Corona | Coming Attractions

While I didn't see this one coming, the signs were pointing in that direction: Arnold Schwarzenegger will portray his first iconic movie hero role again, that of Conan the barbarian, in a new movie titled The Legend of Conan. This is a done deal and Universal Pictures, the company who now has the rights to release Conan movies, wants this new picture out in the summer of 2014.

Hollywood's know for moving slower than molasses in winter so how did The Legend of Conan movie get assembled together this quickly and quietly? And especially after the idea for a third Schwarzenegger Conan movie that would have seen Conan the Barbarian director John Milius team up with The Matrix's Lana and Andy Wachowski for their King Conan idea fall apart a couple of years ago?

My take is that it's got to do with where Schwarzenegger is now in his career. He's attempting a major comeback, both in terms of his movie career (post Governor of California) as well as public image (the messy extramarital affairs and such). Arnie's made three movies that are awaiting release in 2013 (The Last Stand, The Tomb, Ten) and returning to Conan's universe is the easiest way for him to cash in on a well-known role he's known for. After all, it's not like Total Recall 2 or a new Predator movie are shaping up to happen anytime soon.

Paradox Entertainment CEO Fredrik Malmberg put this new Conan movie together and packaged it with Schwarzenegger. Malmberg has already lined up Fast and Furious screenwriter Chris Morgan to both write The Legend of Conan screenplay and help produce it. From the sounds of Morgan's quotes in Deadline, it sounds like the writer's heart is in the right place.

"This movie picks up Conan where Arnold is now in his life, and we will be able to use the fact that he has aged in this story," Morgan told the site about his idea. "I love the property of Conan so much that I wouldn’t touch it unless we came up with something worthy. We think this is a worthy successor to the original film. Think of this as Conan’s Unforgiven," comparing his movie idea to the likely final western that Clint Eastwood will ever make.

Morgan also said that his own personal vision of The Legend of Conan story is that it ignores the second Schwarzenegger film, Conan the Destroyer, and instead walks in the meaner, more Nietzechean boots that Milius' original 1981 Conan picture stode in. Whether that means a hard R rating for this new Conan movie will happen or not remains to be seen.

"The original ended with Arnold on the throne as a seasoned warrior, and this is the take of the film we will make," said producer Malmberg to 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."

Schwarzenegger also offered up some quotes to put his personal stamp of approval on the news. "I always loved the Conan character and I’m honored to be asked to step into the role once again," the  65-year-old actor said. "I can’t wait to work with Universal and the great team of Fredrik Malmberg and Chris Morgan to develop the next step of this truly epic story."