Written by Most fans understand that the incredible success of the “Barbie” movie has paved the way for “Masters of the Universe” film.
If history would have gone down differently and “Barbie” was a financial flop (versus a $1.447 billion blockbuster), it is arguable that Mattel Studios wouldn’t have been formed last year.
But thanks to “Barbie”, after many starts and stops, “Masters of the Universe” is finally on the way to the silver screen.
Well now, analysts have suggested that actor Arnold Schwarzenegger‘s return to the Conan movie franchise (and Sword & Sorcery films in general) may be riding on the financial gamble that is “Masters of the Universe”.
First teased at the end of the 1982 film “Conan the Barbarian“, fans have been waiting for Arnold’s return as an old and gristled King Conan for 44 years.
And now, after many starts and stops, King Conan may be finally be on the way to the silver screen too.
Arnold Schwarzenegger and Christopher McQuarrie are ready to take a swing at relaunching the Conan the Barbarian franchise. McQuarrie, who has helmed the four most recent Mission: Impossible films, is attached to write and direct King Conan for 20th Century Studios, The Hollywood Reporter has confirmed. Schwarzenegger would reprise his role as sword-wielding Conan the Barbarian - (Arnold Schwarzenegger told the crowd at the Arnold Sports Festival in Columbus, Ohio:) “It’s a great story where Conan was 40 years king [as] king and he gets complacent, and now he gets forced out of the kingdom, slowly. Then there’s conflict, of course, and then he somehow comes back, and then there’s all kinds of madness and violence and magic and creatures.”
But analysts have suggested that much like “Barbie” did for “Masters of the Universe”…
…”Masters of the Universe” has to do for Conan.
Basically, the fate of the “King Conan” production being greenlit could hinge on He-Man’s success at the box office. One 1980’s sword wielding, muscled heroed franchise helping another.
It could be a litmus test for the Sword & Sorcery genre as well.
So it may be a good idea for Conan and Sword & Sorcery fans everywhere to support “Masters of the Universe” if they are a fan of He-Man or not.
We’ll see you next time.
By Crom I know this to be true!
I don’t think Conan would be an action comedy in the vein of Guardians Of The Galaxy somehow (which is all we ever hear about MOTU).
And this whole ‘the genre is the problem’ thing is nonsense! They said that about Clint’s Unforgiven. Gladiator. Parody comedies. If a movie is good then word of mouth will sustain it because everybody knows better than to trust the hype merchants whether paid ‘critics’ or the fake ‘Let’s gooooooo!’ fucknuts in the comments who patently don’t!
@sketchyskeletor I hear you but it’s the stupid way studio heads think. Once something makes money they ask their minions what they have that is similar because they think it’s hot right now. I have my doubts muscled warriors with swords will make a comeback including He-Man but maybe today’s movie crowd will shock me.
He-Man is Conan with vehicles and without the blood and orgies
He-Man > Conan
He-Man = Conan 😉
Gotta be honest, as much respect as I have for Arnold Schwarzenegger as both an actor and a human being, I’m not really chomping at the bit for “Conan: The Octogenarian Barbarian." I’d be very interested in seeing Jason Momoa’s Conan get a sequel now though. Doesn’t have to be the same director or have anything in common with the prior movie. He was just good in the role, and now it’s been long enough since then for a revival.
Of course, I wouldn’t necessarily want any Conan film to have an even remotely comparable tone and vibe as the upcoming MOTU film seems to have. Makes enough sense for He-Man, but He-Man is the “Batman" to Conan’s “The Shadow," and like Batman you can have a lot more variance in tone and aesthetic and remain successful.
But I digress, lol.
@adekis Jason Momoa’s Conan bombed so bad it could bankrupt a company. Though Jason wasn’t a name back them. I think all he was known for was a cheap Stargate television show. I wonder what would happen now that he’s a star.
@adekis Arnold is still badass despite his age, and there are reports that he’s started training intensely for the role. Also note that a younger Conan (or his son, I forget) will be played by Noah Centineo, who many here seem to have forgotten was going to be our He-Man just a few years ago…
@he-dad I do remember Conan being the first time I ever saw Momoa’s name. It’s strange to think why that movie would have bombed either way. It wasn’t bad. Is Conan the character simply not a big enough name to draw audiences? I don’t understand that.But either way, Momoa is now a very big name. It’s been a few years since Aquaman made a billion, but he’s still popular. I think the idea could work.
@durendal There’s no denying that for a man who would be eighty by the time the movie comes out if they started making it today, Schwarzenegger’s in incredible shape. But he’s still a very old man. Maybe if they had made it fifteen years ago.
As for Noah Centineo, I’m not especially familiar with his work, but it’s not like he especially looks like Arnold Schwarzenegger. If he’s going to play a young Conan, why not just make him the star of the movie instead? He could do it.
I guess I just don’t see why the production is so married to Schwarzenegger specifically. He’s a good actor, an impressive human being, and probably the most famous bodybuilder in the history of the world, but this is still a movie from like forty years ago.
@adekis Nostalgia and continuity are the key here. I bet if they had done this King Conan movie with Arnold in 2012 instead of the reboot with Momoa, it would have done much better.
I’m not gonna lie… if a new Conan movie – following the original Milius and Fleisher films – came out, I’d be stoked.
I am a HUGE Conan fan… equal to or even more so than MOTU. However, Arnold has been teasing a King Conan movie for over a decade now and nothing ever comes of it.
My fingers are crossed for two things…
1. The movie actually gets made (and it’s good!)
2. It leans more toward R.E. Howard pulp than family friendly He-Man.
I enjoyed Arnold in Fubar and I think he can still pull off a great King Conan, but time is of the essence!
@durendal I agree that if they had made a “King Conan" film in 2012, it would’ve made way more sense to use Schwarzenegger at that time, than it does in 2026. But 2012 was nearly fifteen years ago now, and if they started making this suggested Old Man Conan movie immediately in 2026, it’d be coming out in like 2028 at the earliest, right?
I’m not really as opposed to “old man" action stars in contemporary setting movies where they can drive and shoot. I even kind of have an idea for the kind of action movie I’d like to see Schwarzenegger make instead, though I’ll, er, spare you the elevator pitch! (That said, the existence of something like A View To A Kill indicates that there’s a point where depending on the fitness of the star, it may not even be believable for them to climb stairs anymore.) But for Conan the Barbarian, I want that character like, tackling opponents off of moving horses and stuff. Swinging swords over his own head at lightning speed. As great of shape as Schwarzenegger is in for a man of his age, and as much as I could see him in a different kind of action movie, I have a lot of trouble imagining him in this particular beloved classic role, at this time. 😅
Maybe they could make it like, a Bronze Age political thriller or something, where King Conan only really needs a handful of action scenes and a lot of the film is about yelling in throne rooms? 🤔
One of two things can happen at this point:
1.) Conan is King of Aquilonia and the movie’s primary focus is his son, Conn. (Most likely played by someone like Luke or Liam Hemsworth…)
OR
2.) Schwarzenegger is the lead role, and they adapt a story like Phoenix on the Sword or The Hour of the Dragon (two stories that feature Conan after he becomes King) and use a lot of CGI / visual trickery to pull it off.
Personally, I’d prefer the second option.
In today’s world of “movie magic," it is entirely possible to pull it off and have it look really good… as long as the studio is willing to put in the work / money!
@ornclown The thought of an extended adaptation of “Phoenix on the Sword" did occur to me, and maybe it could be decent. It’s got a lot of political intrigue and not a lot of action scenes. Maybe too few action scenes? But maybe that could work.
I actually think this is exactly why it could work.
R.E. Howard was a brilliant author. The world he built for Conan and all the others who occupied the Hyborian Age was so well developed – both geographically as well as politically. Kingdoms, Dynasties, Monarchs, and everything in between felt, and still feel, as if they all actually existed in human history.
An adaptation of Phoenix on the Sword would set itself apart from other “barbarian" / medieval / fantasy movies because of the strong political intrigue. And the role of Conan, as king, would be incredibly believable when played by an aging Schwarzenegger.
And the movie would have a huge payoff in the third act that would be almost filled to the brim with action, carnage, betrayal, mysticism, and -of course- Conan kicking so. much. ass. (While still being beaten to a pulp himself… as I said, believable.)