Kull the Conqueror
Short description
Kull the Conqueror follows a barbarian warrior who takes the throne of the kingdom of Valusia after the reigning king dies. His rule earns him the loyalty of his people and the affection of Zareta, a slave and seer, but it also makes him enemies among those who expected to inherit power. Those rivals turn to sorcery, raising the witch Akivasha, and Kull must defend his crown and the woman he loves against her ambitions.
The film was directed by John Nicolella, his third feature after Finish Line and Sunset Heat, from a screenplay by Charles Edward Pogue. Kevin Sorbo plays Kull, with Tia Carrere as Akivasha, Karina Lombard as Zareta, Thomas Ian Griffith as General Taligaro, Litefoot as Ascalante and Roy Brocksmith as Tu. It was produced by Raffaella De Laurentiis for Universal Pictures and released in August 1997.
Made for a budget of 30 million dollars, the film returned about 6 million worldwide, a wide gap between its cost and its theatrical earnings. Audiences rate it modestly, with a 5 out of 10 average on TMDB across 164 votes, while its critics' rating stands at 4 out of 10 from 20 reviews. Both measures place it toward the lower end, with critics and viewers landing in similar territory.
What's left behind the scenes
- Initially, the film was planned as "Conan the Conqueror," based on Robert E. Howard's story "The Hour of the Dragon," where Conan becomes king of Aquilonia. However, Arnold Schwarzenegger refused to participate in this film, and Kevin Sorbo, chosen as his replacement, did not want to play someone else's role. As a result, the intended trilogy remained unfinished. The script was rewritten, replacing Conan with another of Howard’s characters – Kull of Atlantis, and the film was renamed "Kull the Conqueror."
- Filming took place in Croatia and Slovakia.
- While preparing for filming and rehearsing fight scenes, the lead actor Kevin Sorbo hit himself with a blunt sword and subsequently requested a rubber prop sword.
Auditions in India
Casting calls in USA
Castingi w Polsce
Кастинги в Україні
