Arnold Schwarzenegger confirms 'Conan the Barbarian' sequel after 40 years; 'King Conan' to be directed by 'Mission: Impossible' filmmaker Christopher McQuarrie

Arnold Schwarzenegger has finally confirmed his return in one of his most iconic roles - Conan. The actor has revealed that that 'King Conan', the long-awaited sequel to 'Conan the Barbarian' is in the works, more than four decades after the original film’s release.As reported by Collider, the actor revealed that filming is expected to begin in 2027 after spending years in development. Schwarzenegger also confirmed that Christopher McQuarrie, best known for the 'Mission: Impossible' series, is attached to direct the project.Speaking about the sequel's delayed development, Schwarzenegger explained, "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."The actor compared the tone of the upcoming film to 'Unforgiven' starring Clint Eastwood, adding that it would feature “extraordinary battles” while exploring an older and more reflective version of the warrior king.Schwarzenegger also added, "Next year we are going to do King Conan. So that is a reality now and I am excited about it."The actor also expressed his desire to honour the legacy of original Conan creator Robert E. Howard and fantasy artist Frank Frazetta, while hoping to reunite with John Milius, who directed the first Conan film, in a producing capacity.Released in 1982, 'Conan the Barbarian' the fantasy epic, helped launch Schwarzenegger into Hollywood as an action star. After the success of the film, he went on to headline 'The Terminator' franchise.