Russell Crowe has vowed not to use a Scots accent when he plays the role made famous by the late Sir Sean Connery in the remake of cult-classic movie Highlander.

Connery raised eyebrows in 1986 when he played Spanish-born Juan Ramirez, an immortal, with his usual Scots brogue.

But the Gladiator star said he’ll speak with a Spanish accent in the film that also stars Karen Gillan, Kevin McKidd and fellow Scot, WWE Superstar Drew McIntyre.

Crowe, 61, said: ‘The character’s name is Ramirez and Sean played the character brilliantly, obviously, as a Scotsman.

‘But they explain in the original movie the reason that Ramirez, the Spaniard, had a Scottish accent in the movie by saying that earlier he came from Egypt.’

Crowe, who won the Oscar as Best Actor for Gladiator, revealed that he told this anecdote to Highlander reboot director Chad Stahelski who assured him, ‘If you bring me Spanish, I will take Spanish’.

He added: ‘So I’m gonna do Ramirez as a Spaniard.’

The late Sir Sean’s Scottish accent infamously remained intact whether he was playing James Bond, a Russian sub commander in The Hunt for Red October, an Irish beat cop in The Untouchables, or a Moroccan insurrectionist in The Wind and the Lion.

Production on Highlander has been delayed until 2026 while lead actor Henry Cavill recovers from an injury he sustained during training for the film.

The movie is to be filmed mainly in Scotland with other scenes shot in New York and Hong Kong.

Inverness-born Gillan, 37, will take on the role of the wife of Connor McLeod - played by former Superman actor Cavill - the love of his life, who he meets while still a young man.

The original 1986 film chronicles the climax of an age-old war between immortal warriors.

It starred Frenchman Christopher Lambert as The Highlander, with Sir Sean Connery playing his mentor Ramirez - an Egyptian who had been based in Spain.

Rock superstars Queen provided the music backdrop to the movie that initially flopped in the cinema.