Arnold Schwarzenegger Returns to the Barbarian World
Nearly 45 years after first wielding the sword in Conan the Barbarian, Arnold Schwarzenegger is set to reprise the iconic role. The actor will star in King Conan, the third installment in the franchise, according to recent reports.
The news arrives as Sylvester Stallone appears to be stepping back from some of his own signature roles. The actor was recently seen passing a sword from the original Conan the Barbarian film to Schwarzenegger, a moment captured and widely circulated online.
Conan the Barbarian, directed by John Milius and co-written with Oliver Stone, first premiered in 1982. The film, based on the work of Robert E. Howard, follows Conan’s quest for revenge against Thulsa Doom, the leader of a snake cult. It starred Schwarzenegger and James Earl Jones and grossed between $68.9 and $79.1 million at the box office. The film’s success helped solidify Schwarzenegger’s status as an action star.
Ideas for a Conan film had been circulating since 1970, but it took producers Edward R. Pressman and Edward Summer two years to secure the film rights. After recruiting Schwarzenegger and Stone, the project was eventually sold to Dino De Laurentiis in 1979.
In addition to King Conan, Schwarzenegger has hinted at potential sequels for other well-known films in his repertoire, suggesting a renewed interest in revisiting his most celebrated characters. This announcement adds to a year of major film revivals and legacy sequels, tapping into nostalgia for classic action heroes.
A YouTube video from September 8, 2024, shows Sylvester Stallone holding Arnold Schwarzenegger’s sword from Conan the Barbarian here.
