He’s baaack!
At 78, legendary actor Arnold Schwarzenegger certainly isn’t slowing down — instead heading back to the gym to reclaim his role in the Conan the Barbarian sequel.
Schwarzenegger is reportedly pushing himself harder than ever, determined to return to peak physical shape as he reprises one of his most iconic roles in the long-awaited sequel, according to the National Enquirer.
The original film was released in May 1982, with Schwarzenegger, then 34, playing the title character.
The movie is a dark fantasy about a warrior seeking revenge for his parents’ murder and his people’s enslavement.
Originally the directors earmarked either Charles Bronson or Sylvester Stallone for the role, but that all changed when they saw Schwarzenegger’s 1977 body building documentary Pumping Iron.
They proved correct, with the movie grossing $79 million at the box office and launching the Austrian as a genuine Hollywood star. He also starred in the sequel the 1984 sequel, Conan the Destroyer, the same year he played Terminator.
The project, dubbed King Conan, has been in the works for decades, will focus on an older version of the warrior who must fight once more.
The original was remade in 2011 starring Jason Momoa, but it was a box office flop.
According to Enquirer’s source, the film depends on the former Mr. Universe “really looking like a legendary barbarian-slash-king.”
Schwarzenegger is working out intensely and following a strict routine to get back into shape for the demanding role.
“Gold’s Gym just sold almost all of their L.A. locations, but they held the original gym in Venice, where Arnold still works out to this day,” the source said.
“That’s where he’s going to forge the body to take on this role again, come hell or high water! Failure is not an option.”
Men’s Health reported that the Austrian-born bodybuilder has dealt with shoulder, knee, elbow, and hip problems, including a hip replacement, and has had a pacemaker implanted after several open-heart surgeries.
*PHOTO CAPTION: L: Schwarzenegger, back in the day, as Conan; (other pictures): working out,at 78, for the sequel.
