“Hellboy” is replacing Whiplash as the father of Conan.
Actor Ron Perlman, who played Hellboy on the big-screen, will take over for Mickey Rourke as Conan’s father in the upcoming big-screen reboot.
In addition to roles in “Blade II”, “Sons of Anarchy” and “Beauty And The Beast”, Perlman has provided the voice of Conan in the “Conan” video game and the upcoming direct-to-DVD animated film, “Conan: Red Nails.”
Perlman joins a cast that includes Rachel Nichols, Bob Sapp and Jason Momoa in the title role as Conan. Perlman will most likely appear opposite Leo Howard as the younger Conan at the beginning of the film. “Avatar” actor Stephen Lang recently confirmed that he will appear as the film’s villain, Khalar Singh.
In the 1982 “Conan the Barbarian” film, Conan’s father briefly appears before he is murdered in front of his son. Momoa recently spoke out about the influence of that film and the original novels by Robert E. Howard.
It’s a wonder they aren’t waiting until next year when Arnold is out of the Governor’s mansion to film this so they can get him to play some role in the film if he is interested unless he’s going to do the rumored “Doc Savage” film that has been floating around since the ’76 version that starred Ron Ely (TV’s “Tarzan” of the late ’60’s) was in the theatres and smothered you in cheese.
Bill, part of the reason they’re not is because this isn’t a remake of “Conan the Barbarian,” it’s meant to be a new adaptation of the original character. Though frankly, the job they’ve been doing of it is so godawful one couldn’t tell the difference.
Pearlman is probably the only bit of casting on this that I like so far. I’ve read most of the REH Conans and yes he did not describe Conan as Arnold looking, but I still can’t buy Momoa as the Cimmerian Barbarian. Conan is Cimmerian folks, not summarian, a north man.