Arnold Schwarzenegger Says Christopher McQuarrie’s ‘King Conan’ Is Shooting in 2027 — And Describes it as His ‘Unforgiven’

There have been innumerable attempts to make “King Conan,” for a few decades now. John Milius was originally supposed to direct in the 2000s, and the “The Matrix” directors, the Wachowskis, were briefly attached to produce. However, Christopher McQuarrie seems to have cracked code.

The upcoming sequel is described as a continuation of 1982’s “Conan the Barbarian,” focusing on an older version of the character who has lived as a king but is drawn back into action.

Not just that, TheArnoldFans now has Schwarzenegger, and Conan Properties International‘s Fredrik Malmberg, confirming that there are official plans to start production in 2027

“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,” Malmberg’s statement read.

Furthermore, Schwarzenegger sees much potential in this project, citing it as his “Unforgiven,” which was Clint Eastwood’s 1993 swan song to the western, a best picture Oscar winner, and absolute masterpiece.

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. Look at the movie by Clint Eastwood, [‘Unforgiven’]. It will be a lot like that, but it will be with extraordinary battles.

McQuarrie, an Oscar winner for writing “The Usual Suspects, which led to his directorial debut “The Way of the Gun,” has since become Tom Cruise’s most frequent creative partner, writing and directing action hits like “Jack Reacher” and the last four “Mission: Impossible” movies. He also contributed as a writer and/or producer on several other Cruise projects, including “Top Gun: Maverick” and “Edge of Tomorrow.” They are currently on an amicable break.

Meanwhile, Schwarzenegger, once Hollywood’s biggest action star, last appeared on the big screen nearly seven years ago in 2019’s poorly received “Terminator: Dark Fate,” marking his most recent return to a major franchise. He did recently shoot Adam Shankman’s Christmas action comedy, “The Man With the Bag,” which Amazon/MGM seems to be positioning for late fall 2026.