Dating Conan the Barbarian’s creator in the heart of Texas in 1934-1936 The 1996 film tells the story of aspiring writer Novalyne Price Ellis (played by Renée Zellweger) and her time spent with Robert E. Howard (Vincent D'Onofrio), the man behind Conan the Barbarian and other characters such as Kull, Solomon Kane, and Red Sonya. The narrative unfolds in central Texas—specifically Cross Plains and Brownwood—during …