King Conan a Go!
King Conan, the long-anticipated follow-up to Conan the Barbarian (1982) and Conan the Destroyer (1984), is finally moving forward, reigniting excitement among fans of the classic sword-and-sorcery franchise. Arnold Schwarzenegger is set to reprise his legendary role as the Cimmerian warrior-turned-king, marking a remarkable return to one of his most defining characters more than four decades after he first wielded the sword.
The film is currently in development at 20th Century Studios, with Christopher McQuarrie attached to write and direct. Best known for his work on the Mission: Impossible series, McQuarrie brings a strong track record for blending action with character-driven storytelling, something that could give King Conan a more mature, reflective edge as it explores the later years of the battle-hardened ruler.
According to various reports, Schwarzenegger has already begun an intense training regimen to physically prepare for the role, underscoring his commitment to doing justice to the character that helped launch his career. The idea of revisiting Conan as an older, wiser king opens up exciting narrative possibilities, potentially drawing inspiration from the darker, more introspective tone of Robert E. Howard’s later Conan tales.
For longtime fans, anticipation is especially high around the film’s tone and aesthetic. One of the most beloved elements of the original films was their powerful, sweeping score by Basil Poledouris, whose music became synonymous with Conan’s mythic presence in Oliver Stone’s original. There’s a strong hope that King Conan will either reuse or pay homage to that iconic soundtrack, helping to bridge the legacy of the original films with this new chapter.
For anyone looking to catch up on the franchise, Conan’s cinematic journey began with Conan the Barbarian (1982) and continued with Conan the Destroyer (1984), both starring Arnold Schwarzenegger in the title role. A reboot followed decades later with Conan the Barbarian (2011), this time led by Jason Momoa, offering a darker and more visceral take on the character, though it ultimately failed to launch a new series.
The wider Conan universe has also taken a few interesting detours. Red Sonja (1985), starring Brigitte Nielsen, was originally intended to feature Arnold Schwarzenegger as Conan himself, as the character of Red Sonja originated from the same comic book world. However, due to rights issues, Conan was reworked into a different character for the film. A long-gestating remake of Red Sonja eventually arrived in 2025 after years of delays, having once been envisioned as a companion piece to the 2011 Conan reboot.
On the small screen, Conan also found life with younger audiences through the animated series Conan the Adventurer in the early 1990s. Later in the decade, a live-action version, also titled Conan the Adventurer, aired, adopting a tone and style similar to shows like Hercules: The Legendary Journeys, blending fantasy adventure with episodic storytelling. Together, these films and series form a varied legacy that has kept the character alive across generations.
There’s also Kull: The Conqueror (1997) which was supposed to be a second sequel titled “Conan the Conqueror” but Arnie passed on it and Kevin Sorbo played Kull, the hastily rewitten Conan character.
If it all comes together, King Conan has the potential to be both a nostalgic return and a bold evolution of the franchise, a fitting send-off for one of cinema’s most enduring fantasy heroes.
Source [The Guardian.]
