You started a very good thread, my friend
I believe that each of us has something to say about this, because we have witnessed several Conan projects that were not realized. I, for example, almost all of them (scripts) have in pdf format: Stoun's script, Millius second draft of CtB, Pogue's Conan the Conqueror, Milliuss Crown of Iron, two draft of CtB 2011 by Donnelly and Oppenheimer, McKain's and Blacman's adaptation of "A witch shall be born" ... I dont have only the original script of Conan the Destroyer (as well as any of the first 5 draft pick), Red Sonja 1985 and "Red nails". Well, let's start:
Stone's "Conan the Barbarian" - from the start 1000 miles away from Howard's vision, the story happens in a post-apocalyptic future, Conan is described with black eyes (not blue), and the story itself is a overinflated. Conan is shown as Superman (crucified, removed from the timber and immediately without recovery he wins a duel, like he dont feel any wounds, pain, fatigue due to loss of blood - as if nothing had happened). Conan the Barbarian? Rather, Conan the Cyborg. Unnecessary characters abound, and the originals are premixed with pastiches to madness (which leads me to wonder what was Stone's idea of the possible 12 films of Conan when he only in the first scenario used the characters and elements from nearly half of the story's - original and pastiche alike), but the story itself would be greater heresy then Miliuss version. There are elements of Dante's Inferno to. In the story appears an Army of 40 - 50 thousand mutants, and few part is taken from the Conan comic book "Child of magic" (dialogue between Conan and princesses at the end) ... All in all, I'm glad that
this script did not come to the realization.
Millius CtB 1982 - second draft - the story is much the same as we saw in the film, with some minor changes and a lot of things that are (or are likely was) taped and omitted from the final version. Conan was litle more talkative wich is a welcome change, and he's a little more Howardian (for example, the scene where Conan is beaten - just before the crucifixion) when he says, "You killed my mother ... You killed my father ... You killed my the people!" - in this one he responds to Thulsa Doom with words:" Yes, and that Crom has given me a moment longer ... I would've kill you!". In the place of Rexor and Torgrim we have Brak (which was supposed to be played by Ferigno), and the end is similar with the one we see in the Destroyer - Conan
refuses princess offer to stay and to rule with her and go to meet new adventures, previously say goodbye to Subotai (being followed by a very moving dialogue) - "I'll see you again, Conan ... When we're both hanging from the gates of hell! "Ha! For me personally a major "mising thing" in the film.
It is interesting that in the script Milius
describes Conan with black hair and blue eyes, although we didnt see that in the movie. However, no matter how Millius's Conan isn't Howard's Conan, I personally think that the scenario has a good deal of useful and smart things (depth and emotional value of the story, an artistic represent of Ubermench is at a high level, the philosophical background is there, etc.). It is incontestable that Milius is a visionary and knows how to draw a valid story. Too bad only that he had to translate his vision in a story of Conan of Cimmeria. Who knows? He might be the ideal director of Kull ...
Conan: King of Thieves (a.k.a. the Destroyer) - as I said, I could never find this script (which is a shame), because I believe that something that has emerged from the pen of Roy Thomas is worth of record. Of course, I read the graphic novel "The horn of Azoth", which is a shortened version of the original script, but not the same. All in all, the film we get in the end (after De Laurentis and Stanley Men butchered original) was something else entirely. I know, I know, the movie is done and therefore has no place in this topic, but what has been done and what should have been the two are quite different things.
Conan the Conqueror - here's an interesting script. Although, this itself was not a faithful adaptation of some of the many stories about Conan (or even novel "The Hour of the Dragon"), but this was the first screenplay that was based on Howard's writings. A mixture of elements from "The Hour of the Dragon," "Scarlet Citadel" and "The Phoenix on the Sword", it also had some elements of the hated 'Conan the Liberator "of De Camp and Carter (wizard who gives false promise to a mad king that he would make him immortal). Although in order to accommodate the previous films, this had some Millius's elements (conan recalls that he was a slave and gladiator; passing on the Black river through Cimmeria - one of the deviations from the original - then the memory of the village that was destroyed, etc). Conan comes to the crown after direct combat with Numedides (where the mad King burned in the fire) and not by strangled him on his own throne. Akiro returns more powerful than ever - he attribute the same powers as Pelias in the story "Scarlet Citadel" (the revival of the dead, for example), Rinaldo turns out as a positive character and eventually sacrificed him self for Conan, Zenobia is a part of Conan's harem here (though I think that her character has been duly presented in the scenario, given its brief appearance in the novel, and that of her we have a litle information), on the place of Xaltotun we have Akivasha, a character that is a part of the original novel, but not like in Pogue's script, but as a vampire and the episodic character. No, I have no problem with this, because I believe that a powerful woman villain comes as refreshment after a mass of male antagonist. What was the flaw in the script is Conan's son to whom
Akivasha give birth in the end - monstrous being in torture that is relised of the same by his father's sword. Ah, yes, they have the same eyes (creature and Conan). Script could have been better but all in all, not a story that should've be discarded nor destroyed (by recording Kull the Conqueror).
Karl Edward Wagner (three scripts) - of this we know almost nothing. It is impossible to find them. What we do know is that the Zula and Akiro return, on the end Zula gets killed in battle, and that the scenarios were based on the (first) "Queen of the Black Coast / Pool of the black one", and (other), "Beyond the black river ". What happens in the third of them I have no idea. None of them was ever made, but taking into account that KEW wrote them I have no doubt that they would've ben a very serious and rolled films. Scripts trace is lost in the studio. Probably gather dust on one of the shelves.
King Conan: Crown of Iron - another unfilmed third installment in the saga of Conan, the other in Millius planned trilogy (which excludes The Destroyers). Closely based on Bob's works, unfortunately not only the stories of Conan, but a good deal on the tales of Kull of Atlantis and Bran MacMorn, the last king of the Picts. Something more elements are drawn from the De Kamp pastiches. Conan had a son that is based on the character created by De Kamp wich is caled Con (name that Milius changes in Kon). Il stop here. To say that this was a bad writen would be unfair. As a continuation of CtB 1982, this movie would be a masterpiece - but it's not Howard's Conan. This is Milius in its all its "glory", which (as trough some fusion) intersects REH work in something wich he called a "child of his." But, this is (from the REH purist view) a HERESY, a BLASPHEMY, a big MISTAKE !!! The first draft had supernatural moments ( "The daughter of the frost giant", "Lair of the ice worm), the other seems like some historical story, not" S & S "genre. Conan literally received his crown as a gift, he doing a lot of whining in a story like that he is in pms, Akiro (which Milius didnt give name - but simply called him a "wizard") is here also (again), Conan and Kon water correspondence letters ( I believe that this draws its roots from "Conan the Liberator) wich in the end is cut by an evil Prince Fortunas, and Kon growing up believing that his father has forgoten him. In place of Zenobia we have Aeldra - twenty years older version of Valeria (which is her identical image), there is a Hyborian version of Bran MacMorn - Orlock MacMorn, and Conan is the ruler of Zingara, not Aquilonia (which is
Romanized in the script) . Reading this work gives the impression that it is a continuation of "Gladiator" and not of Conan.
Boaz Yakin (Warner Bros) script - I could be wrong, but I read somewhere that there was a script written by Boaz for the Conan film in which main role should be interpreted by The Rock. It was supposed to be shown in cinemas sometime in 2008, I think. About him nothing is known, and the project remained on the fringe, as if everything was just a mere rumor, misinformation (which probably are).
Donnelly and Oppenheimer CTB 2011 - reading the first two draft picks I had the impression that I read the script for the sequel "The Mummy" and "Prince of Persia". In the place of promises that this film will be based on the original stories we get poorer version of Millius Conan, on the place of the story we get an empty artifact plucked from emotion, symbolism, philosophy and all that makes the
story. The film it self is done as a filmed video game. Of course, it's one more recorded film which also does not belong here, in this thread, is not it? I think not. I'm talking about the previous drafts. Similar to a final realization, they do not hold the attention of the reader, nor do they have what it takes to do the same. There is a good deal of the magic, too many supernatural elements, although the idea of Acheron rising again is a way better then the opposed end that we saw in the film. Indeed, it seems that this dynamic duo tried to take out supernatural elements from each story. Tamara is a "time bomb" that can not control herr powers, and therefore at the end Conan kills her (though reluctantly). Conan himself is presented as an idiot who rush to meet death. It remains unclear to me (and I believe to all of you) why they hire this notorious duo for such a project - two people who are responsible for that slush "Sahara"? From the first draft it was clear that they are not the person for the job. If you want to do a film about Conan, hire someone who knows the character, who loves and respects the character and his creator. But Hollywood would not be Hollywood when he would give a day to logic, is not it?
Blackman & McCain, "The witch shall be born" - announced and then abandoned sequel of Conan 2011 - the first scenario which was fullyadaptation of one of the
Howard's story, without elements drawn from pastiches, with no nonsense that everyone likes to add in order to put "their own seal " on the character (for example, like Milius). I believe we all know what happends in the story, and I will not waste a lot of words on it. The film is, as I said, based on the original, with a small admixture of "The tower of elephant" and "Black Collosus" - (Conan
fight the giant spider on the top of the tower; Conan accepts place of commander as is the case with Jasmela). The story is worth and could be a magnificent movie. The duo Blackman and McCain have shown what they can do and that is seen in this script. Conan is shown just as it should be - a thief, a robber, a murderer - a lone outlaw, not a wandering vigilante dumb savage who only knows how to take off the head, or some universal altruistic. The character of the queen Taramis is nicely developed, Constantius is malicious and treacherous, "civilized" in the manner that Howard knew how to display, and Salome is bad - evil, dangerous and decadent - just as she should be. Her powers are admittedly appear larger than it is to be inferred from the original, but presented skillfully and appropriately. They did, however, a few small changes that requires the adaptation and expansion of the story, but nothing terrible. Olgerd was not only expelled as is the case in the story, but before the end of the film he dies after battle with Conan, several characters is adjoined in the story (high priest, for example), and Conan in the end (as in The Destroyer) refuses offer of queen Taramis to stay beside her and to rule Kauran. Of course, there is a reference to the destruction of Conans tribe through a short dialogue (which is understandable given that it was supposed to be a continuation of the CTB 2011) but this does not ruin the character, on the contrary, it gives a picture of what Conan felt in that moment - as a window into his soul. Overall, on a scale from 1 to 10, I'd give this scenario a rating of 8.5 or even 9. Too bad ... This could've been a first Howardian movie that shows to the world who and what is Conan. Hollywood ... Oh, Hollywood ... To hell with you !!!
Note that, although I included Red Sonja among the enumerated (which was originally supposed to be the third film about Conan, showing his mercenary days), I didnt touch the analisis of the same. And why should I? The movie was a mistake! A finally destruction of Conan on the film thanks to De Laurentiis and stupid, clumsily written storie. I do not know what was the original script, but, all in all, reading some interviews with Richard Fleitcher, I concluded that before the final draft there was at least two - one in which Conan appeared, and the other in which appears "the other barbarian," which is also supposed to be interpret by Arnie (before they turned him into a High Lord of Hyrkania), and in the end the third one - by which this crap work was recorded.
There is also an unfinished script for the animated film "Red Nails" who can not be found, another scenario of whom Roy Thomas spoke once, where Conan comes in a modern day New York in the 20th century, which reminds me of a sequel to "The Beast Master "(which is probably recorded by the same), the third sequel that Milius planned in his trilogy, called" Beneath my sandal
feet " and from which there is only a name, and rejected the first original screenplay of Conan the Barbarian, written in the seventies by Roy Thomas and Ed Summer (also nowhere to be found).
That should be it. I apologize for all this text, comrade. I could not resist
If I missed something, feel free to note.