Back in March came something of a shock announcement – the “King Conan” movie, the follow-up to the original “Conan the Barbarian” films from the 1980s, was finally happening.
78-year-old Arnold Schwarzenegger himself revealed the news at the Arnold Sports Festival in Columbus, Ohio where he teased the return of several of his most famous screen characters.
The surprise was the new “Conan” film, a project that has been stuck in development hell for decades. Arnold revealed that none other than “Mission: Impossible” filmmaker Christopher McQuarrie was attached to write and direct the film, which has been set up at 20th Century Studios.
The Austrian Oak was also undergoing intense physical training in preparation for the role, even as he’s dealt with multiple heart surgeries and assorted joint issues over the years.
Now, long time fan outlet TheArnoldFans has some new quotes from Schwarzenegger and Fredrik Malmberg, president of the “Conan” IP owner Conan Properties International.
Two months on, Malmberg has officially confirmed the news and indicates filming begins next year:
“I can confirm we have a deal between CPI, Arnold, and [20th Century Studios]. Next year, we are going to do ‘King Conan’. So that is a reality now, and I am excited about it.
Schwarzenegger also confirms filming gets underway next year and explains how he’s now the right age for the part and how the film is aiming for a tone akin to Clint Eastwood’s “Unforgiven”:
“Next year we are going to do King Conan. So that is a reality now and I am excited about it. For the last ten years I have been saying, ‘we should do King Conan and we should get a great script written, get someone who really understands Robert E. Howard, that understands the artwork of Frank Frazetta and to continue on.’ I want to have John Milius, the director of Conan 1, to be maybe the producer. So it will be really fantastic.
The movie wouldn’t have worked after I did the first Conan because the whole idea of King Conan is that for 40 years he has been king, he is older now. He is no longer in the shape he was from his heyday, and now people are trying to take him out.
He’s the king, and he gets a little bit complacent. He’s tired of the job, and he wants to move on. Look at the movie by Clint Eastwood, [‘Unforgiven’]. It will be a lot like that, but it will be with extraordinary battles.”
McQuarrie also has a film adaptation of the “Battlefield” game franchise in the works with Oscar-winner Michael B. Jordan attached in the lead role. A bidding war is currently underway for that one.
