Highlander is an American media series created by Gregory Widen. The series started with a 1986 fantasy movie called Highlander, which features Christopher Lambert as Connor MacLeod, the main character. There are four movies shown in theaters, one movie made specifically for television, two live-action TV shows, one animated TV show, one anime movie, books, comics, and many licensed products.

Connor MacLeod, the main character, was born in Glenfinnan, Scotland, in the 16th century. He is one of many immortals who gain power from something called the Quickening. These immortals can only be killed if they are beheaded. Other characters from the MacLeod family, such as Duncan MacLeod, Quentin MacLeod, and Colin MacLeod, were introduced later, each in their own storylines.

On television, Highlander: The Series ran for six seasons from 1992 to 1998. The show features Adrian Paul as Duncan MacLeod, a relative of Connor who is also an immortal Highlander born much later. Other characters who appear often in the series include Amanda, an immortal thief played by Elizabeth Gracen, and Methos, the oldest immortal played by Peter Wingfield. Each of these characters had their own separate shows: Highlander: The Raven and The Methos Chronicles, both of which lasted one season.

Films

The original movie Highlander, directed by Russell Mulcahy, was released on March 7, 1986, with the tagline "There Can Be Only One." The film includes scenes that show the early life of Connor MacLeod (played by Christopher Lambert) of the Clan MacLeod. After dying in battle in 1536 and coming back to life healed, Connor is taught by an Egyptian swordsman named Juan Sánchez-Villalobos Ramírez (played by Sean Connery). Connor learns that he and others are rare humans born throughout history who have a power called the "Quickening." This power connects them to nature, prevents them from having children, and makes them ageless and unable to die unless beheaded. Immortals can gain power by absorbing the Quickening of another person through combat. Ramírez explains that when only a few immortals remain, they will be drawn to a place called the Gathering, where the last survivor will take the Prize—a powerful force that could control humanity.

In the film’s present-day story set in 1985, the Gathering is happening in New York City, where MacLeod works as an antique dealer with his adopted daughter, Rachel. He must stop The Kurgan (played by Clancy Brown), a ruthless immortal who once hunted him and killed Ramírez centuries earlier. As the final battle nears, MacLeod reflects on his life with Rachel and meets a new love, Brenda Wyatt (played by Roxanne Hart).

The film was originally called Shadow Clan and Princes of the Universe. When it was first released, it was not a financial success and received poor reviews, but it later gained a strong cult following and is considered by many to be the best film in the series.

The original musical score was written by Michael Kamen. The band Queen created and performed the soundtrack, released as the album A Kind of Magic, which references a line from the film. Songs from the soundtrack were used in the Highlander TV series, and the track "Princes of the Universe" became the show’s theme song.

The film earned $12.9 million worldwide, with $5.9 million in the United States and Canada.

Highlander II: The Quickening was initially directed by Russell Mulcahy. Most of the film was shot in Argentina, but after the country’s economy collapsed, investors took control of the film, removed Mulcahy, and changed the story. Released on November 1, 1991, the film is set in 2024, with flashbacks to the 1990s and a planet called Zeist 500 years earlier. It explains that Ramírez and MacLeod are alien revolutionaries from Zeist who opposed corrupt rulers and were exiled to Earth. On Earth, they became immortal and were forced to fight until only one remained. The winner could choose to become mortal or return to Zeist. This story contradicts details from the first film, such as Ramírez’s age, Connor’s childhood in Scotland, and how the two first met. The film also does not explain why MacLeod no longer has the power to read people’s thoughts and dreams, which he gained in the first movie.

In the film’s main story, the ozone layer breaks down by 1994, killing many people from solar radiation, including Brenda Wyatt (now said to be Connor’s wife). In 1999, MacLeod helps create an energy shield to protect Earth, but the shield blocks sunlight. By 2024, society is in chaos, and the shield is controlled by a company called The Shield Corporation (TSC), which charges countries for protection. MacLeod, who became mortal after winning the Prize in 1985, is now an old man. He fights off immortal enemies sent by General Katana (played by Michael Ironside) and teams up with Louise Marcus (played by Virginia Madsen), who reveals the shield is harmful. MacLeod uses his bond with Ramírez to bring him back to life, and together they defeat Katana and free Earth.

When Highlander II was released in 1991, it received poor reviews and is often called one of the worst films ever made. Mulcahy later created a version called the Renegade Version, which removed references to Zeist and instead showed MacLeod and Ramírez as members of an ancient Earth civilization. The film’s Special Edition, released in 2004, included updated visual effects and changes to the shield’s color. While some fans preferred these versions, the film’s overall reception remained mixed.

Highlander III: The Sorcerer (also called Highlander: The Final Dimension) was released in 1994 in the Philippines and the United Kingdom and in 1995 in the United States. It follows the original film’s story, ignoring the events of Highlander II. After Brenda Wyatt dies in a car crash in 1987, MacLeod lives in Marrakesh with his adopted son, John. In 1994, he is hunted by Kane (played by Mario Van Peebles), an immortal who missed the Gathering because he was trapped in a Japanese cave. Kane kills MacLeod’s teacher, Nakano (played by Mako), and gains the power to create illusions. MacLeod returns to New York to stop Kane from winning the Prize. Along the way, he meets Dr. Alex Johnson (played by Deborah Unger), an archaeologist who resembles a woman he loved during the French Revolution. Kane kidnaps John and lures MacLeod to a final battle in New Jersey, which MacLeod wins. He then begins a new life with John and Alex.

The film earned $36.7 million worldwide, with $13.7 million in the United States and Canada. Critics said it was a repetition of the first film.

Animated film

In 2007, an anime movie titled Highlander: The Search for Vengeance was released. The film shows the immortal character Colin MacLeod in the year 2187. This movie has its own story line and is not connected to the live-action movies or TV series. The story is set in a version of Earth that has been destroyed by a major disaster. It suggests that immortals can use their special abilities to move and fight faster and stronger than normal humans.

Television

In 1992, a television show called Highlander: The Series was created. It aired in syndication from October 3, 1992, to May 16, 1998. This series was based on the 1986 movie but had one important change: immortals still existed after 1985. The second season’s first episode confirmed that the events of the original movie happened in the TV series, but Connor MacLeod’s battle with the Kurgan was not the Gathering, and he did not win the Prize because many other immortals were still alive in 1985. The series introduced the Watchers, a group of mortals who watched and recorded the lives of immortals.

Adrian Paul played Duncan MacLeod, an immortal from the same clan as Connor, born many years later. After discovering his immortality, Connor found Duncan and trained him for years before they separated. Christopher Lambert returned as Connor MacLeod in the first episode and was referenced in later episodes. The series originally included Alexandra Vandernoot as Duncan’s love interest, Tessa Noël, and Stan Kirsch as his friend, Richie Ryan. Other regular cast members were Philip Akin as Charlie DeSalvo, Jim Byrnes as Joe Dawson, Lisa Howard as Anne Lindsey, Michel Modo as the funny character Maurice, and Peter Wingfield as the immortal Methos. Roger Daltrey of The Who appeared as Duncan’s friend, Hugh Fitzcairn, and Elizabeth Gracen played Amanda Darieux, a recurring character who later became the lead in a spin-off series called Highlander: The Raven.

Over six years, the series featured many guest stars, including Joan Jett, Vanity, Richard Moll, Traci Lords, Sheena Easton, "Rowdy" Roddy Piper, Nia Peeples, Rae Dawn Chong, Eric McCormack, Sandra Bernhard, Claudia Christian, and Ron Perlman. The show was co-produced internationally by companies such as Gaumont, RTL Plus (Germany), Rysher Distribution (United States), Reteitalia Productions (Italy), Amuse Video (Japan), and TF1 (France). It had strong international ratings but saw declining viewership in its final two seasons, ending in 1998.

In 1994, an animated series called Highlander: The Animated Series was released. Set in the 27th century on a post-apocalyptic Earth ruled by an immortal named Kortan, the protagonist was Quentin MacLeod, a young immortal voiced by Miklos Perlus. Quentin was the last of the Clan MacLeod and mentored by an immortal named Don Vincente Marino Ramírez. Connor MacLeod appeared in one episode as a flashback, dying at Kortan’s hands after predicting Quentin would one day defeat him. To reduce violence, the show introduced a way for immortals to transfer their Quickening energy to others, allowing Quentin to gain power without killing.

Highlander: The Raven, a spin-off of Highlander: The Series, starred Elizabeth Gracen as Amanda Darieux, a character she previously played in the original series. In this version, Amanda tried to improve herself with a new group of characters. The show lasted one season before ending due to low ratings and changes in how syndicated programs were marketed.

Web series

The Methos Chronicles is an animated TV show based on the character Methos, who was played by Peter Wingfield in the series Highlander: The Series. In the show, Methos is shown as a person who has lived for 5,000 years and cannot be killed. Wingfield voiced Methos in the animated series, which had one season with eight episodes.

In the early 2000s, a live-action TV show about Methos, also starring Wingfield, was planned but never made.

Amanda, Joe, and Methos meet for a private meeting before Methos’s wedding to talk about life, love, and sadness. This was a short film that was only made once. It was written by David Abramowitz, a show writer, and directed by Donald Paonessa.

Other media

Many books in the Highlander series were published, including a book based on the first movie by Garry Kilworth and a series of books inspired by the TV show, written by different authors. Warner Books published nine Highlander novels, including:

• The Element of Fire by Jason Henderson (October 1995)
• Scimitar by Ashley McConnell (February 1996)
• Scotland the Brave by Jennifer Roberson (September 1996)
• Measure of a Man by Nancy Holder (May 1997)
• The Path by Rebecca Neason (August 1997)
• Zealot by Donna Lettow (November 1997)
• Shadow of Obsession by Rebecca Neason (June 1998)
• The Captive Soul by Josepha Sherman (August 1998)
• White Silence by Ginjer Buchanan (March 1999)

A tenth book, Barricades, was planned for publication in July 1999, but the author, Donna Lettow, became ill before finishing it. By the time she recovered, the books were no longer being published.

In 2000, a book titled An Evening at Joe's: Fiction by the Cast and Crew was released. It contained short stories written by members of the TV series cast and crew, including Peter Wingfield, Stan Kirsch, and Jim Byrnes. The book was edited by series writer Gillian Horvath.

Non-fiction books about the Highlander franchise include:

• Highlander: The Complete Watchers Guide by Maureen Russell (1998)
• The Best of Highlander: The Book by Maureen Russell (1999)
• Fearful Symmetry: The Essential Guide to All Things Highlander by John Mosby (2015) — a guide to the Highlander films and TV series, with details about the films, interviews with cast and crew, and behind-the-scenes information.
• A Kind of Magic: Making the Original Highlander by Jonathan Melville (2020)

The Highlander comic book series from Dynamite Entertainment continued the story of Connor MacLeod after his fight with the Kurgan in New York, following the TV show’s idea that the battle was not the final one for the Prize because many immortals still lived on Earth. This was followed by a prequel comic, Highlander: Way of the Sword, and a story about the Kurgan’s past, Highlander Origins: The Kurgan.

In 2015, Emerald Star Comics released Highlander 3030, written by Lennit Williams and Matt Kelly. The comic followed Duncan MacLeod in a distant future and was officially licensed by the Highlander franchise. It received support from the official Highlander Facebook account but had only one digital issue and was poorly received by critics. In an interview, Matt Kelly explained that production problems, including an artist leaving due to health issues and a forced change in art style, led to the comic’s failure. Emerald Star Comics closed shortly after.

In 2017, IDW Publishing released the miniseries Highlander: The American Dream, which served as a prequel to the first Highlander film.

All five live-action Highlander films had soundtrack albums, as did Highlander: The Series, which had its music released in two volumes. An album titled Highlander: The Original Scores, featuring music from the first three films, was released in 1995. A collection of songs from the series, The Best of Highlander: The Series, was released in 2002.

Big Finish Productions temporarily held the license to create original Highlander audio dramas. These stories often used full cast recordings, but some had one actor narrating the main story and another actor narrating key roles. The first four audio stories starred Adrian Paul as Duncan MacLeod and were released monthly starting in June 2009. These stories took place after Highlander: Endgame. In the audio Kurgan Rising, both the Kurgan and Connor MacLeod appear to return from the dead.

Big Finish later released a second series of four audio stories, each focusing on one of the Four Horsemen: Kronos (read by Valentine Pelka), Silas (read by Richard Ridings), Caspian (read by Marcus Testory), and Methos (read by Peter Wingfield).

A video game based on the first Highlander film, titled Highlander, was released in 1986 for home computers. Players fought opponents from the film, each requiring three hits to defeat. The game was poorly received.

In 1995, Highlander: The Last of the MacLeods, a video game based on Highlander: The Animated Series, was released for the Atari Jaguar CD.

A massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) inspired by Highlander was planned by Kalisto Entertainment. After Kalisto closed, the rights to the game were transferred to SCi Entertainment in 2004. SCi decided not to release the game, and trailers showed the planned title would have been Highlander: The Gathering. Other planned games, including Highlander: The Game and a PC version of Highlander: The Last of the MacLeods, were also cancelled.

Highlander: The Card Game is a collectible card game made by La Montagnard Inc. It is designed to simulate sword fights between two immortals.