Arnold Schwarzenegger Reportedly Training Hard for King Conan Return

Arnold Schwarzenegger may already be gearing up for King Conan in a big way.

After recently revealing that a new Conan sequel is in the works with Christopher McQuarrie attached, the New York Post is now reporting Schwarzenegger is undergoing intense gym prep to get ready to return as the aging barbarian king.

Update: Filming is said to start in 2027.

NY Post says Arnold is pushing hard for King Conan

According to the Post, Schwarzenegger is said to be training harder than ever at age 78 as he gets ready for the long-discussed King Conan movie.

The report claims the role depends on Arnold looking like a “legendary barbarian-slash-king” and says he is following a strict routine to get back into shape for the sequel.

That fits with what Arnold recently said at the Arnold Classic, where he explained that the new Conan movie would be written to match his age instead of pretending he is still the younger version of the character.

He said the story centers on an older Conan who has grown complacent as king, gets pushed out, and is pulled back into conflict filled with violence, magic, and creatures.

The bigger story is still that King Conan is happening

The more important part here is that Schwarzenegger himself already said the project is real.

Arnold revealed that the studio hired “a fantastic writer/director who did Tom Cruise’s last four movies” to write and direct King Conan, which points to Christopher McQuarrie.

So while the gym-prep talk is getting attention, the actual news remains that Arnold says King Conan is moving forward.

Arnold has the injuries and mileage to make this notable

What makes the Post report stand out is Arnold’s age and the wear and tear he has openly discussed.

In an October 2025 Men’s Health interview, Schwarzenegger said he has dealt with shoulder and hip issues, including a hip replacement, along with knee and elbow problems and multiple heart surgeries.

He described himself as a “mechanical man” while also saying he has no regrets about the training and stunt work that banged him up over the years.