Arnold Schwarzenegger will need to ditch the saggy boobs by 2010 - if Avi Lerner manages to coax him back into "Conan" territory.
The “Rambo” producer, now helping steer the ''Conan the Barbaian'' remake to fruition, says he’s offered The Governor quite the large sum to make an appearance in the adventure pic.
"I told him we could even shoot the scene in Sacramento," Lerner tells The LA Times. "He was smiling, but he didn't say yes. Maybe he can't take the money while he's still governor. That's OK, if he can't take the money, I'd donate it to a charity or give it to a school that needs the money." Lerner laughs. "Don't worry--I'll approach him again. I don't give up that easily."
(You'll recall that Schwarzenegger was attached, just a couple of years ago, to a script called "King Conan" that John Milius was set to direct. At the end of the day, the project was abandoned in favour of a reboot).
Meanwhile, that trade announcement indicating Brett Ratner ("Rush Hour", "Red Dragon") had signed on to direct the film was a tad premature, says the director. Ratner, currently prepping the big-screen return of Axel Foley, says he hasn’t officially agreed to direct the film yet.
‘’Let me make this very clear," he told the paper. "I am not doing 'Conan' now. This is totally premature. For now, 'Conan' is only a development deal. I have a deal at Paramount and I'm doing 'Beverly Hills Cop' first, no matter what. Avi shouldn't be telling you or anyone else in the press what I'm doing."
There’s more on ''Conan'' – including just how Lerner wrangled the rights to the series – over at The LA Times.
Update! The next's biggest Arnie fan, Ab King, has this message for Mr Lerner :
Mr. Avi Lerner, do yourself a big favor and dump BRETT RATNER after you read this. He is already wising off to you and showing disrespect. The big question is, why not get JOHN MILIUS to direct. The man doesn't get much work in Hollywood and would be glad to direct your CONAN pictures. You say in the LA TIMES article you want ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER to cameo as old king Conan right. Arnie never said no, he just laughted it off. Bring MILIUS on board and Arnie would do it in a second. I hope when Arnie said "please wait for 2 years because I will be back"...I hope Mr. Lerner that you have it planned for Schwarzenegger to star in his own old CONAN film. Forget that KING CONAN script the WB owns. Have your writers or Milius write up a better new draft that Nu Image films can own. In closing...GET SCHWARZENEGGER as a cameo (for now until he leaves office for a starring king Conan role) and JOHN MILIUS!
ABking
