Jason Momoa says Conan the Barbarian remake was a “big pile of sh*t”

Jason Momoa has been candid about his Conan the Barbarian remake: he says it “sucked” and was “turned into a big pile of sh*t” behind the scenes.

The original Conan the Barbarian, released in 1982, was the worldwide launchpad for Arnold Schwarzenegger. It’s a classic story: a warrior watched his parents die at the hands of a cult leader, so he grew up, got jacked, and sought to avenge them.

It belongs in a specific subset of ’80s movies, alongside the likes of Red Sonja (also starring Schwarzenegger), Excalibur, The Beast Master, and Highlander – albeit, none of them are as good as the latter.

A sequel, Conan the Destroyer, was released two years later with meager returns. In 2011, studio execs believed there was an appetite for more Conan, paving the way for the biggest flop of Momoa’s career.

Jason Momoa’s Conan the Barbarian remake was a “big pile of sh*t”

Momoa’s R-rated Conan the Barbarian remake spent several years in development at Warner Bros., before its stench saw it move around before landing at Lionsgate. The film grossed just over $63 million from a $90 million budget, and it has a 25% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with Roger Ebert describing it as “brutal, crude, and witless.”

In a new interview with GQ, the Aquaman star looked back on the film, describing it as one of his best experiences that somehow became a disaster.

“I’ve been a part of a lot of things that really sucked, and movies where it’s out of your hands,” he said.

“Conan [the Barbarian] was one of them. It’s one of the best experiences I had and it [was] taken over and turned into a big pile of sh*t.”

After a rocky start in Hollywood, the tide turned: in 2016’s Batman v Superman, Momoa was teased as Aquaman, before debuting in Justice League and starring in his own billion-dollar movie. He’ll return in Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom next year, as well as joining the Fast & Furious family for the 10th film.

“It’s been hard because people always think I’m just this dude who plays [macho characters]. But I want to be moved, I want something new. Things are changing, and even the villain roles I’m playing now are eccentric. I’m peacock at the highest level and I’m having the time of my life,” he added.