Nichols starred as a police detective assigned to investigate the murder of a young boy in the small-scale crime drama "Meskada" (2010), which premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival and received a limited theatrical release in North America. In the 3-D sword and sorcery film "Conan the Barbarian", a reimagining of the 1982 Arnold Schwarzenegger film of the same name. Nichols starred as a master of martial arts, a priestess, and the love interest of the titular character. She performed her own stunts in the high-stakes action scenes and fight sequences, but a double was used for a sex scene with co-star Jason Momoa. Filming occurred between March and July 2010 in Bulgaria, and "Conan" was released on August 19, 2011. Budgeted at US$90million, the film received negative reviews, and only grossed US$48.8 worldwide. "Boston Globe" felt that Nichols portrayed her "pure-blooded innocent" character with the "enthusiasm of a bored office receptionist".