The film is one of the bigest box-office bombs of recent times
A remake of an action classic you might not know exists is airing for free across the UK on TV tonight (Wednesday, March 19)
Remaking beloved movies is all the range in the 21st century, with the 2010s being the year with the most attempts Hollywood made at using nostalgia to make money.
Robocop, Total Recall, Point Break, The Magnificent Seven, Hercules and True Grit all received new versions during this frantic ten year period.
More often than not these sequels tend to cause cinema lovers’ heartaches, as they normally fail to live up to what made the originals’ special in the first place.
One movie you might not know was remodelled is Conan the Barbarian, the film which launched bodybuilder and future mayor of Governor of California Arnold Schwarzenegger into superstardom.
The 1982 sword-and-sorcery epic follows Schwarzenegger’s courageous titular warrior who seeks vengeance for the murder of his parents.
Both in-your-face and oddly compelling, the late James Earl Jones is a big highlight as the film’s baddie Thulsa Doom, who has Conan fooled at every turn.
Despite being a tad out-there in terms of its content and starring an unknown Austrian actor, it grossed $80 million off a $20 million budget and became a VHS classic.
29 years after Conan hit screens around the world, a 2011 Conan the Barbarian film was released by director Marcus Nispel, who previously ramade Friday the 13th in 2009.
Filling in Schwarzenegger’s boots was Jason Momoa, who like Schwarzenegger was looking to use the role to build himself up as a household name.
Luckily for Momoa, Games of Thrones would come out the same year and make him one of the most in-demand actors in Hollywood, going on to play Aquaman in two solo movies.
With the exact same premise as the original, the remakes’ supporting cast includes Rachel Nichols, Rose McGowan, Stephen Lang, Ron Perlman, and Bob Sapp,
However, unlike the original, Conan the Barbarian was a box-office disaster, grossing just over $60 million on a budget of $90 million.
In a perfect world all movies would be good, but sometimes you can sit back and have some fun with a movie that won’t stay in your head an hour after you watch it.
Conan the Barbarian airs on Wednesday night (March 19) at 9pm on Film 4 and channel4.com.