Sword-and-sandals fantasy is cautiously returning with this year’s Masters of the Universe, but will the genre’s revival end there? Viewers may still crave epic battles on vast worlds, as demonstrated by sci-fi successes like Dune. Denis Villeneuve’s acclaimed remake has significantly revitalized the franchise — could the same approach work for another overlooked ’80s adventure?
Similar to how the Dune franchise was resurrected 40 years after its debut, Arnold Schwarzenegger is seeking a revival for some of his most beloved action series. At this year’s Arnold Sports Festival, the actor, bodybuilder, and former governor suggested three possible routes for a cinematic return.
“Fox Studios has somewhat rediscovered ‘Arnold,'” Schwarzenegger disclosed. While he’s reportedly welcome to star in the upcoming Predator movie and even a Commando sequel, he’s also developing the next installment of the Conan the Barbarian franchise. Schwarzenegger stated that the film will be penned and helmed by Christopher McQuarrie, a key figure in the comeback of another major action hero.
For the last ten years, McQuarrie has been Tom Cruise’s trusted collaborator, writing and occasionally directing Mission: Impossible entries and co-authoring the Top Gun: Maverick screenplay. “They’ve just brought him on board to write and direct King Conan,” Schwarzenegger announced.
King Conan will apparently reunite audiences with the legendary warrior following four decades of peaceful rule as Aquilonia’s monarch. After being abruptly deposed from his throne, Conan must battle to reclaim his kingdom, reintroducing “all manner of chaos, brutality, sorcery, and monsters” into his existence. Schwarzenegger clearly appears enthusiastic about reprising the character, though he admits any third entry would differ somewhat from its predecessors. Schwarzenegger headlined two movies based on Edgar Rice Burroughs’ fantasy hero, Conan: Conan the Barbarian in 1982 and Conan the Destroyer in 1984; the latter produced by Raffaella De Laurentiis, who filmed it consecutively with 1984’s Dune. In contrast to David Lynch’s Dune, Conan the Destroyer achieved moderate commercial success, grossing approximately $30 million on an $18 million budget. In 2011, Jason Momoa led a Conan reboot, which performed less successfully, taking in $63 million against a $90 million budget. (Though it’s intriguing to consider how a Momoa-led Conan might perform in the current marketplace.) So, after all this time, is the world prepared for a new Conan?
Schwarzenegger is hardly retired from action films, though he can’t quite perform all the feats he did in the ’80s and ’90s. McQuarrie must “craft [King Conan] to suit my age. I’ll still show up and kick some butt, but it’ll be different… They don’t write these roles as if I’m 40 anymore.”
Lacking official word from McQuarrie, Schwarzenegger’s remarks should be viewed with considerable skepticism. There’s a strong possibility that King Conan will follow the same path as all the other follow-ups the actor has spent years advocating for… but if the project actually materializes, it would be pretty incredible. The Conan movies embody a vanished era that merits a revival. These are hugely underappreciated adventures, and while that style of filmmaking has nearly disappeared, attempting to revive it couldn’t hurt. More improbable things have occurred, and if it results in seeing Schwarzenegger wielding a huge sword in skimpy armor again, the effort is entirely justified.