Exclusive Milius News: King Conan or Genghis Khan?
The Future Of Arnold films: Khan or Conan!?

Reported By: Randy Jennings
Thursday, August 26, 2010

TheArnoldFans spoke with Conan director, John Milius, about the possibility of returning to "King Conan: Crown of Iron" and whether Arnold Schwarzenegger may still be interested in playing the barbarian when he gets out of office. Milius also informed me of his new Genghis Khan script. Could this be another script option for Arnold's 2011 comeback film?

If you recall, Arnold gave us the exclusive in 2002 that he was officially going to do King Conan as his follow-up film to T3, thanks to our petition with the 14,000 signatures.

TheArnoldFans: Have you spoken to John Milius recently about all the positive buzz of “Crown of Iron” and will this project happen?

Schwarzenegger: "Yeah, I just saw Milius yesterday. We did lunch and a stogie. Yeah, he’s rewriting it as we speak... because it was a one hundred and sixty-eight page script. One of the brothers called – the Wachowski bothers, Ah, that’s right, I knew it was a Polish name. The Wachowski brothers called and said he should reduce the script because it would be a three and a half hour movie and we should cut it down to a hundred and twenty pages, and take certain things out and that’s what he’s doing right now. Because as you know, with John, things take time. He’s not the quickest guy in town. He smokes a stogie and then he writes a page and then he smokes another stogie...”

Let's get caught up with Milius now and hear of the King Conan downfall. Although it did come crashing down in 2003, is this the end? Maybe not...

TheArnoldFans: Was King Conan officially grennlit by WB in 2002?

John Milius:  It was never greenlit. I signed a contract to write it and I wrote it. You know who stopped it? It was really the Wachowskis at Warner Bros. I was going to direct it but they jacked around with it and they wanted to make 'THEIR' movie and kept giving me vague stupid notes and stuff. I don't know if they had any intention on ever making it.

TheArnoldFans: I always thought Arnold dropped the project because he headed toward the Governor's chair. So Arnold never pulled the plug then?

John Milius: No, Arnold never pulled the plug. He still would like to do it, I think.

TheArnoldFans: If he wants King Conan to be his comeback movie, would you still direct it?

John Milius: I wouldn't direct it. I don't think so. I think I have one big movie left in me. But I don't know, maybe I'll be so rejuvinated that I'll want to direct something else too? But King Conan is a terrific thing and a great thing for him to do. But I think he should get a young director for it.

TheArnoldFans: Oh, I don't know about that...

John Milius: Yeah, there are not a lot of good, young directors.

TheArnoldFans: Did you talk to Basil about composing King Conan?

Milius: Oh yeah, he just loved the idea of doing it and he loved the script.

TheArnoldFans: Are you still angry over the King Conan downfall?

John Milius: Yeah, and to tell you the truth, now that I look at Conan, I love Conan, I love the movie and I love what it is, and I like Ron E Howard, but Conan isn't what I would have picked normally anyway. I never even read Conan when I was a kid. But I would have liked it if I would have read it.


Now in case you have not heard, John Milius is putting his finishing touches on his all new epic Genghis Khan script! There are rumors that Mickey Rourke is in talks with the lead roll but this is not official and Milius, who pushed hard for Arnold to be the star of Conan, may also demand he play a lead actor within this film too.
European crusaders, freed prisoners, would face Khan during his reign. If Arnold never stars in his epic script CRUSADE, Could Arnold still be a crusader in Genghis Khan?

TheArnoldFans: What is best in life?


John Milius: That is taken you know from Genghis Khan?


TheArnoldFans: What, the four wrong things (the open step, the wind in you hair, etc) or the three corect things?

John Milius: I have several accurate versions from history and he says, and let me paraphase it... but he says "Women's breasts as your pillow, to ride your horses and to hear the lamintations of thier loved ones... and he goes on a little further. I mean it's what he really said and this is what is best in life.

TheArnoldFans:  Very interesting. We need Arnold to star in this film. Whether it be a lead role or the person who turns and says, "Khan, what is best in life?"

John Milius: Ahhh...we'll make an official announcement of eveybody at that point when we want to announce the cast.

Is it possible that Arnold's triumphant comeback motion picture could be a John Milius production (King Conan or Genghis Khan)?
Could Arnold start fresh with his acting career with a John Milius project, just as he had done so 30 years ago? There is only one person who knows for sure. "CROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!"

TheArnoldFans: Do you think Arnold can step back into that Conan role?

John Milius: I always see him in a suit so I don't know if he's been working out or not. But he loved working out so much I can't imagine that he didn't work out. The last time I saw him, he looked real lean. He looked great and I'd be very surprised if he didn't look that way. I'm trying to think who else is like that at his age.  Stallone, he's in great shape and the last time I saw Mickey Rourke, he was lean. Lou Ferrigno is in terrific shape. He's practically in the same shape he was.

TheArnoldFans: When did you last see Arnold?

John Milius: it's been awhile but I saw him last year. My son and I went to a thing with him...BUT, I did talk to him recently. I talked to him just a month ago and he said, call me when you're in LA, I'll come out and see you and we'll talk. I'm sure he'd love to make that script now.

Very promising news, John! Milius told me of some other nice Genghis Khan developments that is for now "off the record." Later, when the time is right (closer to the film's release), these shall be disclosed. but that is "for another generation" and it is "another story."

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Randy Jennings

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