Arnold Schwarzenegger is set to reprise his iconic role in the long-anticipated King Conan movie, with acclaimed filmmaker Christopher McQuarrie attached to write and direct the project for 20th Century Studios. The announcement came during the Arnold Sports Festival in Columbus, Ohio, signaling a renewed effort to revive the Conan 3 film, a project that has faced numerous setbacks over the past decades. This development revives hopes for fans of the legendary Atlantean warrior created by Robert E. Howard and highlights the growing momentum behind the Christopher McQuarrie Conan Movie.
Schwarzenegger’s History with the Conan Franchise and the New Film’s Premise
Arnold Schwarzenegger first brought the character of Conan the Barbarian to life on the big screen in 1982, under the direction of John Milius, and again in the 1984 sequel, Conan the Destroyer. These films played a pivotal role in launching Schwarzenegger’s career into superstardom. Now, at 78 years old, Schwarzenegger is prepared to take up the Atlantean sword once more for the King Conan story, which explores a more mature version of the hero who has ruled as king for 40 years.
Speaking to the crowd at the festival, Schwarzenegger shared,
“It’s a great story where Conan was 40 years king and he gets complacent, and now he gets forced out of the kingdom, slowly. Then there’s conflict, of course, and then he somehow comes back, and then there’s all kinds of madness and violence and magic and creatures.”
He added,
“Now, of course, you have all the special effects, and the studio system has plenty of money to make those movies really big. So I’m looking forward to all of those projects.”
Earlier Attempts to Revive King Conan and Related Projects
This is not Schwarzenegger’s first attempt to relaunch Conan after the original films. In the early 2010s, he aimed to revive the character in a new movie developed by Universal with writer Chris Morgan. That version envisioned an older Conan in a storyline inspired by Clint Eastwood’s Unforgiven, adapting the character’s narrative to suit Schwarzenegger’s age. Despite these plans, the project ultimately did not go into production.
Meanwhile, the Conan franchise saw a live-action reboot in 2011, produced by Millennium Films, Nu Image, Paradox Productions, and Conan Properties International LLC, with Jason Momoa starring as Conan. Released by Lionsgate, this film received poor critical reception and failed commercially, setting back efforts to relaunch the character on screen.
The franchise also made a foray into television when Ryan Condal, known for his work on Colony and House of the Dragon, developed a Conan TV series for Amazon Prime Video beginning in 2018. However, that project was unexpectedly canceled by Amazon before completion, clearing the way for Amazon to focus on The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power instead. Condal later became involved with HBO’s Game of Thrones prequel, House of the Dragon.
According to industry reports, 20th Century Studios has spent significant time over the past year negotiating the rights to the Conan character, aiming to clear the way for a fresh feature film.
Schwarzenegger’s Current Career and Franchise Prospects
Even as Schwarzenegger pursues the King Conan project, he remains active in other roles. His Netflix series FUBAR, an action-comedy, recently aired its second season before the streamer canceled the show. Additionally, Schwarzenegger has discussed involvement with the Predator franchise, including talks with director Dan Trachtenberg. Last year’s animated Predator: Killer of Killers featured a cameo by Schwarzenegger’s Dutch Schaefer, the character he played in the original 1987 Predator film, which hinted at his fate after encountering the alien hunter.
Challenges and Expectations for the New Conan Movie
The King Conan movie has endured numerous challenges over roughly 25 years, with several starts and stops in development. However, Schwarzenegger’s enthusiasm and McQuarrie’s proven record in reinvigorating established franchises could increase the project’s chances of finally coming to fruition. Given McQuarrie’s success with other legacy properties and Schwarzenegger’s continued commitment, fans may soon witness the return of Conan’s world filled with adventure, conflict, and supernatural elements to the big screen once again.
