Vin Diesel lobbying hard for the part in KING CONAN. Info inside (1 Viewer)

[todd stone]

I for one would love to see Vin be in this movie, rather then THE ROCK.
found at Link Removed
April 17, 2002 - A source close to the production of King Conan: Crown of Iron has advised IGN FilmForce that the Warner Brothers-based sequel is indeed on "the fast track" as previous reports have suggested. Writer-director John Milius has recently completed his rewrite of the screenplay; it is expected to be landing on studio executives' desks soon. Our source claims the script's finale offers some of Milius' best writing yet.
FilmForce has also learned that there is a mutual interest in casting Vin Diesel (The Fast and the Furious, xXx) as Conan's estranged son, Kon, in the epic sequel. You may recall that one of the producers of King Conan recently revealed that Diesel was on their wish list for the role (replacing "The Rock" as the frontrunner for it). Now IGN FilmForce has learned that Diesel himself is "lobbying" hard to land the part.
Our source also advised us that the role of Kon has been greatly expanded since the screenplay draft that was reviewed here awhile back. Kon will be more talky than he was depicted before.
With a revised script completed and a rising star apparently eager to join the production, chances of King Conan being Arnold Schwarzenegger's next project after Terminator 3 are looking better and better.

 

[Terrell]

Oh God, yes! I'll take Vin Diesel over Rock everyday and twice on Sunday. Absolutely no contest. Whatever they do, I hope they keep rock a thousand miles from this film. I've never been a big Vin Diesel fan, but he's one hundred times better than Rock, and a much better actor.

 

[Sean Oneil]

Terrell.. it sounds like you are Cu-Coo for Vinnie D.
I think that Vin would be good, but you should at least see The Scorpion King if you are going to continue to diss the Rock's on screen ability. Presence has a lot to do with making a character, and the Rock has plenty of that.
With the right direction, I think that The Rock could work very well in this film.
I did not realize until I just looked up his profile that Vin Diesel will be 35 this July. I thought he was younger.

 

[Terrell]

I can handle Vin. I haven't been a big fan of his up to this point, but that's because I haven't liked his movies. But this is a film I'm definitely pumped for, and I don't want Rock in it. Vin would be cool in King Conan. So I'm pulling for Vin.

 

[Sean Oneil]

Yes, but you really should see the Rock's work in TSK before writing him off completely, that's all I suggest.
You may be pleasantly surprised.

 

[Terrell]

I may. I don't like what critics are saying about the film or his performance. I haven't been interested in TSK. But I may catch it next week.

 

[todd stone]

from what I hear, the rock is just plain bad in TSK

 

[Sean Oneil]

I may. I don't like what critics are saying about the film or his performance. I haven't been interested in TSK. But I may catch it next week.

Cool. Just don't expect anything other then an action packed fun movie, and I think you might enjoy it.

I was reading a lot of those critical quotes on IMDB.COM, and I think that most of them are really unfair. I can't see what the Rock did wrong at all in this role? He played it as well as anyone could have considering the objective of the film. TSK is from the same director who did "The Mask" so you know it is not going to have an overtly serious tone.

Sometimes it seems like many critics are eager to point out that "so and so is no actor" just because they happen to already be famous for doing something else. It's like these critics absolutely DO NOT want someone to be a star unless THEY make them a star. They come across as being more like Hollywood 'Gatekeepers' than as people who are willing to keep an open mind and give everyone a fair shot.

Again, in the context of TSK, I think that The Rock did absolutely everything he should have done, and there is really nothing that indicates to me that he would not be able to do a great job as 'Kon' in "King Conan" should he want to do it.

Anyway, the people making "King Conan" would be foolish not to audition both The Rock, and Vin Diesel to see which one really would work better in the role.

 

[Werner_R]

I think both of them will do just fine but dammit...start shooting the movie !!! I always love a good fantasy film.

 

[Jim_K]

While I'm not a Vin Diesel fanboy like some on this board he is worlds better than the Rock IMO.
Now lets hope they get Stan Winston's creature shop on board for the project.

 

[Terrell]

That's all I want Sean. I don't expect Academy Award stuff.

 

[Sean Oneil]

Yeah, You always struck me as the kind of guy who could just enjoy a movie for what it is Terrell.

 

[todd stone]

what about both the rock and diesel in the king conan movie?

 

[JonZ]

Im wondering what Conans age is in this script - Isnt Arnold a bit too old to play Conan(hes go to be in his mid50s)?
The Conan Franchise going bust will always bother me. It was intended to be like the James Bond series were every few years Milius and Arnold would reteam for a new movie.:frowning: :frowning:

 

[David Rogers]

I'd prefer Vin Diesel over Dwayne Johnson (Rock) in the Conan role. Vin's been around longer, I know more about him as an actor, and feel he has the impact/presence, plus look, plus acting skills to do a tremendous job.

That said, I wouldn't mind so terribly much if Johnson was cast. TSK shows Johnson to good effect; he's an action star, enough said. He has the total package an action star should have, and most especially has charm and ease-before-the-camera that give him the extra icing.

Both actors obviously have the physical look to do Conan. Vin is a demonstratedly accomplished actor with some chops; Johnson hasn't really shown us chops yet. Of the three (these two plus Arnold), Vin is the best actor of the lot I feel; but each of them is quite fun to watch in the correct roles.

Either could be utterly amazing in a well written and directed Conan film. That's really the key there; that the script not be a hack job, and that a somewhat talented director be allowed to man the lens (vs Chuck Russel who did Mask/Eraser/Scorpion King, who is basically an average director at best). The downfall of this project probably won't be actors; it'll be who writes and who directs. That means Warners has to not take the "just a paycheck" route if they want it to succeed to Franchise levels. If they want it to be a Franchise, they have to TRY to make a good film. Universal is really not trying so much, TSK made this pretty clear I feel.

 

[James Pfann]

Ok, I know my Geekness is really showing here, but the correct spelling for Conan's son is Conn, not Kon.
He was named for his father and it was shortened so they wouldn't confuse the two. Sheesh, doesn't anyone in Hollywood read books before writing screenplays?
/Geek mode off
I vote for Vin also. I think he has better skills for the job, Dwayne needs another role or 2 to polish his.
Jim

 

[Terrell]

I normally can Sean. But not all the time. This year I've gotten off to a very poor start with my movie viewing. Haven't had a lot of time.

 

[Seth Paxton]

One thing's for sure...Arnold was a much better actor when he appeared in Conan the Barbarian than the Rock is right now...
err
so what's the problem again?
Isn't it possible that having Vin in the film might actually show up the star? Maybe "The Rock" is the better choice after all.

 

[Sean Oneil]

The only problem I could see with The Rock being cast, if any, is that he may be physically too big to play the part.. But maybe Conan just had a kid who was twice his size
Either guy is great in action roles, but they bring completely different caricatures to the table, simply by what they exude on screen. Vin comes across as more of the dark and brooding anti-hero type, and Rock comes across as a strong, good-natured pure heroic type. Who will work best depends on the back story and personality that Milius has penned for the character of "Conn" (is that the correct spelling now )

 

[todd stone]

Is Basil Paledoreus still alive? If so, do you think he will compose the music again, like he did for Conan the Barbarian?