Jeremy Irons is officially stepping into the Highlander reboot, joining Henry Cavill in Amazon MGM Studios’ new take on the cult 1986 fantasy-action property. Irons is set to play one of the film’s antagonists: the leader of a secretive group known as the Watchers, who monitor immortals and view them as a threat to humanity.
Cavill is headlining the film as Connor MacLeod, the immortal Scottish warrior made famous in the original movie’s centuries-spanning battles and its central rule—only one can ultimately remain.
The reboot is being directed by Chad Stahelski (John Wick) and written by Michael Finch, another key John Wick collaborator, signalling a modern action-forward approach to the swordplay-heavy franchise.
The cast around Cavill and Irons is already stacked. Reporting tied to the production lists Russell Crowe as MacLeod’s mentor, Ramirez, Dave Bautista as the fearsome villain Kurgan, Karen Gillan as Heather (MacLeod’s wife), Djimon Hounsou as another immortal warrior, and Marisa Abela as a new love interest, among others.
Irons’ involvement is notable not just because he’s an Oscar-winning actor, but because the Watchers angle hints at the reboot expanding beyond the 1986 film’s exact blueprint. Coverage describes the Watchers as a human order tasked with keeping tabs on immortals—an added layer that can introduce conspiracy, surveillance, and “who’s really in control?” tension alongside the franchise’s signature duels.
Production timing has also been part of the story. In September 2025, reports indicated that filming was pushed back into 2026 after Cavill sustained an injury during pre-production training, delaying the shoot.
That delay matters because Highlander is a physically demanding project by design: extended fight choreography, weapons work, and the kind of action staging Stahelski is known for.
For Amazon, MGM and United Artists, the reboot represents a chance to relaunch a recognisable title with franchise upside. The original Highlander (1986) became a long-lasting genre brand, spawning sequels and a TV series, even if the film series’ quality and continuity became uneven over time.
With a director who has established a modern action template and a lead actor eager to delve into sword work, the new film is positioning itself as both a reset and a potential platform for more stories—especially if the Watchers element is utilised to expand the universe beyond a single rivalry.
