All 6 ‘Highlander’ Movies in Order (Including 4 Spinoff Series)

The first Highlander movie was released in 1986, and it immediately became hugely popular. With Christopher Lambert and Sean Connery in leading roles, its combination of action, adventure, fantasy, and beautiful scenery was a big magnet for the audience. Even though none of the future sequels gained the same popularity as the original movie, it is still a beloved saga that still attracts many movie fans. Currently, there are six Highlander movies in total, with four spinoff series, and today, we’re going to tell you how to watch them in order.

Editor’s Note: This watch order was updated in November 2023 and reflects the most up-to-date state of the franchise.

All 6 ‘Highlander’ Movies and series in release date order

The first ‘Higlander’ movie was released back in 1986, and it was an instant hit; what followed were four live-action installments and a single animated movie. Between 1992 and 2001, three series and one webseries were released, and here’s the release order of all installments in the ‘Highlander’ franchise.

1. ‘Highlander’ (1986)
2. ‘Highlander II: The Quickening’ (1991)
3. ‘Highlander: The Series’ Season 1 (1992 – 1993)
4. ‘Highlander: The Series’ Season 2 (1993 – 1994)
5. ‘Highlander III: The Sorcerer’ (1994)
6. ‘Highlander: The Series’ Season 3 (1994 – 1995)
7. ‘Highlander: The Animated Series’ – Season 1 (1994-1995)
8. ‘Highlander: The Series’ Season 4 (1995 – 1996)
9. ‘Highlander: The Animated Series’ – Season 2 (1995-1996)
10. ‘Highlander: The Series’ Season 5 (1996 – 1997)
11. ‘Highlander: The Series’ Season 6 (1997 – 1998)
12. ‘Highlander: The Raven’ – Season 1 (1998-1999)
13. ‘Highlander: Endgame’ (2000)
14. ‘The Methos Chronicles’ (2001)
15. ‘Highlander: The Source’ (2007)
16. ‘Highlander: The Search for Vengeance’ (2007)

Are all ‘Highlander’ movies and series connected? What’s the best way to watch them?

The Highlander franchise is a bit of a mixed bag when it comes to continuity. The original 1986 ‘Highlander’ film laid the groundwork for the concept of Immortals battling each other through the ages, but subsequent movies and TV series took different paths.

‘Highlander II: The Quickening’ (1991) introduced some confusing elements and alternate origins, creating a divergence in the storyline. The subsequent movies and TV series often did their own thing, creating separate canons and timelines.

So, while there are common elements and themes throughout the Highlander universe, each installment isn’t always directly connected in terms of a cohesive, linear narrative. It’s a bit like a game of “There can be only one… version of the story.”

The animated movie is also a part of a completely different continuity. The best way to watch the ‘Highlander’ franchise is in release date order if you are just starting with the franchise. However, if you’re familiar with at least some of the installments, there is a loose chronology that you should be following.

All ‘Highlander’ movies & series in chronological order

The chronology of the ‘Highlander’ franchise is not the most direct in the world, but the timeline definitely doesn’t follow the release date order, considering various reboots and revisits. The following is the entire ‘Highlander’ franchise is chronological order:

1. ‘Highlander’ (1986)
2. ‘Highlander: III: The Sorcerer’ (1994)
3. ‘Highlander: The Series’ (1992-1998)
4. ‘Highlander: The Raven’ (1998-1999)
5. ‘The Methos Chronicles’ (2001)
6. ‘Highlander: Endgame’ (2000)
7. ‘Highlander: The Source’ (2007)
8. ‘Highlander II: The Quickening’ (1991)
9. ‘Highlander: The Search for Vengeance’ (2007)
10. ‘Highlander: The Animated Series’ (1994-1996)

You should start your ‘Highlander’ watch order with the original movie released in 1986. The next movie on your list should be ‘Highlander III’ since it completely ignores the events of the second movie. ‘Highlander: The Series’ follows Duncan MacLeod, Connor’s clansman and apprentice, in his Immortal adventures. The series is a fan-favorite sequel. ‘Highlander: The Raven’ follows Amanda, an Immortal and Duncan’s on-again/off-again girlfriend and thief.
‘The Methos Chronicles’ should be your next installment, this flash animated spin-off that delves into the origins of the Immortal Methos. ‘Highlander: Endgame’ reunites Connor and Duncan MacLeod. It serves as a sort of series finale, but it really wasn’t. This should be followed by ‘Highlander: The Source’, a direct-to-video movie that continues Duncan’s saga but is divisive among fans. Some consider it the end, while others ignore it.

‘Highlander: The Search for Vengeance’ is set in 2187, following Colin MacLeod in a distant future. It was well-received despite its uncertain canon status. The last thing on your watch order should be ‘Highlander: The Animated Series’ its set in the post-apocalyptic 27th century featuring Quentin MacLeod on a hero’s journey.

Where to watch the above-mentioned movies & series?

‘Highlander’ franchise streaming rights are a real mess at the moment, and there are plenty of places where you can watch all installments, but not a single platform that has all of them so we decided to summarize everything in one neat table.

Will there be more ‘Highlander’ movies & series?

We can expect at least one more ‘Highlander’ movie and it’s going to be a reboot of the franchise. In October 2023, Lionsgate, the owner of Summit Entertainment, confirmed plans for a ‘Highlander’ reboot. Henry Cavill is set to star as MacLeod, and Chad Stahelski remains the director, working from a screenplay by Mike Finch. The film boasts a budget exceeding $100 million, and key producers include Joshua Davis, Moritz, Stahelski, and Louise Rosner. Lionsgate aims to showcase the project at the 2023 American Film Market for international distribution, with filming anticipated to commence early in 2024.

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