Conan the Barbarian is a 3-D sword and sorcery film based on the character Conan the Barbarian created by Robert E. Howard. The film, shot in 2010 and released in 2011, is a new interpretation of the Conan mythology, and is not related to the films featuring Arnold Schwarzenegger. It stars Jason Momoa in the titular role, alongside Rachel Nichols, Rose McGowan, Stephen Lang, Ron Perlman, and Bob Sapp with Marcus Nispel directing.
The film had spent seven years in development at Warner Bros. before the rights were shifted to Nu Image/Millennium Films in 2007, with a clause wishing for immediate start on production. Lionsgate and Sony Pictures entered negotiations for distribution, with the film seeing many directors, prominently Brett Ratner, before settling on Nispel in 2009 and subsequently bringing together a cast and crew. Filming began on March 15, 2010 and concluded on June 5, 2010. The film was first released on August 17, 2011 in four countries: France, Belgium, Iceland and the Philippines.
The film opens with a montage of protests regarding the Civil Rights Movement and Vietnam War while a grim version of "My Favorite Things" plays over them, before cutting to Raoul Duke (Johnny Depp) and Dr. Gonzo (Benicio Del Toro) speeding down the desert of Nevada. Duke, under the influence of mescaline, complains of hallucinating a swarm of giant bats, before going through the pair's inventory of psychoactive drugs. Shortly afterward, the duo stop to pick up a young hitchhiker (Tobey Maguire), and explain what they are doing. Duke has been assigned by an unnamed magazine to travel to Las Vegas and cover the Mint 400 motorcycle race. However, they have also decided to take advantage of this trip by purchasing countless drugs, and rent a Cadillac El Dorado convertible. The young man soon becomes terrified of the drug-filled antics of the duo, and flees on foot. Trying to reach Vegas before the hitchhiker can go to the police, Gonzo gives Duke a tab of "Sunshine Acid" (LSD), then informs him that there is little chance of making it before the drug kicks in. By the time they reach the strip, Duke is in full throes of his trip, and barely makes it through the check-in; all the while hallucinating that the hotel clerk is a moray eel, and that his fellow bar patrons are hideous lizards in the depths of an orgy.
The next day, Duke arrives at the race, and heads out with his photographer, a man by the name of Lacerda. During the coverage, Duke becomes irrational and believes that they are in the middle of a battlefield, so he promptly fires Lacerda, and returns to the hotel. After consuming some more mescaline, as well as huffing diethyl ether, Duke and Gonzo arrive at the Bazooko Circus casino, but leave shortly afterwards, the chaotic atmosphere severely frightening Gonzo. Back in the hotel room, Duke leaves Gonzo unattended, and tries his luck at a quick round of roulette. However, when Duke returns to the room, Gonzo, after consuming a full sheet of LSD, has trashed the room, and is sitting fully-clothed in the bathtub, attempting to pull the tape player in with him, as he wants to hear the song better. He pleads with Duke to throw the machine into the water when the song White Rabbit peaks. Duke agrees, but merely throws a grapefruit at his attorney's head before running outside.
After giving Dobby a proper burial at Shell Cottage, Harry speaks with Griphook the Goblin about breaking into Bellatrix Lestrange's vault at Gringotts bank, as Bellatrix's reaction suggested that a Horcrux may be there. Griphook agrees to take Harry, Ron, and Hermione to the vault in exchange for the goblin-made Sword of Gryffindor. Harry asks Ollivander, the wandmaker, to identify two wands they took from Malfoy Manor. Ollivander says they belonged to Bellatrix and Draco Malfoy, but Malfoy's wand has changed its allegiance to Harry.
At Bellatrix's vault, Harry discovers the Horcrux, Helga Hufflepuff's Cup, despite curses placed on the vault contents, but Griphook takes the sword and abandons the students, as he did not agree to help them leave. The three release the dragon guardian of the vault and fly away. Harry looks into Voldemort's mind and learns that Voldemort has discovered the theft and killed many goblins in retaliation, including Griphook; the sword of Gryffindor disappeared. Voldemort keeps Nagini—his snake and living Horcrux—with him at all times for protection. Harry also learns there is a Horcrux at Hogwarts, in some way related to Rowena Ravenclaw.
Harry, Ron, and Hermione apparate into Hogsmeade, which sets off a Caterwauling Charm alarm. They are rescued by Aberforth Dumbledore, Professor Dumbledore's brother. The discouraged Aberforth instructs a portrait of his younger sister, Ariana to fetch Neville Longbottom, who leads the three friends through a secret passage back to Hogwarts and reunites them with other student allies. Harry asks the students for help in looking for the unknown Horcrux; the only suggestion is the long-lost Diadem of Rowena Ravenclaw, but this has not been seen for centuries.
