“Never See Blood”: Trick That Earned Sylvester Stallone an Extra $20 Million for Rocky 3, Backfired for Arnold Schwarzenegger’s $18 Million Film in 1984

Arnold Schwarzenegger first came into the limelight as a leading man with Conan the Barbarian (1982). The movie’s box office performance exceeded expectations under John Milius’ direction. It was unapologetic with its visceral and brutal action and, hence, wasn’t family-friendly. However, since Milius was unavailable to direct Conan the Destroyer, producer Dino De Laurentiis appointed Richard Fleischer. However, he also made another change, which massively backfired.

In an interview, the bodybuilding icon and seven-time Mr. Olympia gave his opinion on the change. According to the Terminator actor, the change shifted the tone of the movie and his lead character. While the trick had worked for his then-rival Sylvester Stallone at the box office, it sent Arnie’s franchise into limbo.

The decision stripped the essence of Conan the Barbarian

Action cinema in the 1980s was unapologetic and embraced brutal realism. When John Milius directed Conan the Barbarian, he didn’t scale back the elements of the comics. Robert E. Howard’s comic didn’t shy away from violence or se*uality and incorporated occult themes into the lore. The 1982 film showed all of it. From hard-hitting action to witchcraft and nu*ity, the 1982 film earned its R-rating.

However, Dino De Laurentiis decided to tone down the violence and other adult themes for the sequel. The decision didn’t sit well with the former Mr. Olympia. After playing the character in 1982, Arnie had a grasp of the essence of the barbarian. “I think it’s a mistake,” the Austrian Oak said during an interview.

Schwarzenegger said he was aware of Sly earning $20 million “extra” after he got “a PG rating for Rocky III.” However, “it’s a matter of how much you want to stay within the character’s reality,” said Arnie. “Can you slaughter people and never see blood? Is it possible? You must have battles. That’s part of life, war, and the world of Conan,” Arnie explained in the interview.

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However, in the push to secure a PG rating, many other scenes, including the violent ones, went to the chopping block. In 1984, Sarah Douglas revealed what else got cut.

The Arnold Schwarzenegger film lost footage

In 1984, then-31-year-old Sarah Douglas sat down with People Magazine for an interview. Douglas played Queen Taramis in Conan the Destroyer. During the interview, the actress said she was anxious to see her intimate scene with Arnold Schwarzenegger. However, she discovered the scene had been cut during the screening of the film.

Another scene featuring Douglas, which involved a sacrifice, was also cut. While the sequel made a few million in profits, the reviews were dismal. The disappointing box-office numbers and Arnie’s massive success with The Terminator (1984) resulted in the shelving of the planned films in the Conan franchise.

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Pushing for a PG rating wasn’t the only mistake the Conan the Barbarian sequel made. However, it was a major misstep that stripped the character of its essence. What’s your opinion? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.