Reboot: Highlander 20 years on - themes and fantasy casting
A while back, some might remember me waxing on about how I'd redo the show if I got my sticky hands on it and, I have to admit, one of the first things that occurred to me was that - initially, at least - I'd move the POV to that of the Watchers. Mortals who live a fantastical life fraught with real dangers, and who keep secrets and have an honour code. They're a cross between MI5 and the Illuminati! What's not to love?
My show would be situated in London for no more pressing fact than I realised that most of my actors are British and it'd just be easier.
Immortals are the subject of the Watcher obsession and I'd love to see that dynamic explored, especially as the Watchers slowly become embroiled in their assignments lives and begin to see them as real people rather than just specimens in a jar.
I also committed video, and I'm going to hold up my hands and call it amateur hour! It's not as ambitious as I wanted it to be (no time, no time!) and the editing is iffy. Also, I'm not really sure if I've accomplished anything other than putting the actors into one bit of footage, and the editing towards the end got sloppy because I gave up on it. Posting it for posterity but for those who want to skip the video, I also did some nice character card gifs that will probably leave you better informed!!!
Highlander: The Watchers
The Main Protagonists: a Watcher and an Immortal.
Damien Lewis as Jack Evans - from a long line of Watchers, Jack is the watcher of Jesse Williamson. A tough assignment because although Jesse is a decent guy, he's also a DI in the Special Crimes Squad in London. Jack's life is complicated by the fact he has a a close relationship with an old Immortal by the name of Titus Antonius Avitus. Jack has known Titus since childhood because he was also a friend of his father's (and his grandfather). It is sometimes a tense friendship but solid. The watchers, of course, do not know, because although they don't shoot Watchers that step out of line any more, they do quietly shift them to desk duty and Jack isn't ready for that yet.
Michael Fassbender as Titus Antonius Avitus (Current alias: Greg Billham)- Born in 275 CE, Titus has been around long enough to know the more things change, the more they stay the same; he still hasn't got tired of living, however. He is currently living in London and teaching at Kings College London - and no, he doesn't teach history, he teaches mathematics.
THE OTHER IMMORTALS
Nikolaj Coster-Waldau as Niles Deemer(Current Alias: Jakob Aukes) - Dutch and born during the 1600s, Niles is a man who believes money is power - and he likes power. Not very likable but not evil per se. Doesn't know about the Watchers and Titus would like to keep it that way, thank you very much! One of the curious things about Niles is how such an amoral man had an Immortal like Sean Byrnes as a teacher. Perhaps Sean saw something in him that nobody else did.
Idris Elba as Jesse Williamson (Current Alias: James Graham )- Born in the early 1800s in Jamaica, Jesse has been championing lost causes for the better part of two centuries. Now a DI with the Special Crimes Squad, he doesn't seem ready to give up just yet. Silas Weir was his teacher.
Marsha Thomason as Shanakdaheto (Current Alias: Sandra Dillon) - Shanakdaheto has the dubious honour of being the oldest Immortal currently in London. She runs a halfway house for runaways and was born in the Meroitic Kingdom (Now Sudan) in approximately 500BC. Rikvah of Jerash (AKA Rebeccca Horne) was her teacher.
THE OTHER WATCHERS
Lara Pulver as Emma Calveri - Her first assignment straight out of the Academy was Kronos. The most terrifying 14 months of her life! Gave her a reputation for being able to handle the 'tough' ones however. Is head of London's Special Operations - a polite term for clean up crew.
Jim Byrnes as Joe Dawson - A man who needs no introduction. He's retired now, of course... yeah, sure he is...
Noel Clarke as Harry Walsh - Harry is new blood, brought into the Watchers after witnessing a Quickening - and lets just say it's a steep learning curve! He's also Titus' Watcher, which pretty much means his life veers from bewildered boredom (math was never his subject) to wild terror (Titus tends to attract the rather extreme sort of Challenger.)
Ruth Bradley as Jane Moore - Niles Deemer wasn't exactly a choice assignment. A boring investment banker who is more likely to be harangued by a client than challenged by an Immortal. They were still punishing her for that Methos cock up in Paris, she just knew it!
Leonora Crichlow as Ada Roberts - Ada couldn't believe her luck when she was assigned Shanakdaheto, and perhaps they've gotten a little closer than her superiors would approve of - okay a lot closer - but it wasn't as if Ada had told her she was a Watcher... but lately the guilt has been eating away at her. They've been lovers for six months now, how long can she live with the lie?
CHARACTER CARDS IN GIF FORMAT
AND THE DREADED VIDEO
My show would be situated in London for no more pressing fact than I realised that most of my actors are British and it'd just be easier.
Immortals are the subject of the Watcher obsession and I'd love to see that dynamic explored, especially as the Watchers slowly become embroiled in their assignments lives and begin to see them as real people rather than just specimens in a jar.
I also committed video, and I'm going to hold up my hands and call it amateur hour! It's not as ambitious as I wanted it to be (no time, no time!) and the editing is iffy. Also, I'm not really sure if I've accomplished anything other than putting the actors into one bit of footage, and the editing towards the end got sloppy because I gave up on it. Posting it for posterity but for those who want to skip the video, I also did some nice character card gifs that will probably leave you better informed!!!
Highlander: The Watchers
The Main Protagonists: a Watcher and an Immortal.
Damien Lewis as Jack Evans - from a long line of Watchers, Jack is the watcher of Jesse Williamson. A tough assignment because although Jesse is a decent guy, he's also a DI in the Special Crimes Squad in London. Jack's life is complicated by the fact he has a a close relationship with an old Immortal by the name of Titus Antonius Avitus. Jack has known Titus since childhood because he was also a friend of his father's (and his grandfather). It is sometimes a tense friendship but solid. The watchers, of course, do not know, because although they don't shoot Watchers that step out of line any more, they do quietly shift them to desk duty and Jack isn't ready for that yet.
Michael Fassbender as Titus Antonius Avitus (Current alias: Greg Billham)- Born in 275 CE, Titus has been around long enough to know the more things change, the more they stay the same; he still hasn't got tired of living, however. He is currently living in London and teaching at Kings College London - and no, he doesn't teach history, he teaches mathematics.
THE OTHER IMMORTALS
Nikolaj Coster-Waldau as Niles Deemer(Current Alias: Jakob Aukes) - Dutch and born during the 1600s, Niles is a man who believes money is power - and he likes power. Not very likable but not evil per se. Doesn't know about the Watchers and Titus would like to keep it that way, thank you very much! One of the curious things about Niles is how such an amoral man had an Immortal like Sean Byrnes as a teacher. Perhaps Sean saw something in him that nobody else did.
Idris Elba as Jesse Williamson (Current Alias: James Graham )- Born in the early 1800s in Jamaica, Jesse has been championing lost causes for the better part of two centuries. Now a DI with the Special Crimes Squad, he doesn't seem ready to give up just yet. Silas Weir was his teacher.
Marsha Thomason as Shanakdaheto (Current Alias: Sandra Dillon) - Shanakdaheto has the dubious honour of being the oldest Immortal currently in London. She runs a halfway house for runaways and was born in the Meroitic Kingdom (Now Sudan) in approximately 500BC. Rikvah of Jerash (AKA Rebeccca Horne) was her teacher.
THE OTHER WATCHERS
Lara Pulver as Emma Calveri - Her first assignment straight out of the Academy was Kronos. The most terrifying 14 months of her life! Gave her a reputation for being able to handle the 'tough' ones however. Is head of London's Special Operations - a polite term for clean up crew.
Jim Byrnes as Joe Dawson - A man who needs no introduction. He's retired now, of course... yeah, sure he is...
Noel Clarke as Harry Walsh - Harry is new blood, brought into the Watchers after witnessing a Quickening - and lets just say it's a steep learning curve! He's also Titus' Watcher, which pretty much means his life veers from bewildered boredom (math was never his subject) to wild terror (Titus tends to attract the rather extreme sort of Challenger.)
Ruth Bradley as Jane Moore - Niles Deemer wasn't exactly a choice assignment. A boring investment banker who is more likely to be harangued by a client than challenged by an Immortal. They were still punishing her for that Methos cock up in Paris, she just knew it!
Leonora Crichlow as Ada Roberts - Ada couldn't believe her luck when she was assigned Shanakdaheto, and perhaps they've gotten a little closer than her superiors would approve of - okay a lot closer - but it wasn't as if Ada had told her she was a Watcher... but lately the guilt has been eating away at her. They've been lovers for six months now, how long can she live with the lie?
CHARACTER CARDS IN GIF FORMAT
AND THE DREADED VIDEO
Click to view