2011's Conan The Barbarian remake was not only one of last year's biggest critical punching bags, but was a total flop at the box office as well. Though it was made for a modest $90 million, the film not only manged to pull in the low sum of $21 million domestically, but was an international disappointment too, pulling in only $48 million globally by the time in left theaters. It's hard to say exactly why the film was unsuccessful, but apparently if you ask Arnold Schwarzenegger the reason was because he wasn't in it - and now he's doing something about that.
Deadline has gotten word that Universal Pictures is now planning to make The Legend of Conan and has attached Schwarzenegger to star. The new movie will be the third time that the former Governor of California has taken on the role, having played it in both the original Conan The Barbarian as well as Conan The Destroyer, and will be the first time he's done so since 1984. Chris Morgan, who is best known for his work as a screenwriter for the Fast and the Furious franchise, is attached to the project as a producer, and it's possible that he will be handling the script as well. The only problem with that plan is that Morgan is currently attached to write the seventh installment of the long-running racing franchise, and that might conflict with Universal's plans to get the movie ready for release in summer 2014.
Discussing the project with the site, producer Fredrik Malmberg, who is producing the new movie and owns the rights to Conan through his Paradox Entertainment banner, said, "The original ended with Arnold on the throne as a seasoned warrior, and this is the take of the film we will make. It’s that Nordic Viking mythic guy who has played the role of king, warrior, soldier and mercenary, and who has bedded more women than anyone, nearing the last cycle of his life. He knows he’ll be going to Valhalla, and wants to go out with a good battle."
The reboot will ignore both the recent remake as well as Conan The Destroyer, but will directly link to the 1982 original. It's unknown at this time if the new sequel will be aiming for an R-rating, but according to the trade "they won’t flinch from the hardness of the period depicted in that first film."
Said Schwarzenegger in a statement about the project, "I always loved the Conan character and I’m honored to be asked to step into the role once again. I can’t wait to work with Universal and the great team of Fredrik Malmberg and Chris Morgan to develop the next step of this truly epic story."
