King Conan is happening: Arnold Schwarzenegger reveals the plot of his comeback, 42 years later

If you lived through the 1980s, you couldn't move without seeing Arnold Schwarzenegger swinging an axe, gunning down aliens, or telling someone he'd be back. Over the years, Arnie's dipped back into his signature franchises – he's popped up as the Terminator so often it's a wonder he doesn't actually live in a junkyard. But there's been one glaring absence: his hulking, loincloth-wearing Conan the Barbarian, missing from the big screen since 1984. Now, four decades after last grunting his way through swords and sorcery, he's confirmed what fans have been hoping for, if not always expecting: the comeback is officially on.

King Conan Charges Forward

After what felt like half a lifetime wandering in development limbo – honestly, you could write a dissertation on all the scrapped drafts and studio hand-wringing – King Conan now finally has some real momentum. Earlier this year, 20th Century Studios announced it was reviving the property, roping in Christopher McQuarrie (of Mission: Impossible repute) to write and direct. The project will not recycle any of the endless old scripts; McQuarrie's working from a clean slate. The plan? Wrap the script and aim for a proper production start in 2027, assuming everything comes together and Arnie doesn't finally decide retirement sounds more comfortable than swinging a broadsword at his age.

King Conan is targeting a 2027 filming start with Arnold Schwarzenegger reprising his role.

Details are starting to trickle out, mostly from Arnie himself. On Jimmy Kimmel Live! recently, Schwarzenegger shared what fans might expect from this older, wiser (and stiffer) Conan, now playing a king who's ruled for four decades and is starting to slow down. And yes, he's in no mood to pretend he's a spring chicken anymore:

During his appearance on Kimmel, Schwarzenegger explained: "King Conan is a Conan who is my age and has been king for 40 years. He has become somewhat complacent, so they want to overthrow him and get rid of him."

Schwarzenegger was his typical candid self, admitting that going toe-to-toe with stuntmen and leaping onto horses isn't quite as breezy now as it was when he filmed the original in the early '80s. The script's making a virtue of necessity: instead of brushing off the years, this King Conan will actually stew in them, with Arnie's creaky joints becoming part of the story rather than something glossed over with hair dye and camera trickery. So yes, expect more grumbling and depth, less unconvincing shirtless swordplay.

Old Warriors, New Scripts

Conan isn't the only '80s legend Schwarzenegger wants to dust off. In the same chat, he let slip that he's working up possible sequels for both Predator and Commando as well. That could mean another run as Dutch Schaefer facing off against mandible-faced aliens, or as John Matrix blowing up half a tropical island. But it's all speculation until the scripts land – Schwarzenegger hammered home that he's not just signing on for nostalgia. Here's how he put it on Kimmel:

He told Kimmel: "I'm looking forward to see the scripts because that's where the action is. What's not on the page is not on the stage. So, I just wait for the scripts to get perfected, and then we go and start shooting those things."

In other words: no one is stepping onto set just to cash a cheque, at least not until the scripts are sharp enough to make the old magic work again.

A Santa Detour Before the Sword

Before we see Arnie back in his chainmail, we’ll first get him in a red suit. He’s starring in The Man with the Bag, a Christmas comedy for Prime Video landing on 2 December 2026. That one has Adam Shankman directing, Alan Ritchson from Reacher as co-star, and a premise involving Santa Claus teaming up with a reformed thief to reclaim his nicked magic bag.

Come 2027, all eyes will be on whether King Conan can turn nostalgia into something genuinely fun – and if the sword still fits, forty years on.