[TV] Amazon's Conan the Barbarian Series

[Techno-Druid]

I'm somewhat surprised there hasn't been discussion on this or the Lord of the Rings series that are currently being produced by Amazon.

Apparently from what I've read, the pilot for the former will revolve around one of Conan's first stories chronologically, that being 'The Frost-Giant's Daughter' which is also ironically one of the most controversial Conan stories as it basically involves a young Conan pursuing the daughter of the giant Ymir in an attempt to capture her and presumably rape/enslave her in the Proto-Norse lands of the Aesir and Vanir (who are depicted as seperate tribes of humans).

I'm very curious how they might modify the source material to make Conan more relatable and for a lack of a better term, more politically correct.

Personally however, if they can capture Robert E. Howard's Conan's essence and the brutal lands of Hyborian Age then I'll definitely watch it. I just hope they lean closer towards Mamoa's Conan rather than Schwarzenegger's, as the former was/is a lot closer to the literary Conan than the latter.

What do you guys think?

[Deleted]

If it's pc then he ceases to be barbarian n then why even do the show?

[Vineri]

Does it star Arnold Schwarzenegger?

Oh

Is this like the 3rd or 4th attempt now to create a Conan series? Don't forget the ones in the 90s.. and the cartoon series!

Never heard of this one, guessing others hadn't either.

[Techno-Druid]

Does it star Arnold Schwarzenegger?

Oh

Is this like the 3rd or 4th attempt now to create a Conan series? Don't forget the ones in the 90s.. and the cartoon series!

Arnold Schwarzenegger makes a good barbarian, but he's definitely not Robert E. Howard's Conan, which is what this series is attempting to adapt from directly.

[tankbug]

Arnold Schwarzenegger makes a good barbarian, but he's definitely not Robert E. Howard's Conan, which is what this series is attempting to adapt from directly.

Jason Momoa's apperance is almost perfect, but I don't think he did a good job in the movie. It might be the script or the directing, but he was just very forgettable and failed to impress.

[draynay]

They announced it in February and it was briefly mentioned at SDCC. There isn't much to say since hardly anything has been revealed.

[Devilyaki]

Love the first Schwarzenegger’ one. Not 100% the same as the original material but still kick ass back in the day...
Connan! What is good in life?!

[Xeranath]

Arnold Schwarzenegger makes a good barbarian, but he's definitely not Robert E. Howard's Conan, which is what this series is attempting to adapt from directly.

I remember liking Arnie's Conan movies as a kid, then later in life actually reading the source material. Boy, was I shocked! That stuff is hardcore and... gotta say it, completely unfilmable.

[Ivanstone]

Jason Momoa's apperance is almost perfect, but I don't think he did a good job in the movie. It might be the script or the directing, but he was just very forgettable and failed to impress.

I thought Momoa was great as Conan and he did it in spite of weak directing and writing. Arnie gets most of the fond memories but he had John Milius backing him up. I thought his acting his in Conan 2&3 was better but those movies were worse.

[Techno-Druid]

I thought Momoa was great as Conan and he did it in spite of weak directing and writing. Arnie gets most of the fond memories but he had John Milius backing him up. I thought his acting his in Conan 2&3 was better but those movies were worse.

Yeah, the whole production was a shitshow because of differing endgoals, so they ultimately ended up mixing up plot and characteristics of Howard's Conan with Schwarzenegger's and even the story they adapted it from very one of Howard's strongest.

Personally, if they ever do decide to make a Conan movie, I think it should be an adaptation of the Queen of the Black Coast.

[Stormcall]

I thought Momoa was great as Conan and he did it in spite of weak directing and writing. Arnie gets most of the fond memories but he had John Milius backing him up. I thought his acting his in Conan 2&3 was better but those movies were worse.

There wasn't a Conan 3. There was Conan the Barbarian and Conan the Destroyer. Arnold was in Red Sonja, who was another Robert E Howard creation, but he wasn't playing Conan.

[Ivanstone]

Arnold was in Red Sonja, who was another Robert E Howard creation, but he wasn't playing Conan.

He was totally playing Conan. He was Conan in disguise. Best example of how to circumvent licensing rights ever.

[Orby]

I love the Conan lore so I'll watch it. Some of the stories can be risque due to todays very PC culture... That does worry me but all stories eventually will have some changes so I guess it doesn't bother me too much.

[callipygoustp]

I've been curious/interested in this since I first heard about it. Seems to be on a slow roll though. Not much information out there, that I have seen, about it. Pick up the pace Amazon!

[DQDrake]

Arnold Schwarzenegger makes a good barbarian, but he's definitely not Robert E. Howard's Conan, which is what this series is attempting to adapt from directly.

Agreed. Jason Momoa's Conan was a lot closer to Howard's than Arnold was, at least visually. Momoa's film didn't have a very good script and had other problems, but Momoa himself had the look. He looked like a Frazetta painting.

[derpkitteh]

it ain't conan if it's pc, that's just all there is to it.

if they're truly going to make it true to the original, then more power to them. but i highly doubt that's what they'll do.

[DQDrake]

it ain't conan if it's pc, that's just all there is to it.

Yeah, Howard Conan material would be readily labeled "toxic masculinity" today. Conan kills when he's pissed off, screws when he's horny and generally does what a lot of guys would do if they were roaming such a world as his. I remember reading one book where a village hired him to kill a giant tarantula or bear or something (I can't remember exactly because I read so many of those books when I was a teen) and as part of his compensation, he got to spend two nights with the dozen or so unmarried young women in the village... mostly because the village wanted his superior bloodline mixed with theirs. That plays right into the hormones of a male reader.

[Techno-Druid]

Yeah, Howard Conan material would be readily labeled "toxic masculinity" today. Conan kills when he's pissed off, screws when he's horny and generally does what a lot of guys would do if they were roaming such a world as his. I remember reading one book where a village hired him to kill a giant tarantula or bear or something (I can't remember exactly because I read so many of those books when I was a teen) and as part of his compensation, he got to spend two nights with the dozen or so unmarried young women in the village... mostly because the village wanted his superior bloodline mixed with theirs. That plays right into the hormones of a male reader.

Yeah... there's no doubt they're going to whitewash Conan, but how much is what I'm worried about. Keeping the general ruthlessness and sex and removing a few parts that can be considered controversial or even slightly modifying it isn't all that bad, but making it progressive or injecting real life politics is definitely a big no-no in my opinion.

[DQDrake]

Watch them turn him into a narrow-shouldered feminist... or perhaps they will go the other route and make him a pansexual. Both versions would be vegan, of course.

[Halicia]

Watch them turn him into a narrow-shouldered feminist... or perhaps they will go the other route and make him a pansexual. Both versions would be vegan, of course.

Him ? Obviously the lead should go to a minority female to stop all this whitewashing in Hollywoo.