I'm ready for a Highlander Reboot!

[DarkSuperman]

I've been on a Highlander high these past couple of days largely in part to the awesome "Search for Vengeance" anime and the news that Eidos is making a Highlander game for PS3 and Xbox. The concept of Highlander is so great that I think of all the Television shows being reimagined on tv nowadays that Highlander would be a perfect candidate.

I had some ideas about a rebooted Highlander show, starring a brand new Macleode a couple thousand years old. Even older than Duncan and Connor. This way they could delve even further back into history and have an endless plethora of vendettas/stories to implement for many seasons.

Also, in the Game being developed Immortals have super strength, enhanced speed, regeneration, and other supernatural or elemental powers. I think this is wise to implement into the show because I always felt that the Immortals didn't have enough super powers. Not only that, but when they kill other immortals and absorb their "Knowledge and Power" they should physically get stronger, not just have the same ordinary human limits. I think in a Highlander reboot Immortals should Evolve truly becoming more and more powerful until "The One" has all the power of the others and attains "Godhood" which I feel should now and have always been "The Prize". Imagine Ancient Immortals running around with powers like on NBC's heroes. It would be awesome.

I may think about writing a pilot for my idea, what do you guys think about a Highlander reboot? One that clearly defines their origins and gives you a definite ending, showing you "The One".

 

[Superfreak]

not on TV. But I'd go for a revamp through movies

 

[KenK]

not on TV. But I'd go for a revamp through movies

Just about every Highlander movie is a revamp. t:

There's always some new McCleod we never knew about, characters who full-on died in one movie come back in subsequent films. There's no real continuity between the films, anyway.

One of the best Highlander films in general since the first has been the anime film.

 

[kane9321]

I miss my highlander damnit

 

[November Rain]

highlander is far too straight forward....

they need a twist to keep it interesting, it's too simplistic a formulae the way it stands...


maybe something like if you haven't killed in a month, one of your old kills comes back to life and you have a reverse quickening...

 

[MagicPrime]

"The Source" kinda threw Highlander even further down the meat grinder. I seriously gave up on the whole thing after Richie died.

First Movie = Awsome
Second = Wha?
Third = More of a sequel than 2

End Game = Bwarf
The Source = You're not even trying anymore...

The Series first 5 seasons = Awsomeness

 

[DarkSuperman]

"The Source" kinda threw Highlander even further down the meat grinder. I seriously gave up on the whole thing after Richie died.

First Movie = Awsome
Second = Wha?
Third = More of a sequel than 2

End Game = Bwarf
The Source = You're not even trying anymore...

The Series first 5 seasons = Awsomeness

You're right. although if you like highlander you should really check out the Anime "Search for Vengeance" its everything the other sequels weren't.

Which is why I think they should reinvent highlander altogether on tv, give the immortals more powers, and a definite origin, then at the end of the series have there be "Only One"

 

[Abaddon]

nah, enough with the remakes.

 

[Superfreak]

You're right. although if you like highlander you should really check out the Anime "Search for Vengeance" its everything the other sequels weren't.

Which is why I think they should reinvent highlander altogether on tv, give the immortals more powers, and a definite origin, then at the end of the series have there be "Only One"

that would solve a whole bunch of problems, that's for sure (ie. how the original movie was never intended to go to sequel). The prize should not be awarded until the end of the narrative.

but... the immortals don't need an origin... half the fun of the original movie was that they didn't know their origins, they just were. Just normal people, who can't die, unless... They don't know why they were chosen, or how... just that they are.

and powers... I think not... these are normal everyday people... who can't die. That should be power enough. Any other magical powers must be defined from some other angle, not that of the immortals.

 

[TheCorpulent1]

Ugh, people liked the anime? It was just a generic anime with all the stupid anime conventions, just applied to Highlander. It could've literally been any other anime with any other anime hero if they just left the word "immortal" out of it. It wasn't a bad movie, it was just so mind-numbingly generic.

Also, adding powers to immortals is not a good thing. Every time they've tried to integrate super-science (Highlander 2) or mysticism (Ahriman, The Source) into the Highlander mythos, it's ****ing sucked. They need to just give Methos a series that follows him through his 5,000 years of life and be done with it.

 

[kane9321]

I loved methos....that whole lil saga with him being one of the "four horsemen",god that sooo friggin cool

 

[TheCorpulent1]

Yeah, Methos is easily the best thing to come out of the Highlander mythos. Him and the Watchers. Screw the MacLeods, I'd want to see a Methos series.

 

[DarkSuperman]

Ugh, people liked the anime? It was just a generic anime with all the stupid anime conventions, just applied to Highlander. It could've literally been any other anime with any other anime hero if they just left the word "immortal" out of it. It wasn't a bad movie, it was just so mind-numbingly generic.

Also, adding powers to immortals is not a good thing. Every time they've tried to integrate super-science (Highlander 2) or mysticism (Ahriman, The Source) into the Highlander mythos, it's ****ing sucked. They need to just give Methos a series that follows him through his 5,000 years of life and be done with it.

Thats cause the writing sucked a great writer would fix all these problems.

 

[Mikelus]

Is not a matter of just "great writing", the immortals are not superheroes, they are just "normal people" who happen to live forever, that's it. Making a new series with Methos as the main character could be interesting.

 

[DarkSuperman]

Is not a matter of just "great writing", the immortals are not superheroes, they are just "normal people" who happen to live forever, that's it. Making a new series with Methos as the main character could be interesting.

All that could easily be changed if they completly reinvented the Highlander franchise, from scratch. That way they could create a definate origin and a definite finale. Highlander as it is now is unreparable. I feel that starting over completely which means reinventing how we looks at Immortals in general, which is, but not limited to enhanching/changing their powers. I look at Highlander like the Bond or Superman movies, they should be ever changing/evolving.

 

[enterthemadness]

There is a remake in the works of the first movie...very, very early in development though. I think it's really just talk by the powers that be of Highlander right now. (Who are Peter Davis and David Abraowitz, the latter head writer of the Highlander Series.)

 

[3dman27]

hmmm. a new highlander series could work as could november rain's reverse quickening idea

 

[enterthemadness]

hmmm. a new highlander series could work as could november rain's reverse quickening idea

Yeah, but not every immortal would want to kill every month to avoid that. That's what makes some good, some evil.

 

[TheCorpulent1]

All that could easily be changed if they completly reinvented the Highlander franchise, from scratch. That way they could create a definate origin and a definite finale. Highlander as it is now is unreparable. I feel that starting over completely which means reinventing how we looks at Immortals in general, which is, but not limited to enhanching/changing their powers. I look at Highlander like the Bond or Superman movies, they should be ever changing/evolving.

You could reinvent the immortals to have powers, but I don't think it's necessary. I don't think the Highlander franchise is irreparable as it is now, either. I think it needs to be tweaked to make at least the first Highlander movie and the Highlander TV series fit together, but I don't see what the deal with fixating on this "true" origin of the immortals is. Who gives a **** where immortals come from? Vampires' origins have never been narrowed down to one canonical thing, yet people still enjoy vampire fiction. The immortals don't need an origin, in my opinion. As for the immortals' ending, we know what their ending is. It's the Prize. I also firmly believe that we should never, ever see the Prize and things like the Gathering should be tossed out the window. Immortals battling other immortals eternally, with the Prize as some far-off destiny for them that is never actually attained, is really the best basis for good Highlander stories. Highlander works best with a lot of action, well-choreographed swordplay, and a primary emphasis on the characters' humanity. Mixing magic and powers into it is extraneous and has never, ever worked when they've done it in the past. Highlander 3? Sucked. Ahriman? Sucked. The Source? Sucked a lot.

 

[DarkSuperman]

^^^

Things suck because the writers make them suck. That's just a fact. Galactus as a storm cloud sucked. Batman sucked when they gave him rubber nipples and turned Gotham into a neon light show. Superman can suck given a kryptonite mountain to fight. ANYTHING can suck if handled poorly!

And my suggestion of adding powers doesn't mean have them be like heroes or something I was merely suggesting that they be more supernatural. In the movie "The One" whenever Jet Li killed another him he had something like a "Quickening" only when he did it he got stronger and faster. I saw that and immediately wondered as I had my entire life how come immortals are ordinary human beings? I don't seem them getting any smarter or any stronger.

It would be cool to actually see the effects of a Quickening. I for one wouldn't be opposed to the immortals having some mystical super strength, not unlike Buffy and actually demonstrating that they've acquired knowledge that they didn't have before by speaking language they previously didn't know or using a skill they previously didn't have.

And powers have been used satisfactorily on The Series, like when Duncan faced the dude with the hypnosis voice. I thought that was cool.

that would solve a whole bunch of problems, that's for sure (ie. how the original movie was never intended to go to sequel). The prize should not be awarded until the end of the narrative.

but... the immortals don't need an origin... half the fun of the original movie was that they didn't know their origins, they just were. Just normal people, who can't die, unless... They don't know why they were chosen, or how... just that they are.

and powers... I think not... these are normal everyday people... who can't die. That should be power enough. Any other magical powers must be defined from some other angle, not that of the immortals.

Read the above answer. I agree that they don't have to have a defined origin, but I'd like to expand on the powers that they already have within the boundaries of the show, if you know what I mean. I don't think my above suggestion is so far out of left field.

Also, having a definite "One" at the end of new series to claim the prize would be something new and different, besides if it people don't like it, they can always claim it didn't happen...

Panzer & Company are good for that, but I think people would enjoy the spruces I've mentioned.

 

[TheCorpulent1]

Yeah, I'm still not a fan of giving the immortals powers. It's unnecessary and I'd probably just give up on Highlander altogether if they did it.

The Quickenings are already supposed to make the immortals slightly more powerful or skilled or something than normal humans if they accumulate enough. That's why everyone was shocked when Duncan killed the much older Grayson. It's vague, but it's been implied before.

 

[DarkSuperman]

"Or Something" and "Supposed to" are not the same as actually doing, likewise, seeing is believing and pictures are worth a thousand words. Highlander is literally as old as I am and only a handful of it's incarnations have been good.

You may consider it unnecessary, but I think it would be cool to expand on the myths of the world within it's own boundaries, thereby making it more surprising and a little bit more extraordinary. The knowledge and power enhancements that I suggest don't change anything fundamentally except that the fights might be more exciting and the Immortals would be more dangerous. Which I don't see a problem with.

 

[TheCorpulent1]

It changes something fundamental to the nature of the show--namely that immortals are just normal people with all the trappings and faults of normal people, with the one extra wrinkle that they happen to live forever. Re-cast all of those flashbacks to Duncan fighting in wars when he's suddenly able to tear tank tread apart with his bare hands. That changes the whole equation.

Anyway, I guess we'll just have to agree to disagree.

 

[DarkSuperman]

I see your point, but That's if I was talking about continuing Highlander from the perspective of the stories told about Duncan and Connor, which isn't my suggestion of a Highlander Reboot. One devoid of the complex and convoluted movies. therefore, everything I suggest is easily added into the new mix.

 

[TheCorpulent1]

Oh, well, I don't agree with that at all. I love Duncan and Connor and Methos and the Watchers and everything that the first movie and the TV series, at least, set up. The rest of the movies and all the different interpretations suck, but that first movie and the majority of the TV show are good stuff. That's a rock-solid basis for a continuing franchise.

Also, I don't know if you've seen the Highlander anime, but that's a pretty good example of what you're talking about. The immortals in that appear pretty superhuman.