King Conan Is Finally Happening And Arnold Says It’s His Unforgiven

Back in March, King Conan made something of a shock announcement, the follow-up to the original Conan the Barbarian films from the 1980s was finally happening. Now, we have a production start date, a locked deal, and Arnold Schwarzenegger describing the whole thing as his magnum opus. No pressure.

To celebrate the 44th anniversary of the release of the original 1982 fantasy film, Schwarzenegger told TheArnoldFans that King Conan is eyeing a 2027 start for production. Producer Fredrik Malmberg of Conan Properties International made it official: “I can confirm we have a deal between CPI, Arnold, and [20th Century Studios]. Next year we are going to do King Conan. So that is a reality now, and I am excited about it.”

King Conan

Christopher McQuarrie, who helmed the four most recent Mission: Impossible films, is attached to write and direct the follow-up for 20th Century Studios. That’s a genuinely exciting combination. McQuarrie knows how to stage action that doesn’t feel like a PowerPoint presentation, and Schwarzenegger has been vocal about wanting this done right.

Schwarzenegger explained the concept himself: “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. 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.”

He’s also comparing the film’s tone to Clint Eastwood’s Unforgiven — his version of a swan song to the genre, but with “extraordinary battles.” That’s a high bar. Unforgiven won Best Picture. Still, the framing makes sense. A weary king dragged back into blood and steel is a better story than a sequel that pretends forty years haven’t passed.

Schwarzenegger has also expressed interest in having John Milius — director of the original Conan the Barbarian — come aboard as producer. UK fans should note there’s no British release date yet, but with 20th Century Studios (Disney) backing the film, a wide theatrical run including UK cinemas is almost certain when the time comes.

Schwarzenegger last appeared on the big screen in 2019’s Terminator: Dark Fate. He recently wrapped Adam Shankman‘s Christmas action comedy The Man with the Bag, which Amazon/MGM is reportedly positioning for late fall 2026.

King Conan does not yet have a release date, but according to The Hollywood Reporter , filming is expected to begin in 2027. We’ll keep you posted on updates about King Conan as the project develops.