Marcus Nispel has been slated to direct the Nu Image/Millennium Films remake of “Conan the Barbarian,” according to Variety.

The long awaited project will end a nine-year development escapade to reboot the Robert E. Howard-created character that was portrayed on the big screen by Arnold Schwarzenegger in 1982.

Production is scheduled to begin later this year in South Africa and Bulgaria.  Lionsgate will share production of the film with Nu Image/Millennium.  Avi Lerner, Joe Gatta and Fredrick Malmberg will produce.

The script is penned by Thomas Dean Donnelly and Joshua Oppenheimer, whose credits also include “Sahara” and “Cowboys and Aliens.”

The Wachowski brothers, Robert Rodriguez, and Brett Ratner were all considered to helm the project but the former two declined, and Rattner failed to commit in a timely fashion opening the door for Nispel who also was responsible for the remakes of “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre” and “Friday the 13th.”