Jason Momoa was a relatively unknown actor when he was cast as the titular protagonist in the 2011 sword-and-sorcery film Conan the Barbarian, a reinterpretation of the 1982 film of the same name, which launched Arnold Schwarzenegger to Hollywood stardom. With his casting in Conan the Barbarian, he joined a group of actors — including Christopher Reeve in Superman, Helen Slater in Supergirl, Kyle MacLachlan in the original Dune, and Brandon Routh in Superman Returns — who made their feature-starring debuts in big-budget franchises with blockbuster expectations.
This represents a particularly risky proposition for a young actor without an established Hollywood track record. Momoa experienced great disappointment with Conan the Barbarian, which received a tepid response from both audiences and critics. Besides being a box-office failure, Conan the Barbarian, which grossed approximately $63 million worldwide against a $90 million production cost, created the false perception that Momoa was simply a burly, one-dimensional behemoth who lacked a distinctive personality and dramatic range.
In the aftermath of the release of Conan the Barbarian, it seemed as if Momoa’s career was in shambles. While the film’s failure certainly didn’t preclude the actor from having a long and productive career, his bid for stardom seemed to be doomed. However, this is precisely where his career took its most interesting turn. Conan the Barbarian became the impetus and inspiration for Momoa to reinvent himself as an actor. This process culminated in his triumphant portrayal of Aquaman in the DC Extended Universe. Indeed, just as Conan the Barbarian didn’t break Momoa, it only seemed to make him stronger.
Jason Momoa’s ‘Conan the Barbarian’ Is a Pale Imitation of Arnold Schwarzenegger’s 1982 Classic
When Arnold Schwarzenegger made his feature-starring debut in the 1982 version of Conan the Barbarian, he was supported by a quality production team. This was led by director John Milius, a screenplay that Oliver Stone co-wrote, and a colorful, talented supporting cast that’s highlighted by James Earl Jones’ fearsome performance as snake-cult leader and sorcerer Thulsa Doom, who beheads Conan’s mother after slaughtering Conan’s village in the film’s harrowing opening sequence. In contrast, the 2011 version of Conan the Barbarian, which is unrelated to the Schwarzenegger films, substitutes gory violence and lugubrious 3-D effects for the authenticity and tension that define the 1982 film.
The 2011 version of Conan the Barbarian doesn’t give Jason Momoa the slightest opportunity to showcase the impressive range of skills he’s demonstrated as an actor over the past decade. Momoa’s Conan, as it was crudely conceived for the 2011 film, is presented as a hulking, mindless warrior whose narrow emotional responses are dictated by the film’s various plot contrivances. Momoa’s performance is completely lost amid a barrage of CG-heavy battle sequences that lack excitement because the film fails to establish a compelling origin for Conan and instead primarily highlights its artificiality.
Jason Momoa Hates ‘Conan the Barbarian’
While Jason Momoa has said he enjoyed the process of making Conan the Barbarian, which was directed by Marcus Nispel and currently holds a 25% Rotten Tomatoes rating, he said he eventually became dismayed by how the original creative vision for the film was unraveled due to studio interference. In a 2022 interview with GQ magazine, the actor said the film he thought he was making was very different from the theatrical release. Momoa said:
“I’ve been a part of a lot of things that really sucked, and movies where it’s out of your hands. Conan the Barbarian was one of them. It’s one of the best experiences that I’ve had, and it was taken over, and [it] turned into a big pile of s**t.”
‘Conan the Barbarian’ Couldn’t Prevent Momoa’s Blockbuster Career
Besides determination and talent, Jason Momoa’s ability to move beyond the disappointment of Conan the Barbarian is primarily a testament to how he has taken control of his career. While the failure of Conan the Barbarian was somewhat offset in the short term by his concurrent appearance as chieftain Khal Drogo in the television series Game of Thrones, he otherwise kept a relatively low profile in the aftermath of the film’s release.
Following this period of self-imposed exile, Momoa made his feature directorial debut with the 2014 drama thriller film Road to Paloma, in which Momoa, who also co-wrote the film, stars as Robert Wolf, a Native American who finds himself on the run from the law after avenging his mother’s murder. While Road to Paloma received a limited release and mixed critical reviews, Momoa delivers a thoughtful performance, demonstrating that he possesses real ambition and potential as a director.
In the nearly 15 years since the ill-fated release of Conan the Barbarian, Momoa has refused to be labeled or pigeonholed as an actor. While Momoa is best known to the public for his role as Aquaman in the DCEU, he continues to break new ground even within the superhero genre, as seen with his casting as the alien bounty hunter Lobo in the upcoming superhero film Supergirl. Conan the Barbarian is streaming on Starz.
- Release Date
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August 17, 2011
- Runtime
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113 minutes
- Director
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Marcus Nispel
- Producers
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Avi Lerner, Trevor Short, Joe Gatta, John Sacchi, Henry Winterstern, Fredrik Malmberg, Eda Kowan, Victor Hadida, Samuel Hadida, Boaz Davidson, Michael Paseornek, Les Weldon, John Baldecchi, Jason Constantine, George Furla, Danny Lerner, Danny Dimbort