Hot Trailer: 'Conan The Barbarian'

May 5, 2011 3:59am

A new trailer is up for Conan the Barbarian, the reboot of the Robert E. Howard hero that has Jason Momoa replacing Arnold Schwarzenegger in the film franchise that first established Arnie as action-hero material. Momoa has become a formidable and intimidating presence on HBO’s terrific Game of Thrones series, in small doses. Does he have what it takes to rebirth a franchise?

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72 Comments

Jeff G • on May 5, 2011 3:59 am

Not to be negative or anything, but this looks like a total bomb. Visually, I hear, there might be some things to take note of, but I don’t think your average moviegoer will be interested in this, at all.

Then again… I thought Fast Five would be lucky to make back half of its budget in theaters, too. So who the fuck knows anymore. :)
- really? • on May 5, 2011 3:59 am
  
  you didn’t think FF would open? Did you not see the numbers last year for F&F?
  
  but i do agree with you re: conan
Ben • on May 5, 2011 3:59 am

At the very least, I’ll say it looks way, way, way better than Prince of Persia.
lol • on May 5, 2011 3:59 am

I’m with the other Conan.
It's_A_Fact • on May 5, 2011 3:59 am

That trailer is anything but HOT.. Given that this has a reported budget of $80-100million.. it has the look of the DTV release.

Might catch it on DVD/Blu Ray sometime in the future on a lazy Sunday afternoon.. but I’m in no rush to see it.
Anon Male - 25 • on May 5, 2011 3:59 am

I’m 100% in. I’m a big Conan fa. This looks both faithful to the source material and taking advantage of the big canvas of cinema.

Same release date that LionsGate did with The Expendables last year right? It doesn’t have the same ability to transcend into the international market like Expendables, but Conan as a franchise as always struck a chord here in America. The budget is est at $110, but they have already partnered off the foreign “all-media” and sold some international theatrical rights. I imagine there’s probably a great tax relief for filming in Bulgaria. There are also no first dollar actors or producers as well (from first glance of the IMDB at least). It looks like costs are evenly set against the possible rewards.

If this project nails it with marketing/production execution the industry could have a valuable movie franchise again. Go Conan!
derby • on May 5, 2011 3:59 am

Perhaps if I were a 15 year-old boy I’d be totally jazzed about this unnecessary re-boot. But this looks mediocre.

I’ll stick with the original.
Pfffft • on May 5, 2011 3:59 am

Looks… PG-13.

No-thanks.
- T • on May 5, 2011 3:59 am
  
  It’s Rated R
  - Pfffft • on May 5, 2011 3:59 am
    
    I’ll believe that when I see it. Both the first two films were rated R.
    
    If you’re involved with this film, T, then release a red-band trailer fast. People are starting to wonder.
    
    PS: If anybody’s fat fingers are flying across the keyboard to correct me – yes, I know the second film was technically PG, but it would be R by today’s rating system.
Dom • on May 5, 2011 3:59 am

Rachel Nichols is incredibly gorgeous. I love her. She’s really beautiful and a really sweet girl. She’s the best thing about this movie.
Alboone • on May 5, 2011 3:59 am

Looks good I have to admit. Looks damn good. I’ll give it a look.
bill • on May 5, 2011 3:59 am

Should have got Russian Alex Nevsky, he’s a dead-ringer for a young Arnold. This Conan looks lame. Bummer.
- barbarian gal • on May 5, 2011 3:59 am
  
  Alex looks nothing like Arnold and anyway they don’t need an Arnold look alike. Kids who will go to this barely know what Arnold looks like… much less what the Conan in the original movie looked like.
  
  Jason has a certain Conanesque presence that really works on Game of Thrones. I think he’ll be good…. the only problem with this trailer is that it looks like about 20 other films over the last 3 years.
charlie • on May 5, 2011 3:59 am

Pathfinder. :(
elfrunner • on May 5, 2011 3:59 am

All action, no plot. This trailer makes the movie look like a lot of very expensive action sequences strung together in the hopes that we won’t notice there’s no actual story. And I just don’ buy Momoa as Conan. Arnold was huge and intimidating and best of all, played Conan with a great sense of humor. Looks like they opted to go dark and I think that was a mistake.
Jondo • on May 5, 2011 3:59 am

This will be yet another example of Hollywood juicing things up just to make a spectacle, and miss the boat on making something GREAT. I can already see that Conan says too much in the film, and it doesn’t look like Momoa can deliver the lines with enough gravitas to warrant the name “Conan”.

I think there will be some cool FX, but probably nothing we haven’t seen before (snake monster, done that. sand-built enemies, done that too). Some of the FX already looked a bit cheesy to me.

I know trailers are said to work better when they show almost everything (thereby helping the audience determine that they feel confident to spend their money getting what they see), but I prefer trailers that are simpler and more dramatic than just trying to cram as much imagery in as possible. Usually tells me the filmmakers feel the need to convince the audience to see this rather than pulling them in with something unique.

I predict a thumbs down on overall quality and will do so-so at the box office, driven mainly by the male teen market.

Jondo.
Johnny B • on May 5, 2011 3:59 am

Sign me up! I loved the original, and I think Jason Mamoa is going to be the next big star!
Whitney • on May 5, 2011 3:59 am

Jason Momoa definitely looks the part of Conan, I can’t wait to see this!
L. Novak • on May 5, 2011 3:59 am

I was hoping they would come through with something big after seeing the teaser. Looks epic!
The Real Barbarian • on May 5, 2011 3:59 am

I need 3 things from this movie: 3D, boobies and chopped heads.

It appears I will get these things.

(And as a barbarian myself, I have to say MoMo *looks* more the part than CryMacho ever did.)
Susie • on May 5, 2011 3:59 am

this looks awesome… I will definitely be checking this one out! pretty excited for all this Jason Momoa half naked goodness too!
mortimer • on May 5, 2011 3:59 am

I agree with Ben – looks much better than Prince of Persia. The fight choreography looks good, casting as well. I see a lot of promise here.
Brian • on May 5, 2011 3:59 am

Looks pretty cool. I like how it has certain element’s from Marcus Nispel’s past horror films. anyone else feeling that vibe?

I’ll be seeing this one in theaters.
Lars • on May 5, 2011 3:59 am

Sure, it has graphics. But does it have a drunken Schwarzenegger punching out a horse? And how about that bombastic dialog Milius wrote for James Earl Jones to deliver? I’m not sure any quantity of cgi can make up for the character of the Milius film. Of course, that was made when movies were movies, and when the world actually cared. Now we just want to see the Bin Laden headshots and shit blown sky high. What has happened to us as a Nation?
what?? • on May 5, 2011 3:59 am

Maybe now they can get the sequel to The Sword & the Sorcerer off the ground as promised!
hilary • on May 5, 2011 3:59 am

So did all of you not actually read any robert e howards conan? He’s not blonde Arnold only had the body jason will be a great conan way more realistic!
Ronaldo • on May 5, 2011 3:59 am

These snarky comments remind me of the lamentations of the women.
Johnny • on May 5, 2011 3:59 am

Liking this trailer. Count me in.

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