There will never be a time in film quite like the 1980s. Whether it was the drugs, the explosion of consumer culture, or the ever-present fears of everything from technology run amok to nuclear annihilation, filmmakers’ imaginations ran wild in the best way. The result was a decade of films that defied convention and blended different genres into one-of-a-kind cinematic experiences. That includes one movie that mixed deep character study with period piece drama, all set within a fantasy lore framework that grew into an entire franchise universe. And best of all, the franchise is about to get a major blockbuster reboot, just in time for this 40th anniversary, and we can’t wait for it!
On March 7, 1986, the movie Highlander first opened in theaters. It was far from a hit; in fact, Highlander only earned $12.8 million at the box office during its theatrical run, against a budget of $19 million. It was considered a flop in the US, but became a cult hit overseas and on home video. However, it was the lore of the film that really took root in fans’ imaginations and became an iconic selling point of the film, leading to numerous sequels and a cult-hit television spinoff, which ran for most of the 1990s.
Highlander’s Story Explained
Christopher Lambert in Highlander / 20th Century Studios
Directed by music video director Russell Mulcahy, from a script by Gerogory Widen (The Prophecy), Larry Ferguson (The Hunt for Red October), and Peter Bellwood, Highlander is about a clan of immortals living alongside mortals. These immortals have a special energy and perceptiveness known as “the quickening,” and are beholden to a prophecy of coming to the new world (America) and hunting one another down. If an immortal is beheaded by another in a sword duel, their power passes to the one who killed them, increasing the power of their own quickening. The last immortal standing stands to inherit god-like power, which could be good or bad for humanity, depending on the victor.
The story of the film follows Connor MacLeod (Christopher Lambert), a man from 16th-century Scotland who discovers he’s an immortal. Cut to modern day, and Connor is working as an antique dealer in NYC, but his seemingly normal life ends when other surviving immortals begin to converge on the city for the final duels, including “Victor Kruger” (Clancy Brown), Connor’s nemesis from the old world and the last survivor of a savage tribe of barbarians. Kruger begins slaughtering his way to winning the power of “the prize,” with only a reluctant Connor left to stop him.
Highlander is a lot of “style over substance,” with a format that is very much in line with Mulcahy’s music video work, including many iconic needle drop montages of swordplay. However, the same reason Highlander seemed like an action movie misfire to some is the same reason it has endured as an iconic cult-classic. The moody vibe and unintentionally hilarious swagger of the film are undeniably a product of the ’80s, like few other films. When the sequel film, Highlander II: The Quickening, was released in 1991, the magic was gone, as the studio forgot the fantasy lore elements and tried to take the franchise into a future sci-fi lane. Instead, they made one of the worst films of all time. Still, the three sequels that followed and the TV series were all modest cult successes, which totalled up to being one of the first successful franchise universes of the 2000s. The franchise ended with the SyFy Channel movie Highlander: The Source in 2007. But now, it’s making a comeback.
The Highlander Reboot Is In Production
Henry Cavill in Highlander / Amazon – MGM Studios
In January of 2026, cameras started rolling on the reboot of Highlander, after being stuck in a cycle of failed attempts for nearly twenty years. The version of the project that made it to the screen will star former Superman (Man of Steel) and The Witcher star Henry Cavill as Connor MacLeod, with former WWE star Dave Bautista (Guardians of the Galaxy) playing “The Kurgan” (aka Kruger).
According to the synopsis, the Highlander reboot will closely follow the plot of the original, with Cavill’s MacLeod described as “a 16th-century Scottish warrior discovers that he is not human, but an ageless ‘immortal,’ and destined to fight with others of his kind for ‘the prize.’ After centuries of wandering the Earth, he must face the final immortal, the cruel and sadistic Kurgan, in an epic confrontation.”
Presumably, the present-day setting will be updated for modern times. The most notable thing about this new Highlander is that it’s being directed by Chad Stahelski, the director of the John Wick franchise. Stahelski’s claim to fame is being one of the best stunt action performers and directors in Hollywood, who creates practical stunt action sequences that are not only mind-blowing feats of physicality and coordination, but also captivating visual spectacle. That’s all to say: this reboot will likely be leaning into the sword-fighting action much more than the original film did, with Stahelski and Co. having to meet the challenge of convincing audiences that the fighting is being done by warriors who have centuries of training and experience behind them.
The Highlander reboot doesn’t have a release date yet, but it will be released by Amazon/MGM. The film will also feature Russell Crowe as Juan Sánchez-Villalobos Ramírez, an older immortal who mentors Connor in the 16th century (a role Sean Connery played in the original). Guardians of the Galaxy actor Karen Gillan will play Connor’s wife in the old world, Heather, while Djimon Hounsou (Aquaman, Furious 7) will play Connor’s only friend, an African immortal named Sunda Kastagir. Also appearing in the film are WWE star Drew McIntyre, HBO’s Industry star Marisa Abela, Chinese martial arts film star Max Zhang, South Korean star Jeon Jong-seo, HBO’s Rome star Kevin McKidd, and HBO’s Watchmen star Jeremy Irons as the leader of “The Watchers” who observe and chronicle the story of the immortals.
Are you familiar with Highlander lore? Let us know all about your experiences with the franchise over on the ComicBook Forum!