Sam Heughan on ‘surreal’ fight scenes with Bloodshot co-star Vin Diesel

Scottish actor Sam Heughan has opened up on his “surreal” fight scenes with Bloodshot co-star Vin Diesel.

Heughan plays a modified super soldier in the comic book movie, while Diesel stars as a marine brought back to life by a shady organisation planning to use him as a weapon.

The pair go head-to-head during intense fight scenes and Heughan – best known for his role in TV drama Outlander – admitted being worried about going too hard on Hollywood star Diesel.

Speaking at the film’s premiere in Los Angeles, he told the PA news agency:  “(It was) very surreal. Most of the time you’re thinking ‘I don’t want to punch him in the face’ because if I do that it’s going to cost millions of dollars.

“So there’s a lot of pressure but it’s so fun. And my character is an amazing character to play.”

Heughan, often tipped to take over from Daniel Craig as James Bond, said working with Diesel was a learning experience.

He said of The Fast And The Furious star: “There’s so much to learn from Vin. He creates this atmosphere where everyone is relaxed, and a real family atmosphere as well.

“Who would have thought I’d ever get to punch Vin Diesel in the face? But I get to.

“To see him work on set, to see him work as an action movie star is incredible. The man has created so many franchises, so I was very lucky.”

Bloodshot is based on the comic books featuring the hero of the same name.

After Diesel’s character and his wife are assassinated, he is resurrected by a group of scientists and enhanced with nanotechnology, making him a killing machine known as Bloodshot.

If successful, the film could launch the Valiant Comics cinematic universe.

Diesel, 52, said: “The story is different. The characters are broken. It’s got aspects of our world that not everybody talks about all of the time. It’s exciting, it’s an exciting time. In 2020, the launch of the Valiant cinematic universe is before us.”

Bloodshot will be released in UK cinemas on March 13.