15 Years Ago, A Remake Featuring a Fan-Favorite DC Star Bombed at the Box Office

Jason Momoa is one of the most recognizable faces in Hollywood, with roles in major franchises. As Arthur Curry in the DC Extended Universe, he led two Aquaman films that combined for well over a billion dollars worldwide. He then expanded into science fiction as Duncan Idaho in Denis Villeneuve’s Dune trilogy, joined the ensemble of Fast X as the villain Dante Reyes, and debuted as Lobo in DC Studios’ Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow earlier this year. In a couple of months, Momoa will even play Blanka in the new Street Fighter movie. Beyond blockbusters, Momoa earned praise for his lead performance in Apple TV’s See and the historical drama Chief of War, both productions that show his impressive range as a performer. Still, looking back, Momoa’s career had a bumpy start that included a universally despised remake.

Fifteen years ago, Momoa played the title role of Conan in Conan the Barbarian, his first true leading role in a theatrical release and a new adaptation of Robert E. Howard’s pulp hero that arrived twenty-nine years after the 1982 original turned Arnold Schwarzenegger into a movie star. Directed by Marcus Nispel, the 2011 film surrounded Momoa with a stacked supporting cast, including Stephen Lang as the villain Khalar Zym, Ron Perlman as Conan’s father, Rachel Nichols as the love interest, and Rose McGowan as the vengeful sorceress Marique, with Morgan Freeman narrating the opening sequence. Yes, Morgan Freeman narrated the 2011 Conan movie, and it still flopped. Conan the Barbarian opened to just over $10 million domestically and closed its run with $63.5 million worldwide, not nearly enough to cover production expenses, with nothing left to account for the expensive marketing. Given the beloved IP and impressive cast, Conan the Barbarian could have pushed Momoa into leading-man status for years, but sadly, there was a lot wrong with the project.

A Star-Studded Cast Couldn’t Save Conan the Barbarian

On paper, the 2011 Conan the Barbarian had the names to kick off a franchise. Stephen Lang was coming off Avatar as the memorably ruthless Colonel Quaritch, Ron Perlman had a following thanks to projects such as Hellboy and Sons of Anarchy, and Rose McGowan brought a built-in grindhouse fanbase after Planet Terror. Yet none of that mattered because the screenplay — credited to three writers, Thomas Dean Donnelly, Joshua Oppenheimer, and Sean Hood — left the film’s celebrated cast with little to actually perform. Lang’s Khalar Zym is reduced to a single-note pursuit of a mystical mask, and his entire personality is reduced to a collection of scowls and exposition. Meanwhile, Perlman’s Corin is killed off early enough to feel like a glorified cameo, and McGowan’s Marique’s single trait was her blind loyalty to her evil father. Instead of elevating the material, the supporting cast often highlighted how thin the screenplay really was.

Critics were not kind, and neither was the marketplace. Conan the Barbarian sits at 25% on Rotten Tomatoes, with many reviews praising Momoa’s commitment while panning the direction, dialogue, and reliance on CGI spectacle over practical effects. The 3D conversion was especially singled out as an unnecessary cash grab that made murky action scenes even harder to follow. A B- CinemaScore suggested even opening-night audiences, usually the most excited about a release, disliked the movie.

Jason Momoa’s Career Got Better Just After Conan

Conan the Barbarian‘s failure did not derail Momoa’s career, as he had already been cast in what would soon become HBO’s biggest TV show ever. The star began playing Khal Drogo in Game of Thrones the same year Conan hit theaters, and the HBO series showcased his skills a few months before the film’s disappointing opening weekend. That overlap insulated Momoa from the box office tragedy by giving casting directors a very different reference point for the same year. Momoa used that platform to keep building a prolific TV career that already included Stargate: Atlantis and Baywatch Hawaii. He eventually moved into Zack Snyder’s DC films, appearing as Arthur Curry in a brief role in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice before returning for a larger part in Justice League.

When Aquaman arrived in 2018, it completed Momoa’s turnaround and made him the face of the highest-grossing film in DC’s history, a title the franchise never topped even after Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom followed in 2023. The commercial success of the first Aquaman movie also turned Momoa into one of the most coveted actors in Hollywood, which explains why he seems to be everywhere nowadays. He remains passionate about DC, though, having reached out to co-CEO James Gunn the same day Gunn’s hiring was announced. Momoa debuted as the bounty hunter Lobo in Supergirl, and reports around the production indicate the role is planned to extend beyond this one film. While no project has been approved, Momoa’s Lobo is set to be a recurring face of the DC Universe, and we can’t wait to see him again.