January 17, 2008 - Hitman helmer Xavier Gens was recently rumored to be a contender to direct Nu Image's Conan the Barbarian movie for Lionsgate. A reliable source close to the production has advised IGN that Gens is only one of several contenders that the producers have met with and he has not been hired to direct.

Nevertheless, IGN reached out to Gens this week, and the filmmaker confirmed to us that he has indeed met with Nu Image about directing Conan. If he does sign on to helm the picture, Gens said he "would like to come back to the original material with the influence of the John Milius movie. But nothing is signed, and I have a personal project in first who's name is Vanikoro."

Sahara screenwriters Thomas Dean Donnelly and Joshua Oppenheimer will pen the Conan screenplay based on the characters created by Robert E. Howard. Production is expected to commence later this year, depending on when the writers strike is resolved.