Why 'Highlander' Left Lionsgate for Amazon as the Studio Bets Big on '80s IP

Chad Stalhelski, the erstwhile stunt coordinator-turned-director who transformed "John Wick" from a potential direct-to-video action movie into one of the most inventive, visually ravishing franchises in modern cinema, was ready for a change. He had made four films in the Keanu Reeves-starring series, with the fourth film grossing almost $450 million worldwide. More importantly, he had created an entirely new universe for Lionsgate and producers Thunder Road that now included streaming series, big screen spinoffs and an upcoming animated prequel. Stahelski would still oversee these . . .