First looks at Jason Momoa as Conan...

[Shazam!]

I think it looks like a screaming pile of shit.

 

[JD]

He might have made the character more popular, but that doesn't mean he portrayed the character properly.

Connery didn't portray Bond properly either, as far as I know.

Bond in the books was a little more upperclass.

I think I remember reading somewhere that Daniel Craig's version of Bond from Casino Royale and Quantum of Solace is actually closer to the books than Connery or Moore.

 

[Captaindemotion]

He might have made the character more popular, but that doesn't mean he portrayed the character properly.

Connery didn't portray Bond properly either, as far as I know.

Connery turned a fairly popular pulp fiction character into a worldwide icon. Fleming admitted that Connery wasn't how he'd imagined Bond but said that if he had to re-create the character, he'd make him more like how Connery depicted him.

Arnie's Conan? Not in the same league, not even in the same sport.

 

[Temis the Vorta]

Reeve is Superman, Shatner is Kirk, Connery is Bond, and Arnold is Conan. Everything else is just poor imitation.

Ah-nold was the poor imitation of Conan.

Pah, where would Conan be without Arnold?

You apparently don't realize that Conan was popular and well-known before Ah-nold was even born. Mr. The Barbarian made his debut in 1932. I know the character chiefly from the excellent comic book series that began in the 70s. He's like Sherlock Holmes, a very flexible character who has been worked and reworked over the decades, becoming richer and more fascinating over time.

Done correctly, Conan should be a lot like LOTR, a fully-fledged believable alternate reality, with resonances of Earth culture (with Conan encompassing much more world culture than insular LOTR) and of course a whooooole lot more sex and violence. If you'd only seen the movies, you might not realize that Conan has an actual personality. He's not just some hulking monosyllabic brute. He's intelligent and funny, and has his own sense of morality and personal honor that stands in stark contrast to the dissolute "civilized" world. In particular, he finds magic repugnant, probably because it's dishonorable and "cheating," and also a nuisance that he can't hack up with an axe.

In light of that, the movies from the 80s are a big disappointment that don't even come close to capturing the full scale of what the story deserves. Maybe this version won't either, but I'm hoping they will.

In fact, I'm already hoping for a sequel, and a return of a character even better than Conan: Red Sonja (who was largely created by the comic series). But this time, please cast an actual actress in the role. Jennifer Lawrence wouldn't be a bad idea.

 

[Gov Kodos]

I'd love to see Sonja as well, but I don't know if the properties can be used all that easily together anymore. There was a legal issue a while back between the respective owners of Conan Sonja about the results, as I recall, they share the Hyborian world but we don't get to see the characters together anymore. http://www.pinkkryptonite.com/2008/01/red_sonya_lawsuit_settled.html

I'm sure the issues could be surmounted for a film, whether they will or would be is another matter. At any rate, it would be hard to get someone as bad as Bridget Nielson. Why not Sandahl Bergman, and ditch the kid for a later teenage actor?

 

[Peak]

I would love to se "Queen of the Black Coast" adapted for the screen.

 

[Gov Kodos]

That is a great one, also Red Nails would be fun to see as well.

 

[Hyperspace05]

Done correctly, Conan should be a lot like LOTR, a fully-fledged believable alternate reality, with resonances of Earth culture (with Conan encompassing much more world culture than insular LOTR) and of course a whooooole lot more sex and violence. If you'd only seen the movies, you might not realize that Conan has an actual personality. He's not just some hulking monosyllabic brute. He's intelligent and funny, and has his own sense of morality and personal honor that stands in stark contrast to the dissolute "civilized" world. In particular, he finds magic repugnant, probably because it's dishonorable and "cheating," and also a nuisance that he can't hack up with an axe.

I have not read Howards work, but from your description it sounds like HBO series (like Game of Thrones) would be a perfect fit for the material. But casting for such a protagonist centered series would be crucial... You'd need a REALLY GOOD Conan. Momoa might be passable for a film, but lead for a longer series would probably need to be a lot more compelling.

 

[Skywalker]

Oh man, a Conan series on HBO would be aaaaaawesoooooome!

 

[Out Of My Vulcan Mind]

In fact, I'm already hoping for a sequel, and a return of a character even better than Conan: Red Sonja (who was largely created by the comic series). But this time, please cast an actual actress in the role. Jennifer Lawrence wouldn't be a bad idea.

The producers want to put Red Sonja in her own film - and perhaps that's the only way they can approach it because of the rights issues mentioned above. They want Amber Heard to star in the film if it comes together.

 

[JD]

What did you guys think of the idea of the Rose McGowan/ Robert Rodriguez Red Sonya? I was curious because I like those two, but I'm wondering what someone who knows the character thinks.

 

[Gov Kodos]

The few promotional posters I saw ages back looked OK, but there was far too little about what they planned for a story to say whether it might have been good or bad.

 

[Admiral_Young]

^ Yeah considering we only saw posters IIRC and the plot wasn't known. I was interested in it.

 

[Captain Craig]

I've read some comics that adapted Howard stories but never the stories themselves. Today at the Borders closing sale I got vol.1 of a collection of Howard Conan tales. At 60% off it was a no brainer. I look forward to reading them.

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

What did you guys think of the idea of the Rose McGowan/ Robert Rodriguez Red Sonya? I was curious because I like those two, but I'm wondering what someone who knows the character thinks.

I would have been for it before her plastic surgery.

 

[Gov Kodos]

I've read some comics that adapted Howard stories but never the stories themselves. Today at the Borders closing sale I got vol.1 of a collection of Howard Conan tales. At 60% off it was a no brainer. I look forward to reading them.

Which collection did you get? Ballentine has been putting out some good collections, as has Bison Books.

 

[Skywalker]

I have all three volumes recently published by Del Rey (The Coming of Conan the Cimmerian, The Bloody Crown of Conan, and The Conquering Sword of Conan) a few years ago. I was always somewhat interested in Conan before then, but those collections are what really made me a fan.

 

[Gov Kodos]

I have those, they were all great fun. I also picked up 'Lord of Samarkand' from Bison Books which are his middle eastern adventures. There are a lot of fun tales there including 'Shadow of the Vulture' which introduces Red Sonya of Rogatino and is the story adapted into the Conan comic to introduce Red Sonja of Hyrkania. 'Sword Woman' also from Del Ray/Ballentine is a fun collection and has Dark Agnes, a French sword woman whose a more well developed character than his Sonya was.

 

[Peak]

I would recommend the old Lancer-books with contributions from Lin Carter & L. Sprague de Camp. Not 100% Howard there, but I do feel that the Carter & Camp-contributions work.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conan_(books)#Lancer.2FAce_paperback_editions.2C_1966-1977

 

[Gov Kodos]

There were 6 Red Sonja novels by David C Smith and Richard Tierney which were pretty good. I particularly enjoyed the fourth one 'Endithor's Daughter'.