Chris Morgan talks Arnold’s age and The Legend of Conan

Last Updated on August 5, 2021

Chris Morgan, the screenwriter behind WANTED and the majority of the FAST AND THE FURIOUS sequels, has taken the lead as producer of LEGEND OF CONAN. The film is slated to be a follow-up to John Milius’ 1982 classic CONAN THE BARBARIAN (ignoring the sequel CONAN THE DESTROYER and the reboot ). In the interview, Morgan addressed the obvious elephant in the room– how Schwarzenegger would be reprising his role 30 years after the release of the original.

First, Morgan admitted the former California Governor’s initial hesitancy to take sword in hand one last time:

“To put yourself out there in your 60s? As Conan the Barbarian? I could see why he’d hesitate. You’re really putting yourself out there.”

However, the age of the character is a big part of the plot. Under Morgan’s guidance, the film will see a version of Conan with several lifetimes worth of experience under his belt:

“[The film is] not a reboot, not a remake. Just an update. Where has the character been all this time? A catch -up with Conan… He’s not going out and fighting battles, but he ends up getting drawn into something and he has to access the barbarian he was in his youth. I love that Conan has been many things in his life, notably a pirate, a major tactician and a commander of men. In this movie, we’re going to tap into some of those things – things you haven’t seen on screen yet.”

Morgan also admits the aged vulnerability of the character could potentially be what makes him engaging again:

“I want the warrior whose joints have started to fuse together, who has to crack the cartilage so he can pick up a sword again. I want the guy who’s not necessarily lost a step, but there’s some rust he has to shake off. I want to embrace that. It makes it a greater hero story.”

Despite his enthusiasm as a producer, Morgan remains uncertain whether or not he will come on a screenwriter:

“No matter what, I’ll be there every step of the way. Whether it’s penning this quickly or selecting the writer, it’s me guiding the process or being a real honest-to-god producer. I’m excited either way. I’m really, really stoked.”

As are we, Chris Morgan. As are we. Universal is apparnetly aiming for a summer 2014 release date, so we’ll see how things shape up between now and then. And, to play us out, a sexy picture of Rose McGowan– the weirdest and sexiest aspect of the reboot. Enjoy!