It looks like Lionsgate's new Conan starts shooting February 2010 in Bulgaria. Marcus Nispel ("The Texas Chainsaw Massacre," "Pathfinder") will be directing. Empire has the casting breakdowns, which help understand the characters, and some indication of the plot.
*beware spoilers*
Conan: 20s-30s, Caucasian, the last of the Cimmerians, out for vengeance on
Khalar Singh, a formidable warlord and warrior in his 40s or 50s, for whom the producers are "open to all ethnicities".
Singh is looking for Queen Ilira, whose blood will help him raise a demon army. Ilira's handmaiden is Tamara, who allies with Conan in what sounds like a Red Sonja hot amazon role. And there's Ukafa, Singh's untrustworthy henchman for whom a massive African or African American is required.
There are also supporting roles for Conan's dad
Corin, who teaches his son the Riddle of Steel;
Fariq, Khalar Singh's son and heir, strangely described as a "proto goth-rocker"
Remo the evil wizard;
Fassir, a monk protecting Ilira.
Lucius, a mercenary scarred by Conan dumping him into a fiery pit
An unnamed
one-eyed thief Conan rescues from Lucius.
Artus, Conan's pirate buddy; and
Cheren, Khalar Singh's mystical blind archer.
Now interstingly is the worry for Khalar Singh and the reason he wants to raise a demon army in the first place, could it be arch-wizard Thoth-Amon, he only appears in one original Robert E. Howard Conan story, but is mentioned in a couple of others.
Thoth-Amon was played by Pat Roach in Conan the Destroyer (Love that movie ).
I think this has potential but unsure of the director. I hope Conan finally gets the on screen treatment he deserves.
Teabag out :P