Is a Popeye the Sailor Man Movie With Conor McGregor Releasing In 2024? New Speculation Explained

Fans are wondering whether a Popeye the Sailor Man movie starring Conor McGregor is being prepped for a 2024 release.

Is The 2024 Popeye Movie with Conor McGregor Real?

A new trailer on YouTube incited speculation on a Popeye the Sailor Man movie debuting in 2024, which would star former UFC champion Conor McGregor in the leading role.

The trailer shows McGregor sailing through both calm waters and rough waves in the ocean, with one shot highlighting his smile as he dons Popeye's classic outfit.

Along with shots of Diane Lane and Pedro Pascal, McGregor seems to be heard saying, "They’ll feel the wrath of spinach running through my muscles," teasing the character's love of spinach.

To clarify the speculation, this trailer comes from a YouTube channel known for creating fake trailers for hypothetical movies. As is the case with the rest of those movies, the Conor McGregor-led Popeye the Sailor Man movie is nothing more than a rumor, as the trailer is fake.

Will Popeye the Sailor Man Be Made?

For fans hoping that Conor McGregor will embrace the role of Popeye for a movie, that dream appears to be dead on arrival.

Recently, McGregor played a supporting role alongside Jake Gyllenhaal and rap superstar Post Malone in Amazon Prime Video's Road House remake. 

Speaking with The Independent, McGregor called the filming schedule "intense," noting that he was "not sure if [he] will go through it again" on another movie:

"It was hard work, and I’m used to hard work, but the schedule was intense. I’m not sure if I will go through it again, but it’s in the bank, it’s in the history books. Money can come and go, but this film will be there forever."

Barring a change of heart, McGregor's acting career is possibly over after his role in that movie.

As for Popeye, the character has been ripe for a movie for a long time. Genndy Tartakovsky once had an animated Popeye the Sailor Man movie in development before it was said to be canceled in 2015, although IGN reported in May 2020 that it was back in development under King Features.

Variety then reported in March 2024 that Chernin Entertainment and King Features had a live-action Popeye movie in development for a theatrical release. The Sopranos writer Michael Caleo was said to be on board to write the script.

There have been no further updates on how far along into development this new Popeye movie is, with no information on casting, filming, or a release date.