First looks at Jason Momoa as Conan...

[Greg Cox]

Those were serials, though. I am not sure if they qualify as live-action films.

Why not? I was indeed thinking of the old b/w serials, which were the first movie versions of BATMAN . . . .

My point being that Hollywood has been making BATMAN movies for eighty years or so, but has made only two CONAN movies in that time . . . .

If you count serials you should also count tv shows, and Conan had 22 episodes of tv adventures.

Well, the serials were shown theatrically on the big screen, not on tv, but, okay, if you want to count the (gawdawful) CONAN tv show, you also have to count three seasons of Adam West as BATMAN, BIRDS OF PREY, plus umpteen Batman cartoon series . . . .

 

[stonester1]

Bottom line, there is more room for Conan...

 

[Dar70]

Yet another Conan? This is getting tiresome.

Er, the last CONAN movie was twenty-six years ago. And there have only been two movies to date.

And various TV series and TV movies.

Epic fail dude. There has only been a 22 episode series back in 1997 plus 1 cartoon.

 

[Captaindemotion]

I used to like the Howard comic strips (actually, more likelyto have been Howard-inspired than written by him) as a kid. But I thought that both of the Arnie movies were epically awful and I just don't get the love for the Milius movie, even on a 'so bad it's good level.'

I'd really like to see a great epic Conan movie on the scale of Lord of the Rings but I'm not expecting this to be it. I don't watch SGA but most of the buzz is that Momoa isn't a great actor and for all his exotic looks he just has this generic Model/Actor/Whatever air about him. He doesn't strike me as a charismatic leading man. I don't mind him being Samoan (Cimmeria is an imaginary land, at the end of the day) but he doesn't have Movie Star written all over him.

I'd rather they'd done a Christopher Reeve Gerard Butler or Christian Bale or the like (even Javier Bardem), picked someone for his acting skill and then bulked him up to physically fit the role. A proper actor first, then a guy with a good body.

But if the movie proves to be good, I'll be happy to eat my words.

 

[MANT!]

There is ANOTHER interpretation
[yt]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mZHoHaAYHq8[/yt]

 

[Greg Cox]

Believe it or not, I came dangerously close to editing a novelization of CONAN THE LIBRARIAN . . . .

Alas, the show did not get picked up by PBS.

 

[Skywalker]

A couple new images of Momoa as Conan. Again, they're small and blurry, but we get a couple good scowls and a better look at his musculature.

I still think he looks perfectly fine. I just wish they'd straightened Momoa's hair, dyed it black, and given him blue contact lenses.

 

[Forbin]

I used to like the Howard comic strips (actually, more likelyto have been Howard-inspired than written by him) as a kid. But I thought that both of the Arnie movies were epically awful and I just don't get the love for the Milius movie, even on a 'so bad it's good level.'

I love it not for the story or performances ('cause, let's face it...), but for the quality of the filmmaking itself. IMHO it's one of the most beautifully filmed, directed and scored movies ever. The first ten minutes (thru the end of the attack on the village) could be shown in film classes as an example of perfect filmmaking artistry. IMHO, of course.

 

[Pauln6]

I used to like the Howard comic strips (actually, more likelyto have been Howard-inspired than written by him) as a kid. But I thought that both of the Arnie movies were epically awful and I just don't get the love for the Milius movie, even on a 'so bad it's good level.'

I love it not for the story or performances ('cause, let's face it...), but for the quality of the filmmaking itself. IMHO it's one of the most beautifully filmed, directed and scored movies ever. The first ten minutes (thru the end of the attack on the village) could be shown in film classes as an example of perfect filmmaking artistry. IMHO, of course.

I think it is the score that does it for me too. I love fantasy movies and I've seen a lot and CtB is still in my top five (counting LotR trilogy as one 11.5 hour movie obviously)

 

[Captaindemotion]

Buuuuump - here's an official-looking photo of Momoa as Conan. Must admit, he looks the part here.

http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=67194

 

[Skywalker]

Excellent. His hair isn't dark enough and probably should be straighter, but that's a minor nitpick. Looks like he's got the appropriate musculature and he's got a good scowl going on.

And it looks like he's wearing blue contacts.

 

[A beaker full of death]

Doesn't look the part. Looks more Samoan than Samarian.

 

[Skywalker]

...not really. Looks more Samoan than Samarian.

Well, at least he'll be continuing the tradition of movie Conans not looking Cimmerian.

 

[Brandonv]

Looking at the past credits of the writers and director of this film, I'm definitely not getting my hopes up. I fear this is going to end up being another Kull the Conqueror.

 

[Trekker4747]

http://www.latinoreview.com/news/first-look-at-jason-momoa-as-conan-9941

Not bad at all...

Eh, he looks like Slater after a weekend-long Rave.

 

[Python Trek]

As to the comments about Jason's hair---Ahhn'ld was great as Conan, but he didn't have the right hair, either. If you look at the covers of the old Conan paperbacks, he has straight, jet-black hair that flows just past his shoulders and is chopped off in front, giving him bangs ("fringe", to you Brits). Most of the Marvel and Dark Horse artists have been faithful to this in their comics, too. Ahhn'ld's hair was brown and slightly wavy, with no bangs.

Having said all that....Conan 1 was spectacular---as good a sword n' sorcery flick ever made, until Peter Jackson came along. Conan 2 was a crappy cartoon, barely better than Beastmaster. I'll keep my fingers crossed for the new one, but I am definitely nervous....

 

[Pauln6]

Having said all that....Conan 1 was spectacular---as good a sword n' sorcery flick ever made, until Peter Jackson came along. Conan 2 was a crappy cartoon, barely better than Beastmaster. I'll keep my fingers crossed for the new one, but I am definitely nervous....

I agree that CtB was one of the greatest fighting fantasy flicks made. Most of the acting was below par but the energy, pace, music, and sheer grimness of the quasi-dark ages was perfect.

The sequel was too glossy but it was still a good romp (I agree that it's on par with Beastmaster but that is also one of the better sword and sorcery films). I quite liked having a larger, more diverse group of allies in the sequel, although Malek was a very poor and rather annoying substitute for Subatai. I'm not sure that I want Conan to have a travelling troupe of trixy allies for the whole film but a cast of characters he meets and then leaves along the way might be cool, a bit like Stardust.

 

[Jack Bauer]

He looks totally different than he did on Stargate Atlantis. I know he's playing a different character and has different hair but his face looks different. He must've bulked up quite a bit more.

 

[Base_Delta_Zero]

Well, I'll give him his look is closer to Howard's Conan than we've seen before.

Anyone know what storyline they're following? An actual Howard story would be nice, even if they did butcher it.

I want this not to suck ass, but know it will.

 

[A beaker full of death]

Well, I'll give him his look is closer to Howard's Conan than we've seen before.

You mean Frazetta's Conan.