Brett Ratner is in final (re: pretty much a done deal) negotiations to direct the R-rated reboot of Conan for Lionsgate and Millennium Films.
Ratner, fresh off inking a huge deal with Paramount to direct multiple films for the studio, is currently gearing up to lens Beverly Hills Cop 4 with Eddie Murphy sometime next year. Conan, it would seem, would have to wait until either later in the year or early 2010 per Ratner’s schedule.
Ratner is also attached to direct the big screen adaptation of Sony’s immensely popular God of War videogame. With at least two films in front of God of War, the likelihood of this film with Ratner behind the camera seeing the light of day earlier than 2011 is slim to none.
Producer Avi Lerner describes the Conan reboot as follows, “”The story opens on the battlefield where Conan is born and tells the origin story that sets the stage for what will be the first of multiple films. This is a coup for Millennium Films and proves that our choice of projects and material is attracting much higher-profile directors and actors.”
The big question mark that will haunt this project, even more so than Ratner’s often criticized inability to direct a film that surpasses mediocrity, is who can possibly fill the boots and accent of Arnold Schwarzenegger as Conan? Hopefully no one from the WWE or any other wrestling league.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter
