Which Queen song was the theme for the 1986 film 'Highlander'?

Which Queen song was the theme for the 1986 film Highlander? The answer is “Princes of the Universe.” Written by Freddie Mercury and performed by Queen, it was created specifically for Highlander and plays over the film’s opening credits.

The song is the climactic final track on Queen’s 1986 album A Kind of Magic, which contains much of the music Queen made for the film. Although A Kind of Magic is also strongly associated with Highlander, it is a separate song: its title track functions more as a recurring musical idea, while “Princes of the Universe” is the film’s opening theme.

“Princes of the Universe” is notable within the album because Mercury received sole songwriting credit. Its forceful vocal, heavy guitar sound and fantasy-themed lyrics match Highlander’s story of immortal warriors and the struggle to claim “the Prize.”

The song gained an additional association when it became the opening theme for Highlander: The Series, which ran from 1992 to 1998. That television use is why some listeners remember it primarily as a series theme rather than a film song.