Conan the Barbarian launched Arnold Schwarzenegger's movie career in 1982, and now the 65-year-old actor is planning to reprise his role in Universal Pictures' The Legend of Conan.
"I always loved the Conan character and I'm honored to be asked to step into the role once again," Schwarzenegger, a former bodybuilder, tells Deadline in a statement. "I can't wait to work with Universal and the great team of [producers] Fredrik Malmberg and Chris Morgan to develop the next step of this truly epic story."
The father of five last played the vengeful hero in 1984's Conan the Destroyer. The two films earned more than $70 million at the domestic box office.
"The original ended with Arnold on the throne as a seasoned warrior, and this is the take of the film we will make," Malmberg tells Deadline. "It's that Nordic Viking mythic guy who has played the role of king, warrior, soldier and mercenary, and who has bedded more women than anyone, nearing the last cycle of his life. He knows he'll be going to Valhalla, and wants to go out with a good battle."
In 2011, Millennium Films revived the Conan concept in a film starring Jason Momoa. The movie was a box office bomb, earning a meager $48.8 million worldwide.
