Before he was the Terminator, before he was a governor, Arnold Schwarzenegger was a sword-swinging barbarian who helped define fantasy cinema. Now, more than four decades after Conan the Barbarian first hit theaters, the Austrian Oak is officially returning to the role that made him a household name. King Conan, the long-gestating sequel, has finally locked in a production start date: 2027.
Schwarzenegger confirmed the news himself, revealing that the film will be directed by Christopher McQuarrie, the mastermind behind the modern Mission: Impossible franchise. The project has been in development hell for years, but now all the pieces are falling into place. Fredrik Malmberg of Conan Properties International, who is producing the film, said a deal between CPI, Schwarzenegger, and Twentieth Century Fox has been finalized.
“Next year we are going to do King Conan,” Schwarzenegger said. “So that is a reality now and I am excited about it. For the last ten years I have been saying, ‘we should do King Conan, and we should get a great script written, get someone who really understands Robert E. Howard, that understands the artwork of Frank Frazetta and to continue on.’ I want to have John Milius, the director of Conan 1, to be maybe the producer. So, it will be really fantastic.”
The sequel won't be a simple continuation of the 1982 original or its 1984 follow-up, Conan the Destroyer. Instead, it will jump forward in time, catching up with Conan after he has spent 40 years on the throne. The king is older, wiser, and a bit complacent—and that's exactly when his enemies decide to strike. Schwarzenegger compared the tone to Clint Eastwood's Unforgiven, promising a more reflective, battle-hardened take on the character.
“The movie wouldn’t have worked after I did the first Conan because the whole idea of King Conan is that for 40 years he has been king, he is older now,” Schwarzenegger explained. “He is no longer in the shape he was from his heyday and now people are trying to take him out. He’s the king and he gets a little bit complacent. He’s tired of the job and he wants to move on. Look at the movie by Clint Eastwood, The Unforgiven. It will be a lot like that but it will be with extraordinary battles.”
For fans who have been waiting since the 1980s for a proper sequel, this is the news they've been hoping for. The original Conan the Barbarian remains one of the most iconic fantasy films ever made, and its influence can still be felt in everything from Game of Thrones to modern sword-and-sorcery epics. If you're looking for more action shows that grab you from the first scene and never let go, this is one to watch.
While no release date has been announced yet, the 2027 filming window suggests a theatrical debut likely in 2028 or later. With McQuarrie at the helm and Schwarzenegger back in the role that started it all, King Conan is shaping up to be one of the most anticipated fantasy sequels in years. And for those who love a good comeback story, this one is straight out of a legend—much like the barbarian king himself.
