Even though the 1986 fantasy classic Highlander may have aged badly, that has not stopped plans for an upcoming remake. As the first film in a major ongoing franchise, the original Highlander has spawned several theatrical movies, a made-for-TV film, two live-action series, an animated series, and a whole host of other extended media. Telling the story of an age-old war between immortal warriors, even though the over-the-top premise of this series was incredibly campy and cheesy, Highlander has endured throughout the decades.

The first Highlander starred Christopher Lambert as Connor MacLeod, a 16th-century immortal from the Scottish highlands who was trained by the Egyptian immortal Juan Sánchez-Villalobos Ramírez, played by Sean Connery. While this absurd and bombastic story had plenty of issues and received a tepid response from critics, Highlander’s cult appeal remained despite so many aspects working against it. With a legacy that’s been built up over nearly four decades, it’s not surprising that Lionsgate announced plans to move forward with a new reboot of the series.

The Original 1980s Highlander Movie Has Aged Badly In Some Areas

Despite Many Issues, Highlander Remains A Cult Classic

The original Highlander boasted some impressive world-building and has remained popular due to the outstanding amount of intriguing lore it introduced right from the get-go. However, it was also a flop at the box office at the time and has aged poorly in some key areas. With lackluster special effects that were particularly jarring in the Quickening scenes, many aspects of Highlander look amateurish when compared to modern production standards. Even the swordplay sequences that looked quite ambitious back in 1986 feel overly choreographed and stiff today.

The truth was that even the most iconic aspects of Highlander feel cheesy and over-the-top when viewed through a modern lens, as famous quotes such as “there can be only one” feel overly melodramatic. There’s also an inconsistent tone in Highlander that means some sequences are steeped in a trashy 1980s sensibility while others feel more timeless and mythic. The tonal imbalances within Highlander mean viewers struggle to know whether they should take it seriously or not.

It’s easy to poke fun at the original Highlander, but its long-standing appeal speaks for itself, and many of the aspects commonly criticized for aging poorly are the exact reason it’s enduring as a cult favorite. As a starkly original story that laid the groundwork for numerous extended media, spin-off series, books, and merchandise, those who love and hate Highlander each point to the exact same things. As a clever story that brought classic sword-and-sorcery imagery to modern-day New York, Highlander succeeded just as much as it faltered.

Why Henry Cavill’s Highlander Remake Is Still Exciting

The New Highlander Is A Chance To Update Things For Modern Times

There’s a lot to be excited about when it comes to the new Highlander movie, which was first announced back in 2023 with Chad Stahelski as director and Henry Cavill in the starring role of MacLeod. As a series that’s absolutely bursting with potential, Stahelski’s credentials for making the John Wick movies give us hope that he’s the right man for the job and that he can walk the fine line between fast-paced action and engaging series lore to make it an outstanding success. Cavill’s previous work on The Witcher series also proves that beloved franchises are in safe hands with him.

One of the most difficult things to get right when rebooting a beloved series is paying tribute to the past while also updating the series for modern times. Stahelski’s ᴀssertion that the music of Queen, which was so effectively used in the original film, will still be present in the rebooted movie can put longtime fans’ minds at ease that not everything they love about the 1986 version will be modernized or eliminated. This news alone is enough to get us super excited for the Highlander reboot.