“There can be only one.” At least, according to the nearly immortal warriors spoken by the equally-immortal warriors in the 1986 cult film Highlander. The cheesy but fondly remembered sword-and-sorcery epic about an eternal war between a race of deathless humans managed to spawn (deep breath) three theatrical sequels, two live-action TV series, an animated film, a TV film, and an animated series. And then it just sort of died; the franchise petered out in the mid-2000s and the cultural footprint of everything but the original film has been washed away.
Now, however, it seems ready for a comeback. It was recently reported that Henry Cavill (DC’s most recent big-screen Superman and star of Netflix’s The Witcher) has landed the lead role in a new version of the story to directed by Chad Stahelski, one of the co-creators of the John Wick movies. It’s not yet clear whether this will be a straight remake of the original film or a soft reboot / reimagining of the Highlander universe. But following the announcement, I almost immediately saw a handful of the usual complaints: “Oh, it’s just another unnecessary remake. Hollywood is officially out of ideas. Yadda yadda yadda.”
Look, I get it. I’m a grumpy old man whose natural inclination is to recoil at newly announced remakes as well, considering studios dole them out like turkey legs at a renaissance festival. But everyone should take a minute and allow the notion of a Highlander remake to simmer in their brains for a bit because the truth is, Highlander is an excellent candidate for a modern-day reboot. In fact, if we’re doomed to keep regurgitating dormant properties from the 80s and 90s, Highlander might be the best possible option.
For starters, the franchise has had time to rest. It’s been 14 years since the last Highlander project has graced screens of any size, and even longer than that since one made any kind of lasting impact on the zeitgeist This isn’t like a new Transformers movie coming out two or three years after the previous installment was released and quickly forgotten. Highlander has been in hibernation for long enough that bringing it back now seems more inspired than tired.
Also, the world of Highlander is close to an ideal fit for today’s superhero-dominated film landscape obsessed with chasing extended universes. For the uninitiated, the original Highlander movie tells the story of Connor MacLeod (Christopher Lambert), a centuries-old Scottish warrior who’s one of a group of nearly immortal beings scattered around the planet. I say “nearly immortal” because there is one way they can be killed – by getting decapitated by another immortal. When that happens, the beheader absorbs the energy of the beheadee (dubbed “the Quickening”), thus becoming more powerful. What you end up with is a bunch of sword-wielding, vaguely super-powered maniacs frantically trying to cut off each other’s heads, and a handful of more peaceful warriors who would prefer to stay hidden.
In the first movie, MacLeod falls under the latter category and is hiding out in New York City, disguised as an antiques dealer named Russell Nash. However, he’s drawn back into the game thanks to “The Gathering,” the prophesized final battle which will leave only one immortal left standing. Should that immortal be the Kurgan, a hulking, growling maniac played by Clancy Brown, that would be bad news for not just the other immortals but also the entire planet. That’s why MacLeod, using the skills he learned from his mentor, the epically named Juan Sanchez Villa-Lobos Ramirez (played by Sean Connery!), sets out to defeat the Kurgan and become the last immortal.
As you may have noticed, a lot of this is really silly. And it only became sillier as the franchise continued on. (If you want to be vastly entertained — and also terribly confused – take a few minutes to check out the plot section on the Wikipedia page for Highlander II: The Quickening.) But the basic concept of immortal warriors who both befriend and live in fear of each other is a solid comic-book foundation for a big-screen action/adventure saga. And though the success rate of the original franchise was not high, there were enough elements there that did work, specifically in the original film and in the well-liked Highlander: The Series. It’s not hard to imagine an updated take on the property that jettisons all the nonsense in favor of a streamlined narrative that pits a colorful collection of these badass warriors, good and evil alike, against each other in a series of globetrotting battles.
And what’s great is Stahelski seems like a perfect match for the material. Through three John Wick films, he’s shown a distinct knack for staging thrilling and well-choreographed action scenes that dazzle the senses while managing to keep the focus squarely on the characters. Under his direction, it’s easy to envision a new series of Highlander films that feature the fantasy-world-building of Star Wars or Marvel but with an R-rated edge. And speaking of edges, let me take a moment here to urge Stahelski and the other filmmakers involved to leave the sword fights intact. A Highlander reboot has been in development for a while, and one of the consistent rumors has been that the immortals would upgrade their method of beheading to more modern means like shotguns and bazookas. In my mind, that kind of takes the fun out it. The sword-and-sorcery feel is what would make a new Highlander stand out in today’s crowded action field. Plus, we’ve already seen Stahelski do gun fights over and over again in the John Wick series. I want to see what he can do with broadswords!
Long story short: Not every announced reboot is a bad idea, and Highlander in particular seems ripe for another go. Even if it ends up being a straightforward remake of the original film with Cavill playing MacLeod, it’s hard to consider it sacrilege when the first film is full of cheaply-built sets, dicey accents, and plot points that don’t make a ton of sense. Sorry, Christopher Lambert superfans – it’s just not a terribly good movie. But it is an interesting movie, with some unique story components that could provide a solid foundation for an updated version of the tale. Ironically, in this case, there doesn’t have to be only one, and a Highlander do-over with Stahelski and Cavill onboard should be a reboot we welcome with open arms and upraised swords.
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