Arnold Schwarzenegger updates the King Conan movie, which follows the actor offering he won’t be back for another Terminator movie.
In an interview with THR where Arnold also says the Triplets movie isn’t happening due to Jason Reitman bailing on the project, Arnold offers doubt the King Conan movie will ever see the light of day.
“It’s been pending for the last 10 years. [Fredrik] Malmberg owns the rights. He comes to me and says, ‘Oh, I have a deal with Netflix,’ and when we ask Netflix, they don’t know anything about it. It’s one of those crazy things,” explains Arnold. “I hope he figures it out. I think you do it like Unforgiven, where you play the age. There’s a great script out there that John Milius wrote, and others have written one. The story is there. There are directors who want to do it. But he has the rights, and until he sells the rights for one or two movies, or for the franchise, there’s nothing you can do about it.”
Arnold Schwarzenegger debuted as Conan the Barbarian in 1982
In 1982, Schwarzenegger made his first appearance as Conan the Barbarian, directed by John Milius. The film introduced audiences to the world of Hyboria, a brutal and savage realm where Conan seeks revenge against the sorcerer Thulsa Doom, played by James Earl Jones. Schwarzenegger’s commanding physical presence and charismatic performance catapulted him to stardom, perfectly embodying the stoic yet powerful warrior. The film’s success laid the foundation for Schwarzenegger’s future in the franchise.
Two years later, Schwarzenegger reprised his role in Conan the Destroyer. Directed by Richard Fleischer, the film took a slightly lighter tone compared to its predecessor, incorporating more humor and adventure. Although not as critically acclaimed as the first film, Conan the Destroyer showcased Schwarzenegger’s versatility as an actor, effortlessly blending intense action sequences with moments of levity. The film solidified Conan’s status as an iconic character and Schwarzenegger’s ability to captivate audiences.
For years, talk of a third Conan film swirled in Hollywood, with Schwarzenegger expressing interest in returning to the role as King Conan in Legend of Conan. However, as Arnold notes above, despite various scripts and potential projects, a third movie failed to materialize.
Jason Momoa also starred as the titular character in a reboot released in 2011 that failed to deliver and couldn’t match the strength of the Arnold films.
