Sacha Baron Cohen Was Almost Conan the Barbarian’s Best Villain
Sacha Baron Cohen is reported to have been asked to portray one of the best Conan the Barbarian villains, but he ultimately turned the part down.
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A Red Sonja movie is finally coming down the pipeline after years of stops and starts. Production for the sword-and-sorcery epic began this week in Bulgaria. The film was previously set to be directed by Transparent creator and Ant-Man and The Wasp alum Hannah John Kamen. Now, a new report from The Hollywood Reporter’s Heat Vision newsletter reveals that Borat star Sacha Baron Cohen was almost set to play the villain in Red Sonja. The report noted Cohen was offered $7 million to star in the project, but he ultimately turned it down.
Sacha Baron Cohen would have played a character named Kulan Gath, who has a unique comics history in the Red Sonja lure. Originally established as a Conan the Barbarian villain in the 1970s, Kulan Gath was fully integrated into the Marvel Universe and became a popular character in the X-Men comic series. At one point in the comics, Kulan Gath defeated Red Sonja, who had temporarily been reincarnated in the present-day body of famous Spider-Man love interest, Mary Jane Watson. Kulan Gath was recently featured in the 2021 Savage Avengers storyline “The Defilement of all Things by the Cannibal-Sorcerer Kulan Gath,” where he killed most of the Marvel Universe’s heroes. The character had gone up against the X-Men and the Avengers on numerous occasions. His abilities include reality alteration and immortality.
While it doesn’t appear the character will show up in the upcoming featured film, the idea of Sacha Baron Cohen in a Red Sonja movie does sound tantalizing. The English actor and comedian has yet to appear in any comic book movie. His most recent work was doing a voice in the Disney and Pixar animated film Luca. Cohen voiced the character Ugo Paguro, an anglerfish-like sea monster who is the title character’s uncle. Although Cohen has yet to appear in any comic book project, he does have major blockbuster film experience. He co-starred in 2016’s Alice Through the Looking Glass, which was also for Disney. Of course, fans of the actor know of his famous turn as the satirical character, Borat.
A Sacha Baron Cohen Red Sonja movie indeed sounds tantalizing, but fans of the source material may just be glad the project is underway. The film has been in development for years, with director Robert Rodriguez and his production company Troublemaker Studios working on a version since 2008. At one point, actress Rose McGowan was set to play the titular character. After John Kamen left the project, the studio hired director M.J. Bassett to oversee directing duties. Bassett directed films such as 2002’s Deathwatch, 2012’s Silent Hill: Revelation, and 2009’s Solomon Kane. Actress Matilda Lutz is set to play the title role.
Perhaps someday fans will know why Sacha Baron Cohen decided to turn down $7 million to star in Red Sonja. Since the actor already has experience working with Disney, maybe fans will see him appear in a Marvel movie. As of now, the Oscar-nominated actor won’t appear in the upcoming sword-and-sorcery epic.
