At Last, He Reigns: Arnold Schwarzenegger to Begin Filming ‘King Conan’ Next Year
After decades in development limbo, the long-awaited sequel King Conan is officially moving forward. Star and action icon Arnold Schwarzenegger confirmed that the project is set to begin shooting in 2027. It will serve as the final bow for a saga that Arnie began in 1982 as his career began to take off.
Schwarzenegger spent the last decade championing the project. He revealed recently that the studio tapped Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning maestro Christopher McQuarrie to write/rewrite and direct the legacy sequel. And for the sword-wielding strongman, the stars have aligned. The time is finally right.
“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…’ I want to have John Milius, the director of Conan 1, to be maybe the producer. So it will be really fantastic,” he remarked to site TheArnoldFans.
The film will reportedly focus on an older, slightly complacent Conan who has ascended to the throne of his kingdom and reigned for roughly 40 years. He is pulled back into the fray when determined enemies threaten his rule. The crown rests heavily on the King’s head, who is also plagued by demons of self-doubt.
This last aspect helped a friend in need. Beyond the screen, King Conan holds a deep, personal significance for Schwarzenegger and Milius, his longtime collaborator. During the latter’s difficult battle with cancer, Schwarzenegger read from a scene in the director’s draft of the film. A weary and aged Conan is taunted by the specter of Death itself, but rather than give in, he draws his sword again with a defiant “F–k you!”
It was a sentiment that served as a rallying cry for the filmmaker, as well as creatives involved and fans alike. With the creative pieces now firmly in place, fans can finally prepare to see the legend return to the throne. Scharzenegger promises King Conan will retain its grit, which he compares to Clint Eastwood in Unforgiven, while delivering “extraordinary battles.”
