THERE CAN BE ONLY ONE: HIGHLANDER’S ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY IS COMING TO COMICS

Titan Comics is bringing Gregory Widen’s original, darker vision of Highlander to life in a new four-issue comic series, offering fans a chance to experience the story before Hollywood reshaped it into an ’80s cult classic.

There can be only one! And this time, the battle for immortality is returning to its original roots.

Titan Comics is revisiting one of the most recognizable fantasy franchises of the 1980s with Highlander: The Original Screenplay #1, a new comic adaptation based on the original screenplay by Gregory Widen, the creator of the 1986 film.

But this isn’t simply another retelling of Connor MacLeod’s legendary journey. The project promises something considerably more interesting: the opportunity to experience the story as Widen originally imagined it, before the screenplay underwent significant changes during the film’s development.

A DARKER VERSION OF THE HIGHLANDER LEGEND

For those unfamiliar with the story, Highlander follows Connor MacLeod, a Scottish warrior who discovers that he is immortal. Forced to live through centuries of history, he becomes part of a secret conflict between immortals who must fight one another until only one remains.

Their ultimate goal? Claiming the mysterious Prize.

However, Gregory Widen’s original screenplay explored a considerably darker interpretation of this mythology. Written while he was studying at UCLA, the early version featured different character histories, a more somber atmosphere, and a significantly different conclusion.

One particularly interesting difference involves the main antagonist. The character who eventually became the flamboyant Kurgan was originally known as the Knight, envisioned as a colder and more tragic figure.

Titan Comics is bringing that original creative vision back, with Widen himself adapting the screenplay for the comic format.

GREGORY WIDEN RETURNS TO HIS ORIGINAL STORY

The creative team brings together Gregory Widen on writing duties and Szymon Kudranski on artwork.

Kudranski’s work is particularly suited to a story built around violence, immortality, and centuries of conflict. His detailed, atmospheric visual approach offers an opportunity to explore the darker side of the Highlander mythology.

The series will follow Connor MacLeod across different periods, from the blood-soaked battlefields of the Scottish Highlands to the streets of New York, as he confronts immortal rivals in the struggle for the Prize.

The project is also part of a larger celebration of the franchise’s legacy, arriving as Highlander approaches its 40th anniversary.

WHAT TO EXPECT FROM ISSUE #1

Highlander: The Original Screenplay will launch as a four-issue comic miniseries from Titan Comics.

The debut issue features several collectible cover editions, including artwork by Gerardo Zaffino, Szymon Kudranski, and Claudia Gironi, alongside a photographic cover by Lee Binding and a special edition featuring Brian Bysouth’s original movie poster artwork.

For longtime fans, that last option is a particularly nice nod to the visual history of the franchise.

Publication details:

• Title: Highlander: The Original Screenplay #1
• Publisher: Titan Comics
• Writer: Gregory Widen
• Artist: Szymon Kudranski
• Series: Four issues
• Format: 32 pages, full color
• Cover price: $4.99
• Release date: December 2, 2026

The complete story is also scheduled to receive a hardcover collected edition in July 2027.

A NEW CHAPTER FOR A CULT CLASSIC

With a new Highlander film adaptation also in development, the franchise is finding another opportunity to introduce its mythology to a new generation.

But what makes this comic particularly compelling isn’t nostalgia alone. It’s the possibility of seeing how a familiar story changes when its creator returns to the ideas that started it all.

Sometimes the most interesting stories are the ones that never made it to the screen.

And for Highlander fans, this might be the closest opportunity yet to discover the original vision behind one of fantasy cinema’s most enduring legends.

There can be only one.