In the world of Highlander, there can be only one immortal, but the franchise itself refuses to die. Debuting in 1986, the Highlander franchise follows a centuries-long war of dueling Immortals, with the series taking its name from its lead character, who is traditionally a Scottish highlander.
Today, the series has an expansive run, including movies, TV shows, comic books, video games, and more. A reboot is almost certainly happening one way or another, as several attempts have gone in and out of production over the last decade. Until then, the original run still has some incredible stories. Here is how to watch all Highlander movies and TV shows in order and where to stream them.
Highlander (1986)
Connor MacLeod is Scottish Highlander, but after he experiences The Quickening, he becomes an Immortal. Driven by The Game, Immortals kill each other throughout history, beheading one another until only one remains, who will then acquire the unknown Prize. Now, The Game is drawing to a close, and the remaining Immortals have coalesced upon New York City. This sci-fi epic adventure features surprising amounts of depth, humor, and romance as it retells the centuries of MacLeod’s lonely and violent life. While years of poorly received sequels have let down fans, the original Highlander remains a work of art with incredible performances from stars Christopher Lambert, Clancy Brown, and Sean Connery, and a must-watch action film of its time.
Highlander II: the Quickening (1991)
While the greater Highlander franchise may have become something lauded, Highlander II: The Quickening left fans wishing there truly was only one. Set in the far off future (at the time) of 2024, MacLeod has won his mortality, and uses his decades of intelligence to build a shield to protect Earth from a depleted ozone layer. What follows, however, is one of the wildest retcons ever. The Immortals are revealed to actually be aliens exiled to Earth by a fascist regime, where they gain immortality. When more aliens arrive, MacLeod’s immortality returns, and The Game begins again. The film’s retcon and its hand-waved revival of Sean Connery’s Ramirez have led to Highlander II being regarded as the worst sequel ever made, and one that has been happily discarded from the franchise’s continuity.
Highlander: The Series (1992-1998)
In the shadow of the original film’s success came Highlander: The Series. English martial artist Adrian Paul takes the lead here as Duncan MacLeod, a Scottish Highlander raised by Connor’s clan. Lambert even shows up in the pilot to establish the new continuity, which ignores the ending of the first film, while the show politely never asks what Connor is doing afterward. Highlander: The Series redefined what it meant to be a syndicated series, along with definitive shows like Star Trek: The Next Generation and Hercules: The Legendary Journeys. Today, the show is remembered for its broader storytelling and expansion of the Highlander mythos, fleshing out the shadowy world of Immortals and those who are impacted by it.
Highlander III: The Sorcerer (1994)
Following the success of Highlander: The Series, the film franchise returned for a third outing. Highlander III: The Sorcerer follows the canon of the first film, with Connor attempting to live in peace with his new mortality, having left New York following the death of his lover. It is revealed another Immortal, Kane, was excluded from The Game because he was buried in a mountain by an ancient Japanese sorcerer. His escape restarts The Game, and MacLeod must return to New York to reclaim his mortality. Highlander III was a modest success, likely thanks to the popularity of the TV show, but many felt it rehashed the original’s plot too closely.
Highlander: The Animated Series (1994-1996)
Released in 1994 and aired on USA Network to capitalize on the success of Highlander: The Series reruns, Highlander: The Animated Series sets itself apart as a bizarre alternate history. Set in a post-apocalyptic Earth, Immortals, including Connor MacLeod, swear to preserve humanity’s knowledge instead of participating in The Game but are all slain by a rogue Immortal, Kortan, who learns Quentin is the foretold Last of the MacLeods. Connor’s master, Ramirez, and Quentin set out to stop Kortan to regain the lost knowledge and powers of the Immortals. The series is a bizarre product of its time, but Highlander: The Animated Series was still praised for its surprisingly mature narrative and (for the medium) violent action.
Highlander II: The Renegade Version (1995)
It wasn’t common for directors to get another chance at their films in the ‘90s, but Highlander and Highlander II director Russell Mulcahy took the chance. Following the massive disappointment of Highlander II: The Quickening and the success of Highlander: The Series, Mulcahy created a stunning recut, dubbed Highlander II: The Renegade Version. Mulcahy’s director’s cut is extensive. All mentions of the Immortal alien planet are removed, with those scenes now reframed as flashbacks to a lost civilization. Ramirez and MacLeod are no longer banished to Earth but banished to different places in time. The Renegade Version didn’t make fans do a complete 180 on Highlander II, but it is regarded as a significant improvement and is considered the only version of the film worth watching.
Highlander: The Raven (1998-1999)
By Season 6, Highlander: The Series was winding down, and all eyes turned to a potential spin-off. Multiple backdoor pilots air during the show’s final season, but it was ultimately decided to go with a spin-off focused on Duncan’s Immortal associate, Amanda. A notorious thief, Amanda is inspired to seek redemption, allying herself with a detective, Nick Wolfe, and facing off against evil Immortals. While Amanda was a popular aspect of the original series, Highlander: The Raven just didn’t have the same impact as the original. Reception was mixed and the show struggled to find an audience, leading to Highlander: The Raven ending after a single 22-episode season.
Highlander: Endgame (2000)
2000 saw the end of an era, as Connor and Duncan MacLeod joined forces for a single film, one meant to cap off both their tales in one fell swoop. Highlander: Endgame sees the MacLeods team for the first time since Highlander: The Series’ pilot episode, establishing a mixed continuity where the first film took place, but Connor did not actually win The Prize. The two are challenged by Jacob Kell, an Immortal who ignores the revered rules of The Game, putting the two at a disadvantage. The film failed to impress at the box office, and many fans were mixed on how the film handled both Connor and Duncan. A Director’s Cut was released, and while not as extensive as The Renegade Cut, the added scenes are believed to marginally improve the film.
Highlander: The Search for Vengeance (2007)
A fourth MacLeod enters the scene in 2007, though he is in his own separate continuity. Anime action flick Highlander: The Search for Vengeance follows Colin MacLeod, an Immortal who first died during the age of the Roman Empire. The film chronicles Colin’s 2000 years of life as an Immortal swordsman on a quest for vengeance that takes him throughout history’s greatest events and in conflict with terrifying immortals. Released in an era where the franchise was mostly dormant, Highlander: The Search for Vengeance was positively received by fans and has become incredibly popular in light of the live-action story that it released alongside.
Highlander: The Source (2007)
Highlander: The Source was meant to kickstart the franchise for a series of new stories. Instead, it may have killed it dead in its tracks. Adrian Paul returns as Duncan, following the continuity established by Highlander: Endgame. Years in the future, after the Earth’s societies have collapsed, Duncan and a band of rebels seek the mythical Source of Immortality, all while being chased by a powerful Immortal known as The Guardian. Highlander: The Source received reviews worse than even Highlander II and plans to expand on the narrative in later movies were quickly abandoned. The film’s reception was so poor that even those who worked on The Source and The Series disregard it, referring to the film as a nightmare Duncan had.
Where To Watch All 'Highlander' Movies And TV Shows Online
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