We've got a "Legend of Conan" update for you so sit by our fire. Do you not wish to warm yourself by my fire? Oh good, you're sitting now so feast on this update before you become food for wolves. As we last reported, Andrea Berloff is writing the film for this Arnold Schwarzenegger epic and TODAY we received an exclusive statement from her. Conan is near.
Andrea Berloff: "I am completely thrilled and honored to be writing Conan. My fingers are nearly worn down to tiny, bloody nubbins as I'm working to give this iconic character new life, while still holding true to the qualities that made fans fall in love with him in the first place. It is no small task to tackle one of the greatest legends of all times but I have a fantastic team of producers around me and we are all ridiculously excited about how our beloved barbarian is developing. Stay tuned!"
The new film is about Conan's efforts to stay on his throne and the final cycle of a life spent obliterating anyone who got in his way. The Legend Of Conan, planned to go into production later this year after Terminator: Genesis, is being produced by Fredrik Malmberg through Paradox Entertainment and Chris Morgan & Emile Gladstone through their Chris Morgan Productions. Paradox owns the rights to the Robert E. Howard series.
"The idea is that this takes place AFTER Conan has been king," Malmberg tells TheArnoldFans. "The whole idea that got Arnold so enthusiastic about the new creative take is, CAN HE live up to the legend he is?" Conan is in his mid 60s now, so he will have to fight through an aging warrior body, having cracking bones, aches and having to get back into the battle."
"Conan is very much alive," Schwarzenegger tells TheArnoldFans. "Age doesn't mean anything to me, because I work out every day. I work out twice a day, as a matter of fact. At night I work out with weights, and in the morning I do cardiovascular training. So for me, to get on the set and to swing the sword around again and to ride the horses and all those things doesn't mean anything [does not scare me], because I feel like I did thirty years ago. So as long as I stay in shape, that's the key thing, and to keep your body young."
"When Arnold is sitting on the throne as an older king, it left such an impression on me," Sven-Ole Thorsen tells TheArnoldFans. "That character of that movie has to be made. They can make it when he's 80 years old or 70 years old. I'm sure that Conan is very close to his heart, and we very often talk about the days in Spain because we spent so long there shooting the first Conan, and we were really bonding with all the stuntmen and all the actors. So many great locations. So I do know that Conan is very close to Arnold's heart."
Several of Arnold's close friend's and previous co-stars tell TheArnoldFans that they want a role in The Legend of Conan, including Sven-Ole Thorsen, Ralf Moeller and Franco Columbu. But no one wants a role in the Legend of Conan more than I do. I'd do anything to have the mighty Conan lop off my head in a battle scene. I'll ask Crom to grant me this one request. Maybe Crom's listening skills have improved.
