Finally, some King Conan news!

[Dark Jezter]

From IGN Film Force...

IGNFF Exclusive: The New King Conan

Plus, what's happening with Milius' biker flick?

May 10, 2004 - IGN FilmForce has learned who is poised to replace Arnold Schwarzenegger as the title character in the long-in-development King Conan: Crown of Iron. Confirming rumors first reported last fall, Warner Brothers and writer-director John Milius have indeed settled on wrestler-actor Paul Michael Levesque, a.k.a. Triple H, to play Robert E. Howard's barbarian hero. It should be noted, however, that it isn't a done deal just yet.

There's also no word on when King Conan might finally go before cameras. Triple H was previously rumored to be up for the role of Kon, Conan's estranged son. He'll next be seen as "Grimwood" in Blade: Trinity.

Milius has apparently long believed that Triple H has the potential to be the next Schwarzenegger. He should know since he cast the bodybuilding champ in 1982's Conan the Barbarian, launching Arnold's stellar film career. We were told that Gov. Schwarzenegger has given the film and Triple H his blessing.

Triple H is also attached to star in Milius' biker flick Jornada del Muerto but that project has hit a roadblock. Sources advised IGNFF that the project may be in the process of falling apart even though principal photography was slated to begin this July in New Mexico.

There's apparently a burgeoning power struggle between Milius and WWE Films, the World Wrestling Entertainment's movie division. WWE honcho Vince McMahon - who also happens to be Triple H's father-in-law - was to have executive produced Jornada. WWE Films also produced The Rock's last two vehicles, The Rundown and Walking Tall.

IGNFF was advised that the issue threatening to derail Jornada del Muerto involves talent agencies. WWE is repped by Endeavor whereas Milius is signed with ICM. (Endeavor was founded by ex-ICM agents.) Sources claim that Endeavor and WWE Films instead want to make an in-house film project, a package utilizing their own clients. This left the ICM-repped Milius as the proverbial wrench in the machine.

We were advised that Milius' deal for Jornada had essentially been made by Vince McMahon and without the involvement of certain high-level execs at WWE Films, and that is what's led to this situation exploding now.

Unless the situation can be resolved, Milius could reluctantly walk away and let Jornada fall apart, which seems fine by WWE Films (and, thus, Endeavor). Milius and Triple H remain friendly and are willing to work together on King Conan instead.

Jornada del Muerto is a neo-Western following ex-Marine/ex-Hell's Angel/ex-con Jonah Hawk's vengeful campaign against the Road Wolves, a vicious biker gang that kills Jonah's friend and kidnaps the man's girlfriend. Jonah targets the Road Wolves and their allies, culminating in a battle royale in the New Mexico desert.

So, it's still not known when actual work will begin on the movie, but it sounds like WWE wrestler Triple-H will be taking the role of the mighty Cimmerian. Here is a picture of the next actor to take up Conan's sword:

 

[Greatwyrm]

If Triple H is an actor, I'm a pro-wrestler. I hope someone comes to their senses on this one. If the son of Conan is to be a wrestler, I hope they get The Rock.

 

[Dark Jezter]

If Triple H is an actor, I'm a pro-wrestler. I hope someone comes to their senses on this one. If the son of Conan is to be a wrestler, I hope they get The Rock.

Yeah! Casting a pro wrestler in King Conan would be almost as silly as casting a professional bodybuilder in the original Conan the Barbarian.

 

[Mouseferatu]

In any event, Triple-H is appearing in a movie or two before this, so we'll at least have the chance to assess his acting ability.

And honestly, he can't be any worse of a thespian than Arnie himself was back in the early days. I mean, not putting down the first Conan movie, but it certainly wasn't the lead's acting abilities that made it work.

 

[Dark Jezter]

In any event, Triple-H is appearing in a movie or two before this, so we'll at least have the chance to assess his acting ability.

And honestly, he can't be any worse of a thespian than Arnie himself was back in the early days. I mean, not putting down the first Conan movie, but it certainly wasn't the lead's acting abilities that made it work.

Yet strangely enough, he made it work perfectly. Besides having the physical stature required for the role, Arnold's austrian accent was very fitting for a northern barbarian. Additionally, Milius managed to make Conan a truly believable character not by giving him lots of dialogue, but by giving him little dialogue and letting his expressions and actions speak to the audience. What few lines Arnold did have in Conan the Barbarian were delivered wonderfully, such as his prayer to Crom and his response to the question "Conan, what is best in life?". Arnold was Conan the Barbarian, and I doubt that anyone else could have done a better job in the role.

Because John Milius was able to coax such a memorable performance out of Arnold back in 1982, I have faith in his descision to cast Triple-H in King Conan: Crown of Iron.

 

[cignus_pfaccari]

Because John Milius was able to coax such a memorable performance out of Arnold back in 1982, I have faith in his descision to cast Triple-H in King Conan: Crown of Iron.

Me, too. Wrestlers, to be successful, do have to be able to act, at least to sell hits and such. Besides, I always liked Triple H.

Brad

 

[Krieg]

I was under the impression that Milius had lost the rights to do King Conan?!

 

[Kai Lord]

Because John Milius was able to coax such a memorable performance out of Arnold back in 1982, I have faith in his descision to cast Triple-H in King Conan: Crown of Iron.

I don't. Conan may have been created a long time before Arnold's star began to rise, but he is the cinematic Conan. If there's a better guy out there, but I just don't see it being Triple H. He doesn't have that "eye of the tiger" that the part requires. When Arnold cuts the chain off his ankle in the original Conan the Barbarian and then holds the sword up to his face and looks at the camera you just feel like this guy could take out an army by himself. Triple H just doesn't convey that presence and inner strength. And that wasn't a look specially concocted by Milius' expert direction, Arnold does that in all his movies.

Triple H is good at frowning and huffing and puffing, but Arnold doesn't need that, he just knows he's going to kick your ass, and he knows that you know it too. That's Conan, strong in his mountain.

 

[Dark Jezter]

I don't. Conan may have been created a long time before Arnold's star began to rise, but he is the cinematic Conan. If there's a better guy out there, but I just don't see it being Triple H. He doesn't have that "eye of the tiger" that the part requires. When Arnold cuts the chain off his ankle in the original Conan the Barbarian and then holds the sword up to his face and looks at the camera you just feel like this guy could take out an army by himself. Triple H just doesn't convey that presence and inner strength. And that wasn't a look specially concocted by Milius' expert direction, Arnold does that in all his movies.

Triple H is good at frowning and huffing and puffing, but Arnold doesn't need that, he just knows he's going to kick your ass, and he knows that you know it too. That's Conan, strong in his mountain.

Oh, I definately agree that Arnold is the cinematic Conan. I'm not going to dispute that. In fact, in my above post I stated my belief that nobody could have done a better job as Conan than Arnold. Sadly, the Austrian Oak's duties as Governer of California are going to keep him busy for a while (even longer if he runs for re-election), and it just wouldn't be possible to get him into the role unless the movie were to be put on hiatus for even longer.

So, I'm gonna give the new guy a chance. Even if he dosen't have Arnold's trademark lowered-brow "I'm a badass" look, Triple H still has an intimidating enough presence that I feel he could do well as an action star. Additionally, his career as a pro wrestler means that he probably won't be too squemish about doing his own stunts.

Heh, before Triple H was announced, I was thinking that the guy who played Buliwyf in the 13th Warrior might make a good Conan.

 

[Faraer]

I think Conan the Barbarian is a good film, but not a good Conan film: the Milius/Schwarzenegger character just isn't like Conan in most ways that matter. Even so, I thought Conan 3 had the potential to be worthwhile, because there's a reinforcement between this Austrian guy making it big in the States and a Cimmerian becoming king of Aquilonia, and therefore the film could build on what was good about the first one, and could be about Schwarzenegger as a middle-aged guy same as Conan (something he needed for his acting career). Without that, and with the script the hotchpotch it seems to be, what does the film have going for it?

Better for Milius to put his vision, which isn't Howard's, into his own world and character (and the same for Triple H) rather than cashing in on and further corrupting the Conan name.

The best Conan we never got, of course, was Oliver Reed.