Russell Crowe has arrived in Gran Canaria to begin filming his latest historical epic, The Last Druid. The Hollywood actor was spotted at the island’s airport on Saturday, where he posed for photographs with fans.

More than two decades after playing Roman general Maximus in Gladiator, Crowe will once again take on the might of the Roman Empire. This time, the 62-year-old stars as an ageing Celtic druid forced to defend his people.

Crowe’s character is the spiritual leader of a remote Celtic community living in the mountains of Caledonia, the Roman name for part of present-day Scotland.

Their peaceful existence is threatened when a Roman emperor discovers the settlement and attempts to bring its inhabitants under his control. The normally peaceful druid must lead a resistance to save his family and community from destruction.

Gran Canaria’s ravines, mountain peaks and volcanic scenery will be transformed into the wild landscapes of ancient Scotland. Filming is expected to take place at several inland locations across the island.

The film will be directed by William Eubank, who previously worked with Crowe on Land of Bad. The cast also includes Rose Leslie, Andreas Pietschmann, Stacy Clausen and Daniel Zovatto.

The international production will use locations in both the Canary Islands and Catalonia. Canary Islands producer Adrián Guerra is also involved in the project.

Filming in Catalonia recently faced delays because of biosecurity measures linked to African swine fever. Work at a former golf course near Barcelona was temporarily suspended over concerns that the site had not been properly secured to prevent wild boar from entering or leaving.

Gran Canaria is now expected to play an increasingly important role in the production. The filming will also bring economic benefits to the island through the arrival of cast members, technical crews and audiovisual companies.

Residents and visitors may see production activity around inland areas of Gran Canaria, although no major public access restrictions have yet been announced.