively good?” King says helium felt “too young and inexperienced” to kick astatine the time, but present says helium feels “a small p***ed disconnected with it.” Ultimately, though, helium sounds philosophical astir what happened. The Telegraph nonfiction is down a paywall, but it’s good worthy speechmaking if you’re a instrumentality of the archetypal Highlander movie, and privation to cognize much astir King’s journey.

There is of people a caller Highlander movie successful the works, starring erstwhile Superman histrion Henry Cavill successful the rubric role. The transportation is “John Wick with guns.” There’s nary merchandise day yet.

Wesley is Director, News astatine IGN. Find him connected Twitter astatine @wyp100. You tin scope Wesley astatine [email protected] oregon confidentially astatine [email protected].