Hollywood has long been planning to reboot the artist in the role of Conan.
Arnold Schwarzenegger will return to the screens as Conan the Barbarian in the new film "King Conan." 20th Century Studios has already hired Christopher McQuarrie as the writer and director of the new project. The actor is also negotiating the reboot of two other iconic action films — "Predator" and "Commando," Variety reports.
The 78-year-old Schwarzenegger announced the continuation of the Conan the Barbarian franchise at the Arnold Sports Festival in Columbus, Ohio. He stated that the studio "just hired a fantastic writer and director who has made the last four films with Tom Cruise." The actor likely referred to Christopher McQuarrie, who worked on the "Mission: Impossible" series.
"Now they are writing the script specifically for my age. They are not writing it as if I am 40 years old again," Schwarzenegger said.
The actor discussed the plot and some elements of the action-fantasy genre that the creators decided to include in the project. He added that special effects will help present the story "truly on a grand scale."
"It's a great story. Conan was king for 40 years, but over time he begins to be gradually pushed out of the kingdom. A conflict arises, but then he returns. There will be madness, violence, magic, fictional creatures, and other things. And now, of course, there are modern special effects. The studio has enough money to make these films truly grand, so I am really looking forward to all these projects," the actor shared.
Schwarzenegger played the lead role in the films "Conan the Barbarian" (1982) and "Conan the Destroyer" (1984) — the franchise became his first major work in cinema.
As The Hollywood Reporter writes, Hollywood has long planned to reboot Schwarzenegger in the role of Conan. In the early 2010s, Universal Studios was developing a project where Conan was supposed to appear in his more mature version. However, the film was never made. Hollywood attempted to reboot "Conan" in 2011 with Jason Momoa in the lead role, but the film flopped at the box office, grossing $63 million against a budget of about $90 million, Variety notes.
Speaking about other future projects, the actor noted that director Dan Trachtenberg wants him to appear in the next "Predator."
"They made another 'Predator,' and director Dan Trachtenberg is doing a great job with this franchise. Now he wants me to appear in the next 'Predator.' We have already discussed it," he noted.
According to him, 20th Century Studios also offered him a script for "Commando 2," where he could again play retired Colonel John Matrix — the hero of the original 1985 action film.
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