I’m still working on my review/appraisal of the Conan 2 script, so until then, here are a couple of little snippets to tide you over.

First, a new photo of Jason Momoa’s Conan has turned up courtesy of RONON at the Robert E. Howard Forums:

Very nice, but more awaits beyond the link…

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The little birdy who told me about Morgan Freeman’s possible involvement with Conan the Barbarian has unveiled some more information on the film: specifically, the amount and nature of nudity and sexual content. Naturally, this has been a cause for concern among some fans, who feared that the sexy, naturalistic Hyborian Age would be toned down to attain a PG-13 rating.

Well, here’s the report:

• Rose McGowan fans may be disappointed to learn that Marique does not get naked or topless in the film.
• However, they may be consoled to learn that there are about 12 topless slave girls, appearing in various scenes.
• There is a sex scene between Jason Momoa’s Conan and Rachel Nichols’ Tamara, as suggested in the recent trailer.
• Conan & Tamara’s scene is noted not not be as graphic as in “Game of Thrones,” not “doggie style,” and with no male nudity.
• Both Jason and Rachel get naked for their scene, with Jason’s buttocks and Rachel’s breasts bared to the world. As God intended.

From what our little birdy describes, the sexuality could be more artistic and sensual than frank and animalistic: erotic as opposed to pornographic. This suits Robert E. Howard’s work, which manages to be full of sex despite him not actually depicting a single sex scene in any of the Conan stories.

The only area where the film isn’t as racy as Howard is in the nudity. Though twenty-six naked breasts in and Momo’s proud, firm buttocks in 3D sounds like some sort of landmark watershed moment, it’s still barely a percentage of the acres of naked flesh one can visualise in the Conan stories. Still, given the current climate, it’s probably inevitable that Howard’s frequent references and depictions of naked warriors, nobles, savages and slaves, male and female, won’t get past the iron portal of the MPAA.  Perhaps we’re expecting too much of the film industry, hoping them to be more open minded about nudity than a white Texan author living in the 1930s…

Alright, this is just a bit of fun, but ever since Seamvs at the Robert E. Howard Forums brought it up, I can’t get it out of my head.

Remember this Cimmerian extra, the one on the right?

Doesn’t he look rather… familiar?

KG Thunder helpfully offered a comparison shot:

Now that’s uncanny. Now, I’m not saying John Milius flew in secret to Bulgaria and landed himself a cameo… but he and Marcus Nispel have been in touch, as per the Empire magazine article. Plus we know he enjoys Hyborian cameos, as we can see him as a “Lizard-onna-stick” merchant as Conan & Subotai enter the marketplace in the 1982 film.

Just sayin’. Either that, or John Goodman’s reprising his best John Milius impression…

(Presumably with less expletives and Vietnam references)

Some more bits and pieces: new pictures of Jason Momoa’s Conan, a sound bite from one of the composers working on the film, an unexpected update on a long-dormat project, notes on Momoa’s diet and workout routine, and a surprising release.

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Yes, a sequel to the illuminating presentation by Kevin Tod Haug and Ron Frankel, but it doesn’t feature the two VFX supervisors: this new piece of news comes courtesy of Indian Express, and discusses the role of Indian wizards Reliance Mediaworks in the creation of Conan the Barbarian’s special effects – as well as a few tiny hints on the plot and production process.

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A little birdy has told me there’s a rumour going around that the Conan film has hired Morgan Freeman to do the narration for the opening scene of Conan the Barbarian, which will start in a way instantly familiar to Howard and 1982 film fans:

“Between the years when the oceans drank Atlantis…”

If this is indeed the opening narration, then it seems like a conflation of the original opening lines of “The Phoenix on the Sword” and the altered version of those lines in the 1982 film:

Know, oh prince, that between the years when the oceans drank Atlantis and the gleaming cities, and the years of the rise of the Sons of Aryas, there was an Age undreamed of, when shining kingdoms lay spread across the world like blue mantles beneath the stars.
– The Nemedian Chronicles, “The Phoenix on the Sword”

Between the time when the oceans drank Atlantis, and the rise of the sons of Aryas, there was an age undreamed of.
– The Wizard, Conan the Barbarian (1982)

Sounds like it could be a mixture of the two: a bit closer to the original words, but streamlined in the same fashion as the 1982 film.

Morgan Freeman seems a somewhat unusual choice: his southeastern US drawl seems oddly appropriate from a certain point of view. However, Freeman’s voice is just so instantly recognizable that it might be a detriment as much as a boon, and remind people more of Martians, prisons and penguins than an Age undreamed of. Plus I’m sure people will miss Mako’s distinctive narration, his strong foreign accent adding to the exoticism and mystery which might be lost when Freeman’s composed and authorative American accent is heard over the speakers.

Time will tell if this rumour turns out to be true or not: ’till then…

(Before I get on with this piece of news, I want to apologise if news comes a little slow in the next week or so: I’m deep in the heart of Arizona, and there isn’t any internet where I’m holed up. Luckily my heroic relatives have allowed me internet access, so I’ll be able to keep you all informed sooner or later. Just bear with me if I’m a bit late on some news.)

Enough caterwauling, on with the news!

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Continuing yesterday’s post on long overdue looks at the behind-the-scenes aspects of Conan the Barbarian, we’re having a gander at Nu Boyana’s official page. With the trailer dissected and a few more official photos released, some of the pictures in the gallery can be seen with a new perspective.

Lots of pictures today, including some behind-the-scenes shots from Conan the Barbarian that I don’t believe have been discussed.

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We’ll start off with a new official image from Empire:

Even more after the click.

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According to this massive-resolution publicity shot from Lionsgate’s website, that is (the original’s a colossal 3600 x 2400 pixels, so I shrank it to something a bit more manageable for the blog):

Could it be…

Conan with digitally-recoloured blue eyes from Lionsgate’s official website? Could this mean that the Cimmerian’s trademark volcanic blue will be appearing after all? Here’s hoping!