Highlander’s filming may have been delayed due to Henry Cavill getting injured during preproduction, but the long-awaited reboot is still making progress forward. The latest update comes in the form of another casting, as Jeremy Irons has joined the new take on the 1986 fantasy cult classic. Not only does the role he’s playing sound fascinating, but this also means we’re getting a DC Extended Universe reunion in Highlander.
Jeremy Irons played Alfred Pennyworth in the defunct superhero franchise, and while he didn’t share any scenes with Henry Cavill’s Superman in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, they did briefly cross paths in Justice League (both cuts). For Highlander, THR has shared that like Dave Bautista, Irons is playing one of the movie’s antagonists. While Bautista’s Kurgan has top baddie status, Irons is playing the leader of a group called The Watchers, who are, as described by the publication, “keeping an eye on the immortals and see them as a threat to humanity.”
The Watchers weren’t present in the original Highlander movie, instead being introduced to the mythology in Highlander: The Series. One in particular, Joe Lawson, ended up becoming an integral character in the TV show from Season 2 onwards as he chronicled the life of lead protagonist Connor MacLeod. The Watchers were later featured in the short-lived spinoff Highlander: The Raven, as well the movies Highlander: Endgame and Highlander: The Source, which took place in the same continuity as the first movie and the aforementioned TV shows.
I’m eager to see how the Highlander reboot utilizes Jeremy Irons’ unnamed character and the other Watchers. Judging by that description, it sounds like this version of the Watchers could also take their cue from a splinter group in Highlander: The Series called The Hunters, which believed that the Immortals needed to be exterminated. With Irons being brought aboard to play such a prominent role, it sounds like The Watchers will not only clash with Connor MacLeod in the upcoming movie, but also target other Immortals, like The Kurgan.
I should note that Jeremy Irons isn’t the only DCEU alum appearing alongside Henry Cavill in Highlander. Russell Crowe, who played Jor-El in Man of Steel, will play Ramirez, Connor MacLeod’s mentor. Djimon Hounsou has also been cast as an immortal warrior from Africa. However, Hounsou never shared any screen time with Cavill in the DCEU. He played King Ricou in Aquaman, and The Wizard in both Shazam!movies, none of which Cavill appeared in. Both actors also cameoed separately in Black Adam.
The Highlander cast also includes Marisa Abela, Karen Gillan, Max Zhang and Drew McIntyre. Chad Stahelski is directing the reboot off a script written by Michael Finch. Originally Highlander was a Lionsgate production, but now it’s being handled by Amazon-MGM United Artists banner. It still doesn’t have a release date, but cameras are now set to begin rolling in early 2026.