Conan the Barbarian

[Cryozombie]

Beverly Hills, CA (March 15, 2010) – Today saw the start of principal photography for the new Conan movie, directed by Marcus Nispel, and featuring Jason Momoa (Stargate Atlantis) in the title role. The three-month production takes place at Nu Boyana Studios in Sofia, Bulgaria.

Marcus Nispel’s previous movies include the remakes of Friday the 13th and Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Joining Jason Momoa will be Ron Perlman (Hellraiser, Sons of Anarchy) as Conan’s father and martial arts champion Leo Howard (G.I. Joe) as the young Conan. Other main cast members are Stephen Lang (Avatar), Rachel Nichols (G.I. Joe, Star Trek), Said Taghmaoui (G.I. Joe, Kite Runner) and Rose McGowan (Grindhouse).

http://www.amrathelion.com/Nemedian-Chronicles/Conan-Filming-Has-Begun-In-Bulgaria.html

 

[Andy Moynihan]

And Jesus wept.

 

[Scott T]

I guess we'll see if a relatively unknown television actor can carry a feature.

Any bets?

 

[Cryozombie]

I guess we'll see if a relatively unknown television actor can carry a feature.

Any bets?

Um... no. I'm iffy about this being a remake. Seems like all Nispel can do is remakes, but to his credit, he does them well. If they make this more the like Novels and less like the 80's flick I'd say it has potential. at the very least I'd like to see them stick to Characters at least from the Conan time line, not making him fight Villains from the Kull series, (Thulsa Doom) and possibly not having him pine over a woman who was of little consequence to him in the books. (Valeria)

 

[Omar B]

I'm excited about it. The first Conan movies with Arnold had precious little to do with the literary character so it would be nice to see him onscreen. I like Jason Momoa for the role too.

 

[Cryozombie]

I'm excited about it. The first Conan movies with Arnold had precious little to do with the literary character so it would be nice to see him onscreen. I like Jason Momoa for the role too.

I agree 100%. I think DeCamp and Carter did a disservice to all the work they did on the literary Conan by novelizing the two movies and adding them to the storyline. I still read them, but it was disappointing. The only thing I'm unsure about is Momoa for the role. He's big, and toned as hell, (got rock like abs fo sho!) but mostly in a lean and wiry kind of way. Conan was often referred to as a veritable giant who was hugley muscled.

Maybe he bulked way the hell up for the role. We'll see

 

[Omar B]

Well Conan is described mostly as "Lithe as a panther" and things like that that give you the impression of a strong guy who's more flexible than bulky. After all, there were no gyms in Cimmeria, Conan got his build from climbing mountains, running and archery.

He may have been big, but this was written in the early muscleman days and REH's favorite sport was boxing so I always saw Conan as a having a Sandow type build since that's what would have been thought of as massive and well muscled while still maintaining the functionally fit angle.

By the way, speaking of the authors post REH. DeCamp and Carter are decent enough, but I've presently reread the Robert Jordan run on the series and I'm convinced he's not writing about the same guy REH was writing about. Other than name, birthplace and dislike for major, they have little in common.

 

[Cryozombie]

but I've presently reread the Robert Jordan run on the series and I'm convinced he's not writing about the same guy REH was writing about. Other than name, birthplace and dislike for major, they have little in common.

Ive never read the ones by Jordan, but considered picking up the anthology. Would you say its not worthwhile then?

 

[Omar B]

They are decent enough reads and it feels like Conan from time to time. Sure, get it.

 

[SensibleManiac]

I vaguely remember reading a couple of the books, Conan The Buccaneer and Conan of Aquilonia if I remember right.

I mainly read the Savage Sword Of Conan comic magazines and that's my memory of Conan, if the movie sticks to those stories, that would be awesome.
I'm not familiar with Momoa though and have heard bad things.

 

[MA-Caver]

CTB was one of my major favorite comic characters and the black and white Savage Sword Of Conan I have a decent collection of. I read the books by Howard and those edited by Sprague De Camp and enjoyed them.
The first Conan movie was ... alright... hated the second, the Red Sonja spin off was atrocious at best.
The series was so vast and broad... Buccaneer (which they'll probably do to ride the Pirate wave), Conqueror, Usurper, et al all had great story telling. I agree that they shouldn't add villians from other stories/characters... though Conan DID meet Thulsa Doom once... His chief and reoccurring nemisis was Thoth Amon.
Conan also had a bevy of women... his first TRUE love was definitely Belit from the Buccaneer series who died tragically. That may make a interesting story line but if they go with that then they need to pick up the story line a bit further back and if successful then write sequels leading up to that part.

Of course I'm no producer and screen writer so I can only wish.

Lets hope they focus on story more than substance... computer graphics do make a great eye candy movie but if they want a movie to sell WELL then they need a great story.

 

[Cryozombie]

Lets hope they focus on story more than substance... computer graphics do make a great eye candy movie but if they want a movie to sell WELL then they need a great story.

I was impressed with Nispel's take on both Friday the 13th AND Texas Chaninsaw... So I'm somewhat hopeful... like I said, I just hope it isn't just a remake of "Conan the Barbarian".

 

[punisher73]

To me, the new guy just doesn't look like Conan should. He looks like a fratboy with long hair. Even though, Arnold's version of Conan didn't fit the books, he at least pulled off the barely civilized look that Conan seems to have.

I agree with Omar that he would have had a more "Sandow-esque" physique. Here is a picture of Eugene Sandow. Notice how ripped he was and "dense" that the muscles look like they acutally work and aren't for show like the new guy.

Here is a side by side of Arnold and Eugene Sandow that I found for comparision.

I just have not been a fan of the Conan projects so far. I do have to admit though, I am a HUGE fan of the first Conan movie when I first watched it when I was about 7 yrs old. It made a lasting impression on me and to me at that time he (Arnold) was the Conan comics come to life.

 

[Haakon]

I guess we'll see if a relatively unknown television actor can carry a feature.

Any bets?

I'd think he's more recognizable today than Arnold was when he did Conan in '82. I think he'll be able pull off playing Conan, and hope they have a decent story for the movie, maybe something with Belit, although they kind of (badly) replaced her with Valera in the first movie.

I hope they do better than Hollywood did on the Conan sequels and Red Sonya.

 

[LuckyKBoxer]

http://www.comicbookmovie.com/fansites/MovieAddict/news/?a=18001

there is a link to a few pics..

Mamoa has the looks of Conan... but while he added some size that will translate well to the big screen, I would have liked him a bit bigger for the role.

Conan and Thor are my absolute favorite comic book characters growing up... I think there is some potential in the new movie, but it absolutely is going to depend on how Mamoa can get his Conan on... I am hoping for the best, but most people are not trusting Mamoa to pull it off..

the Conan costume looks almost like a Gladiators in the set pics.

 

[SensibleManiac]

This isn't looking good...

 

[Drac]

OFF TOPIC POST: I am STILL waiting for someone to do a remake of Doc Savage..The one with Ron Ely was a JOKE...

 

[MA-Caver]

This isn't looking good...

<shrugs> I dunno... basically it depends upon your image of Conan in your mind. In the comics he was drawn by at least a half dozen different artists. Frank Frazetta had a different face and even Boris Vallejo's rendering was different. So what does a particular comic book character look like? :idunno: whomever the producers can find to fit the bill. Of course Tony Stark is played very nicely by Robert Downey Jr.

OFF TOPIC POST: I am STILL waiting for someone to do a remake of Doc Savage..The one with Ron Ely was a JOKE...

Nearly ALL the comic to screen productions basically SUCKED like nothing has ever sucked before... from that time period. Today's offerings are slicker, better because of the WOW effects can be done via cgi.
Story lines however are still at the mercy of screenwriters and how much they actually CARED about the subject they're writing about. To me it seems whomever wrote the Iron Man series (so far) has been a big fan. Same with X-men and other very good adaptations.

 

[SensibleManiac]

As I said personally, the Savage Sword of Conan comic magazines are my main experience with Conan and I personally feel that if they could keep with the "feel" of Conan as a character then that would be great. The pictures depict something that gives me a weird feeling about this.
I could be wrong about this but my gut instinct tells me it's wrong.
The Conan I remember was a dark, sullen, quiet, yet savage killer barbarian with a deeper sense of hard justice on a certain level.
He was the type that didn't give a crap about anything outside his sphere of what was necessary or right.
They need to keep this aspect of the character to make it work. IMHO.

 

[MA-Caver]

As I said personally, the Savage Sword of Conan comic magazines are my main experience with Conan and I personally feel that if they could keep with the "feel" of Conan as a character then that would be great. The pictures depict something that gives me a weird feeling about this.
I could be wrong about this but my gut instinct tells me it's wrong.
The Conan I remember was a dark, sullen, quiet, yet savage killer barbarian with a deeper sense of hard justice on a certain level.
He was the type that didn't give a crap about anything outside his sphere of what was necessary or right.
They need to keep this aspect of the character to make it work. IMHO.

Agreed! That would take work on the writing, acting and directing to pull it off. Producing the film ensures that we get the LOOK but the story/dialogue, directing and acting will give us the FEEL of the film.
Conan born in a harsh land to begin with and taught a hard sense of right and wrong by witnessing the crimes perpetrated against his own people and others as he grew gave him that hard-edge. That and a realization that nobody else would give him any quarter either. Legend has him born on a battlefield, bred to eventually gain a throne by his sword.
He's a great character to be sure. Likewise I hope he'll be given proper treatment.

Watching Prince Of Persia trailers... I fear that Conan may go that route. Lots of flashy CGI action to make up for what is probably going to be a lackadaisical storyline.