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Dragons, colossal creatures cut in two, and social strife within a massive fortress. In the lore of the legendary fantasy figure Conan the Barbarian, ‘Red Nails’ offers a rich tapestry of elements. This tale, first featured in Weird Tales magazine in 1936, marked the final Conan narrative penned by Robert E. Howard, who tragically took his own life soon after its completion.
Years later, efforts were undertaken to bring ‘Red Nails’ to life as a bold and graphic animated movie. The production team announced a lineup of renowned actors, with Ron Perlman set to voice the barbarian, alongside a skilled group of directors.
For Steve Gold, the writer and producer, Conan: Red Nails represented the inaugural faithful cinematic portrayal of Howard’s iconic character.
“No one has ever created a true Conan film,” Gold explains to Mytour. “While I have immense respect for Arnold Schwarzenegger, whom I greatly admire and would be thrilled to collaborate with on a Conan venture, no movie or TV adaptation has ever truly captured the essence of Robert E. Howard’s stories. The depth, grandeur, and breadth of his writing are unparalleled.”
Despite this lofty goal and the widespread belief that ‘Red Nails’ stands as Howard’s finest Conan narrative, the film project ultimately never came to fruition.
Conan Reimagined
A native Texan, Howard was merely 18 when his debut story, ‘Spear and Fang,’ was accepted for publication. For Howard, writing was an escape from the monotony of ordinary employment, allowing him to craft his own schedule as effortlessly as he crafted his own universes.
Like many writers of his time, Howard discovered that creating recurring characters for pulp magazines was a path to financial stability. He developed numerous figures, from Solomon Kane to Kull the Conqueror, but none resonated as deeply as Conan. First appearing in a 1932 edition of Weird Tales, Conan was a fierce warrior navigating the Hyborian Age, his blade cutting through beasts, foes, and sorcery. (He would later ascend to kingship, though Howard preferred to depict Conan’s life in a non-chronological manner.)
Howard’s choice to end his life at 30 may have been influenced by his mother’s declining health and his own apparent indifference to longevity. (At 24, he once stated, 'my best days … lie behind me.')
Conan, however, did not fade away with his creator’s passing. Howard’s tales continued to be published in magazines and later in paperback editions adorned with artwork by Frank Frazetta. This is how many, including animation director Victor Dal Chele, first encountered the character.
“One day, a friend asked if I knew of Frank Frazetta,” Dal Chele recalls to Mytour. “I didn’t. He then revealed a treasured poster of the Lancer paperback cover for Conan the Adventurer, featuring Frazetta’s iconic depiction of Conan standing atop a mountain of fallen enemies. I was utterly captivated. Through this introduction to Frazetta’s art, I was also introduced to the world of Conan. I devoured all the Lancer books and later the Marvel comics.”
In 1970, Marvel launched Conan the Barbarian as a comic series, bringing the character to a younger generation. Despite nearly being canceled after seven issues, the comic eventually gained traction and became one of Marvel’s major hits. This success led to the release of a black-and-white magazine titled The Savage Sword of Conan.
Conan reached the height of his popularity with the 1982 live-action film Conan the Barbarian, starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, which stayed true to the character’s fierce nature. The 1984 sequel, Conan the Destroyer, received a PG rating and mixed reviews. Although Schwarzenegger was signed for more Conan films, he never returned to the role.
Conan’s legacy continued with the animated series Conan the Adventurer, which ran from 1992 to 1993. Produced by Sunbow Productions (known for G.I. Joe), this version was tailored for younger audiences and notably lacked the pillaging typical of Conan’s adventures. A spin-off, Conan and the Young Warriors, followed in 1994.
Steve Gold, who later produced Red Nails, worked on the latter series. “I served as the production manager, and it aired on CBS during the era when Saturday morning cartoons were still popular,” Gold recalls. “The show was carefully crafted to avoid violence, making it a Conan series in name only.”
A live-action TV series starring bodybuilder Ralf Moeller also emerged in 1997, lasting one season. Despite Moeller’s impressive physique, the show failed to resonate with audiences. It seemed no adaptation could fully capture Howard’s vision—a gap Gold aimed to bridge.
“Red Nails” Transitioning from Literature to Film
In May 2005, Conan’s hiatus appeared to end when Swordplay Entertainment, co-founded by Gold, revealed plans for an animated feature titled Conan: Red Nails. The film, based on Howard’s final story, would follow Conan and warrior Valeria as they navigate a feud between two factions within a castle. Dal Chele, known for his work on The Real Ghostbusters and Spider-Man, took on directing and co-producing roles, while Gold, Jonathan Bogner, and David Schwarz handled writing and production. Concept design was entrusted to Michael Kaluta and Mark Schultz.
Swordplay secured the rights to Conan from Paradox Entertainment’s Peter Sederowsky and Fredrik Malmberg, who held control over Howard’s creations. (Malmberg later acquired Paradox in 2015, bringing Conan under his Cabinet Entertainment and subsequently Heroic Signatures.)
“There was a time when Kevin Eastman, co-creator of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and Joe Pearson aimed to produce an animated film, but it never materialized. Later, Steve Gold from Swordplay approached us with the idea,” Malmberg explains to Mytour.
Gold’s script adhered closely to Howard’s depiction of Conan, a level of faithfulness he and Dal Chele believed was absent in earlier adaptations. “We had the two Schwarzenegger films and the two animated TV series,” Dal Chele notes. “Our goal was to stay as true to Howard’s original tales as possible, something the previous films didn’t achieve.”
In Red Nails, Conan is recruited as a mercenary by a group that includes Valeria, a woman from his past. After a fierce battle where Conan decimates an army, he and Valeria seek refuge in a palace in Xuchotl, only to be drawn into a brutal conflict between the Tecuhltli and Xotalanc factions. Introduced to Conan and Valeria by Techotl, Prince Olmec of the Tecuhltli persuades them to join his side. True to Howard’s style, Conan quickly realizes trust is a rare commodity.
Dal Chele believes the film, if completed, would have been rated PG-13. “It could have marked a shift in American animation, as it wasn’t watered down for kids,” he explains. “We aimed for a PG-13 and older audience, even considering an R-rated director’s cut alongside the PG-13 version.”
“Our goal was to faithfully adapt the source material and the essence of Conan,” Gold states. “Violence should never be gratuitous but purposeful, emphasizing its consequences. Even after Conan slays the dragon in an epic battle, he shows respect for the creature—a primal acknowledgment between two beings of the wild.”
Ron Perlman was chosen to voice Conan, with Mark Hamill, Clancy Brown, Cree Summers, James Marsden, and Marg Helgenberger filling out the main cast. A home video release was slated for fall 2006, with the possibility of a theatrical debut if test screenings proved favorable. Success could have led to a series of animated Conan films, but completing the first installment proved far more challenging than anticipated.
The Struggle to Adapt Red Nails for the Screen
Dal Chele recalls the tight production timeline. “The most difficult aspect was completing all preproduction work in roughly six months,” he explains. “Designing the backgrounds, numerous characters, and props was overwhelming. Fortunately, I had a team of talented friends assisting me with the design process.”
True to Conan’s brutal world, Red Nails featured multiple action-packed scenes, including one where Conan and his allies charge into a battlefield, with Conan confronting Baalyaug the Butcher, and another where Conan and Valeria battle their way through a horde of undead soldiers.
Though not a buddy film, the bond between Valeria and Conan is compelling—a mix of rivalry and mutual respect. “Valeria’s journey begins with seeing Conan as a rival rather than an ally,” Gold explains. “She underestimates him, dismissive of his origins and envious of his past triumphs.
“Despite her tough exterior and challenging experiences, it takes time for Conan to earn her trust. In true sword-and-sorcery fashion, Conan proves himself through action, risking his life for her. Once she recognizes his true character, she stands by his side.” In Howard’s universe, this counts as a romantic beginning.
As 2005 turned into 2006 and then 2007, there was still no sign of Red Nails being released—despite the voice cast having finished their recordings and test footage being compiled, some of which leaked online and was mistaken for an animatic or pre-visualization.
“The leaked footage isn’t an animatic,” Dal Chele clarifies. “It’s primarily test footage of the 3D CGI sequences. Scenes featuring Conan, Valeria, and Techotl were created as references for animators to refine into traditional hand-drawn animation. The monster sequences, however, were nearly film-ready, aside from unfinished background coloring and texturing.”
Those brief glimpses were all Conan enthusiasts would ever receive.
Red Nails Comes to a Halt
Just as Swordplay was ready to begin the hand-drawn animation phase, an unexpected obstacle arose: a financial crisis.
“It was an unavoidable disaster,” Gold recalls. “Like hitting an immovable wall. The economic climate became hostile.”
The Great Recession of 2007-2009 caused widespread economic decline, with nearly 30,000 media jobs lost (and 8.7 million jobs overall). Gold explains that this was particularly devastating for a fledgling animation studio like Swordplay, which lacked a proven track record. Studios and distributors became risk-averse, focusing on in-house projects and cutting external investments. A Variety article even highlighted a decline in plastic surgery appointments in Hollywood during this period.
While Swordplay hoped to revive the project, another Conan adaptation took its place. “After Lionsgate’s live-action film released, we realized our opportunity had passed,” Gold says, referencing the 2011 movie Conan the Barbarian, starring Jason Momoa as the hero. Ron Perlman, a Red Nails cast member, portrayed Conan’s father.
The 2011 film underperformed commercially, marking the last time Conan appeared in live-action or animation. (A Titan-published comic series is currently ongoing.) Despite numerous delays, Conan rights holder Malmberg remains optimistic about the character’s future.
“We have a clear vision for both animation and live-action,” Malmberg states. “We’re assembling the project we believe in, navigating the challenges, but at least we’re in charge.”
Gold hasn’t given up hope and believes he might reunite with the barbarian someday. “Conan fans missed out on an epic, faithful adaptation of Howard’s work,” he says. “But the future is unpredictable. We share the fans’ passion for the character. Who knows what lies ahead?”
