Conan Movie Falling Apart?
Starting from Scratch
December 01, 2002
IGN Filmforce has reported that the Conan movie starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, which was to be scripted by John Milius and produced by the Wachowski brothers (Matrix) has fallen apart. According to the report, new owner Conan Properties (see "Conan Has New Owner") declined to allow Warners or the Wachowski brothers to renew their options due to anticipated delays in production. The only notable products in the pipe are coming from Dark Horse, which recently signed a deal for Conan comics (see "Dark Horse To Publish Conan Comics").
---------------
IGN Filmforce had the word:
FilmForce has learned from sources close to King Conan: Crown of Iron that writer/director John Milius, star Arnold Schwarzenegger, producers Larry and Andy Wachowski, and Warner Brothers are no longer involved with the development or production of any eventual Conan movie. The reason for this shocking turn of events is because Conan Properties, Inc., the company that owns the Conan character, has decided not to allow either Warners or the Wachowski brothers to renew their option on the material. This option was apparently on the verge of expiration.
According to our sources, Conan Properties, Inc. was frustrated with the slow development process that Conan 3 (a.k.a. King Conan) was enduring at Warners, as well as with the Wachowskis' ongoing work on The Matrix sequels. (Apparently, production on Conan 3 wouldn't have commenced until the Wachowskis were finished with The Matrix series.)
Sources have advised IGN FilmForce of some changes that fans can expect from this new Conan movie. With Milius and Schwarzenegger no longer involved, Conan Properties allegedly wants to set up Conan at another studio – no word yet on where – with the hopes of producing "a kinder, gentler Conan," in the words of one source. Conan Properties wants to cast a younger thesp as the title character and to produce a more "friendly" Conan film on a less epic (i.e., cheaper) scale using The Scorpion King as its template. (Spider-Man was another example of the kind of audience-friendly film that Conan Properties, Inc. wants to emulate.) Conan Properties, hoping to strike while the iron is hot, want to produce a cheapie Conan flick that will enjoy a boffo opening weekend.
Thus, everything fans thought they knew about the new Conan film should now be forgotten, including its participants, plot and even its title. Obviously, if Conan's owners want a younger thesp in the title role then the story Milius penned – about an older King Conan reuniting with his estranged son Kon – no longer makes any sense.
------------------
I think a new star is needed for the future Conan movies and I think Cin Diesel could do it!
Oberton
www.d20con.org