Conan the Destroyer / Universal
Conan has inspired generations of bodybuilders and strength athletes. The barbaric character originated over 90 years ago, and it’s been more than 40 years since the release of the first movie starring a barely-known actor named Arnold Schwarzenegger. We retrace the history with 25 things you need to know about everyone’s favorite Cimmerian.
CONAN IN PRINT
1. ORIGIN STORY
Prolific pulp writer and avid bodybuilder Robert E. Howard is credited with inventing the sword-and-sorcery genre with his story of Conan precursor King Kull, published in Weird Tales magazine in 1929. Howard’s first Conan story appeared in Weird Tales in 1932.
2. SHORT STORIES
When Howard committed suicide in 1936 at age 30, 17 Conan stories had been published. Four more were unpublished then in addition to fragments and outlines.
3. BOOKS
Beginning in 1966, L. Sprague de Camp and collaborator Lin Carter pieced together the Conan material and added their own writing to construct novels. Other novels were written entirely new by de Camp and Carter. The series of paperback books—noted especially for the iconic, muscular cover paintings by Frank Frazetta—became a publishing phenomenon in the 1970s.
4. COMIC BOOKS
There have been numerous Conan comic book runs: Conan the Barbarian (1970-1993) and the more adult The Savage Sword of Conan the Barbarian (1974-1995) both by Marvel, and six series by Dark Horse (2003-18), most of which harkened back to Howard’s original stories. Marvel reacquired the rights and relaunched Conan the Barbarian and Savage Sword of Conan in 2019.
CONAN THE MOVIE
5. DEVELOPMENT
A Conan film was first proposed to producer Edward Pressman in 1975. The first screenplay was written by Oliver Stone, who, in the wake of Star Wars and a science fiction boom, envisioned the story taking place in a post-apocalyptic future. That screenplay was rewritten by John Milius, who returned it to its ancient, mythological setting. Macho Milius would direct.
6. CASTING THE LEAD
Pressman first saw Arnold Schwarzenegger in 1977’s seminal bodybuilding documentary, Pumping Iron, and envisioned him as Conan. The producers agreed to pay him $250,000 as part of a deal that restricted him from acting in a similar role. However, executive producer Dino De Laurentiis first insisted on a big name actor, which Arnold certainly wasn’t then. The Italian financier relented in early 1980 when director John Milius stated if they didn’t cast the Austrian Oak they’d have to build him.
7. BEEFING UP
With filming originally set to start in October 1980, Schwarzenegger trained for his big break, taking voice and swordplay lessons and regaining muscle that he had shed for other Hollywood projects. Pleased with his physique, he stunned the bodybuilding world by entering the 1980 Mr. Olympia, winning his seventh Sandow, but not without controversy.
8. UNKNOWNS
Sandahl Bergman was cast as Valeria. A 5’10” dancer, she scored her breakthrough part in Conan the Barbarian. Her subsequent acting roles included one as a bodybuilder in the TV movie Getting Physical (1984). Avid surfer Milius also cast wave-riding legend Gerry Lopez as Subotai.
9. BIG NAMES
In keeping with De Laurentiis’s desire for big names, James Earl Jones (as Thulsa Doom), Max Von Sydow (as King Orsric), and Mako (as Wizard/Narrator) were all previously nominated for acting Academy Awards.
10. MEATY ROLES
Competitive weightlifter William Smith played Conan’s father. Another giant, the 6’8″ Ben Davidson (as Rexor) was an NFL and AFL defensive end from 1961-71. Schwarzenegger’s friend, 6’5″ strongman Sven-Ole Thorson (as Thorgrim), and his best friend, two-time Mr. Olympia Franco Columbu (as a Pictish scout), appear briefly.
11. LOCATION SHOOTING
Filming took place mostly in rural Spain in the first four months of 1981, with some additional footage shot in Canada.
12. STUNT WORK
Because no one could match their physiques, Schwarzenegger and Bergman did almost all their own stunts and in skimpy costumes which left few opportunities for padding. Her finger was sliced to the bone in a fight scene; his injuries included a camel bite, a head-gash, and pulled knee ligaments suffered during the giant snake wrestling scene.
13. BARBARIC LINE
In the most famous line, Conan is asked by a Mongol general what is best in life and answers, “To crush your enemies, to see them driven before you, and to hear the lamentations of their women.” This is a paraphrased, abbreviated version of a statement by history’s most famous Mongol, Ghengis Khan.
14. BOX OFFICE
The R-rated movie, with a budget of $19 million, premiered in the United States on May 14, 1982. Conan the Barbarian was the #1 box office release its first two weeks and grossed nearly $70 million in theaters worldwide. It was the 15th highest grossing movie of 1982.
15. REVIEWS
Conan the Barbarian received mixed reviews, with most praising its action and visual design, but some criticizing the violence and dialogue. Critic Roger Ebert gave it three stars (out of four), writing: “Almost by definition, [sword and sandal] movies exclude the possibility of interesting, complex characters.” But he also praised the casting of Schwarzenegger, and stated: “The movie is a triumph of production design, set decoration, special effects and makeup.”
AFTER CONAN THE MOVIE
16. INSPIRATION
Just as the Steve Reeves and Reg Park Hercules movies of the late 1950s and early ’60s inspired bodybuilders who came of age in its wake (most especially Schwarzenegger), helping launch the first Golden Age of bodybuilding in the 1970s, Arnold in the 1982 movie inspired bodybuilders who came of age in its wake, helping launch a second Golden Age of bodybuilding in the 1990s. The ultimate ’90s muscleman, six-time Mr. Olympia Dorian Yates, was one of numerous bodybuilders who posed to heroic music from the Conan the Barbarian soundtrack. As the movie became a home video staple, the inspiration continued. When Phil Heath tied Arnold Schwarzenegger’s seven Mr. Olympia wins in 2017, he, too, posed to the Conan the Barbarian soundtrack. And the late Cedric McMillan explained when he won the 2017 Arnold Classic that watching the movie on TV was the reason he told his mom when he was eight: “I want to be a muscleman when I grow up.”
17. LIVE SHOW
The Adventures of Conan: A Sword and Sorcery Spectacular was an 18-minute, live-action, stunt show, which ran at Universal Studios Hollywood in a 2200-seat theater from 1983 to 1993. It featured action scenes performed to music from the movie, pyrotechnics, lasers, and a giant, fire-breathing, animatronic dragon.
18. SEQUEL
The $18 million sequel Conan the Destroyer (1984) was shot in Mexico. It starred Schwarzenegger and featured Mako, Grace Jones, and Wilt Chamberlain. Arnold received his first seven-figure payday: $1,000,000. The PG-rated film was more kid-friendly and, though financially successful, less popular. It made $31 million worldwide. Four months after Destroyer’s release, The Terminator launched Schwarzenegger to movie superstardom.
19. THE CONAN-VERSE
Predating the Marvel Universe, there was almost a Conan-verse. Arnold appeared with Sandahl Bergman in another sword-and-fantasy film based on Robert E. Howard’s work: Red Sonja (1985), starring newcomer Brigitte Nielson. Arnold was originally set to return as Conan in that movie, but his supporting character’s name was changed to Kalidor. Red Sonja made only $7 million worldwide.
20. MERCH
Nine different Conan video games have been released, as well as two board games and numerous role-playing games. There have also been Conan action figures, collectible cards, costumes, posters, and other items.
21. KID’S STUFF
Conan the Adventurer (1992-93) and Conan and the Young Warriors (1994) were children’s animated series, which presented a caring, moral “barbarian.”
22. TV SERIES
The syndicated TV series Conan the Adventurer (1997-98) starred former pro bodybuilder Ralf Moeller and recast the Cimmerian barbarian as the jovial leader of a band of adventurers.
23. CONAN THE BARBARIAN, AGAIN
Finally, after many starts and stops, 27 years after Conan the Destroyer, we got a third Conan movie: 2011’s Conan the Barbarian, which was a reimagining of the Howard legend with Jason Momoa in the title role. It bombed both critically and with audiences, earning only $63 million in theaters worldwide, well below its $90 million budget.
24. DEVELOPMENT HELL
Momoa’s flop aside, we’ve been teased for four decades with other Conan projects. A third Schwarzenegger movie, Conan the Conqueror, was announced way back in 1987, but Arnold’s other acting commitments got in the way. (That movie eventually became 1997’s dud Kull the Conqueror, starring Kevin Sorbo.) In the late 1990s, came word that John Milius had written a bloody epic in which Arnold’s retiring Conan passes the sword to his barbarian son; Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson was often mentioned as Conan Jr. Nothing ever came of it. While Arnold served as California’s governor (2003-11), numerous other tantalizing Conan projects with big directors were rumored but never materialized. As late as 2016, Arnold was again attached to a Conan movie, Legend of Conan, but it has remained just a legend.
25. FUTURE CONAN?
Netflix acquired the rights in 2020 to make new Conan live-action and animated movies and TV shows. So far, nothing has gone into production. Patiently, we await the return of the Cimmerian barbarian.
