Rachel Nichols gives Conan some much-needed sex appeal

This is perhaps the best news I’ve read this week – Rachel Nichols (GI JOE, STAR TREK) has signed on to star in Marcus Nispel’s CONAN. She’ll star as Tamara, a master of martial arts who has been trained to be the queen’s servant (who eventually falls in love with Conan). If previous CONAN films are any indication, Ms. Nichols will be no doubt be wearing some pretty revealing outfits.

Nichols joins the previously cast Jason Momoa and Mickey Rourke in the film being set up by Millennium Films (which will likely ship the film to Lionsgate to distribute). Though I love the casting of Nichols in the Conan universe (which specializes in tall, buxom and beautiful women), I haven’t been too blown away by much else. Rourke is a solid choice for Corin, the father of Conan, but I’m still skeptical about the choice of Momoa.

Filming on CONAN is expected to begin later this month in Bulgaria. Presumably some time in 2011 Paramount will have Nichols back starring in GI JOE 2. (STAR TREK, GI JOE and CONAN on one actresses resume? She could retire and live off the nerd convention money for the rest of her life…)