‘King Conan’ Update Arnold Schwarzenegger Confirms Production Plans for 2027

Arnold Schwarzenegger has provided a significant update regarding the long-anticipated sequel to ‘Conan the Barbarian’, titled ‘King Conan’. He revealed that the project is now moving towards a potential production start in 2027. Schwarzenegger shared these insights while speaking with TheArnoldFans during the 44th anniversary celebration of the original 1982 film.

The sequel is being developed with filmmaker Christopher McQuarrie, renowned for directing several ‘Mission: Impossible’ films. According to previous reports from The Hollywood Reporter, McQuarrie is set to write and direct the new film for 20th Century Studios, with Schwarzenegger reprising his iconic role as Conan.

Schwarzenegger expressed his enthusiasm for the project, which he has championed for many years. He stated, “Next year, we are going to do ‘King Conan’. So that is a reality now, and I am excited about it. For the last 10 years, I have been saying, ‘We should do ‘King Conan’ and get a great script written… I want to have John Milius, the director of ‘Conan 1’, to be maybe the producer. So it will be really fantastic.’” The original ‘Conan the Barbarian’ was directed by John Milius and released in 1982.

The actor also explained how this iteration of Conan will differ from previous films. He mentioned that the story is set decades after Conan ascends to the throne, portraying him as older and less active than in his youth.

Schwarzenegger elaborated, “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’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.”

The character of Conan first graced the screen in ‘Conan the Barbarian’ (1982), followed by ‘Conan the Destroyer’ in 1984. Schwarzenegger did not reprise his role in the 2011 reboot featuring Jason Momoa, which received mixed reviews from both critics and fans.

Over the years, there have been numerous attempts to continue Schwarzenegger’s narrative. A sequel titled ‘The Legend of Conan’ was once in the works at Universal Pictures but was ultimately shelved. Now, the project has resurfaced under the new title ‘King Conan’, with 20th Century Studios supporting the film and McQuarrie on board as the creative lead.

Currently, ‘King Conan’ is being positioned as a direct continuation of the original films, bringing Schwarzenegger back to one of his most iconic roles after decades away from the character.

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