Gerard Butler As Conan?
Conan news has begun to kick up again. Word on the street today is that Gerard Butler may be cast as the Cimmerian, and Director John McTiernan may be on deck to direct. We get the scoop today from the WEBMASTER over at Filmjunk:
French website Mad Movies is reporting that Die Hard director John McTiernan is at the top of the list of filmmakers being considered by New Line for the next Conan flick. As we previously reported, John McTiernan is headed to prison for 4 months, but realistically, 4 months isn’t all that long. So technically it’s possible, and McTiernan seems well-suited for the project (he did direct The 13th Warrior after all). The other part of the rumour is that Gerard Butler is being considered for the role of Conan.
I can live with McTiernan as a director for Conan. I am not certain he would have been my first pic, but he is a great action director, and has experience with sword wielding warfare due to his work on 13th Warrior. I feel at peace with him at the helm, and would look forward to his work with the legendary character. If he can bring the same magic to Conan that he did to Predator I will cry in the theatre and scream for joy in the streets!
I like Gerard Butler, but I would really like to see them to use someone else as Conan. I do not want “that 300 guy” as another sword wielding hero in Conan. They have to cast someone that is huge in stature and not necessarily in name. If Butler is on board, he may do just fine and I may end up eating my words but from where I sit now; I struggle and wonder if he is the best possible choice. I guess I should be happy, they could’ve cast Orlando Bloom.
I must remind you all that this is still unconfirmed news; but if it be true - what do you think?
1. Jay replies at 14th December 2007, 2:50 pm :
I agree with you Doug, I feel at ease knowing McTiernan, but Butler as Conan doesn’t really seem to fit.
I don’t think any actor on earth can give such a striking portrayal of Conan as Arnie did. He was fricken born for that role. I really wanted Arnie to do ‘King Conan’, before his dive in the politics instead of T3.
2. GODFATHER replies at 14th December 2007, 2:51 pm :
Keep Butler out of Conan! That would totally kill the mystique that is that character. They should get that huge dude from Troy that Achilies killed with the sword to the throat. That mofo is HUGE! He could probably pass for Arnold’s son too…
3. Rafa1215 replies at 14th December 2007, 3:00 pm :
How about the Rock? He has the frame for it.
4. Kristina replies at 14th December 2007, 3:25 pm :
I LOVE the Butler, loved him before he broke out with 300, and I’m glad he’s getting more attention now. That being said, I don’t want him getting typecast as the sword-swinging screaming guy. He can do a lot more than that. I’m all for seeing hot guys with their shirts off, but I hope he turns this down and goes for projects that show off his acting range.
And as for The Rock Rafa1215, have you seen him lately? He’s lost a ton of weight since he stopped wrestling. He looks downright skinny compared to when he did The Scorpion King. No go.
5. Phil Gee replies at 14th December 2007, 3:32 pm :
When i was watching Beowulf, i kept thinking that it might be nice to make the new Conan movie using that technique because it would mean, technically, Arnie could play the part again. Seeing all the violence that they got away in Beowulf, i don’t think a PG13 Conan (which it will probably be anyway) would hurt too much.
But i’ll take Mr Butler if i have no other choice.
6. Simon replies at 14th December 2007, 3:45 pm :
McTiernan would rock because he would know about hard life because his time in the can. I am sure a lot of great cimmerian had a hard live like him make bad films such as Rollerball. But I don’t think that King Leonidas him self would be good to play Conan.
let’s just think about his last film before 300 it was Beowulf & Grendel. Yeah you are right Phil Gee. Till then I am going to play the new Conan video game.
7. AjaxLou replies at 14th December 2007, 3:59 pm :
Butler is too short.
8. Kitsune replies at 14th December 2007, 4:38 pm :
He is billed as being the same height (6′ 2″) as Arnold when he did Conan.
9. Simon replies at 14th December 2007, 4:54 pm :
Hey AjaxLou
How tall do you want your conan because we can get Shaquille O’Neal to play a black conan if you want he is 7-1.
10. BobMac replies at 14th December 2007, 5:30 pm :
Never mind all that, when is the next podcast?
11. Darren J Seeley replies at 14th December 2007, 5:57 pm :
And before 300 and Beowuf & Grendel (note: “Grendel” was simply a giant with mental problems- for this was a character study) Butler was Atilla The Hun…
But regardless - what was that story a few days back with Butler saying he wasn’t approched for Sabretooth in ‘Wolverine’? Betcha he wasn’t talked to about Conan either.
So the question is, who’s Conan?
Here’s my roster, in no order:
1) Daniel Cudmore [from the X-Men films]
2) Karl Urban [’course, then again, he was also in Pathfinder]
3) Paul Levesque
Other than that, Hell If I Know.
12. Rafa1215 replies at 14th December 2007, 6:09 pm :
You’re right Kristina. He has to put back a lot of muscle and fat. Maybe some wrestler who’s on the juice can do the job.
13. Kristina replies at 14th December 2007, 7:12 pm :
@Rafa1215
HHH.
@Darren
That Attila movie was pretty shit, but he looked GOOD in it:)
14. AjaxLou replies at 14th December 2007, 8:16 pm :
@Simon - sounds good!
15. Melfi replies at 16th December 2007, 11:09 am :
No. Leave Conan alone. Nothing made in this new century could ever do justice to the original film. I loved that there was hardly any dialog (due to Arnold’s bad English) but it worked wonders for the film and its amazing soundtrack.
If it was remade, I know it would turn into some god-awful action movie with whatever actor they choose screaming: “I AM CONAN!”