Jeremy Irons joins Highlander remake as Watchers leader

Oscar winner Jeremy Irons has joined the cast of the upcoming Highlander remake, which will star Henry Cavill as Connor MacLeod and is being directed by Chad Stahelski. Production on the Amazon MGM United Artists project was paused after Cavill was injured during preproduction training, and filming is now expected to begin in early 2026, studio officials said. A release date has not been announced.

Irons is set to play a mortal antagonist who leads a secret order called the Watchers, a group that observes and monitors immortal warriors and regards them as a potential threat to humanity. The inclusion of the Watchers expands the story world beyond the 1986 film and draws on material popularized in the Highlander television series, where the organization played a recurring role. Irons will be a secondary antagonist alongside Dave Bautista, who has been cast as the Kurgan, the primary immortal antagonist.

The film reunites several actors with Cavill and brings together a largely action-oriented ensemble. Russell Crowe will play Ramirez, the mentor figure to MacLeod. Karen Gillan is cast as MacLeod’s wife and Marisa Abela as his modern day romantic interest. Djimon Hounsou will...