Flash Gordon is back where he belongs – at the cinema. I’m a big Flash Gordon fan. Well not that big (about 5′9″), but I am a fan of the character – be it the old serials or the Mike Hodges camp epic from 1980.
Let’s just skip over the recent Sci-Fi channel series that should have taken Flash back to his roots – I don’t even want to go there.
Neil Moritz, producer of XXX, The Fast and the Furious and Stealth has acquired the rights with the help of Sony – and Sahara director Breck Eisner will take the reins of this Sci-Fi film that could be a franchise starter.
Who would make a good Flash?
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I’d call Matthew McConaughey.
After all he is an “All-American” actor and he has blond hair – a must for Flash.
Or Matt Damon or Thomas Jane.
After that I’m out of guesses!
The story of Flash Gordon follows the titular sports hero transported to the planet Mong along with friends Dale Arden and Doctor Zarkov. There they must fight Ming the Merciless, the evil ruler of Mongo.
Alex Raymond’s character was originally unleashed on the big screen to compete with Buck Rogers ( the rights were recently bought by Nu Image/Millennium Films), and he was first played by Buster Crabbe and then by Sam Jones in Hodges’ film.
George Lucas originally wanted to make Flash Gordon in the 1970’s, but when he couldn’t get the rights he created his own blond haired Sci-Fi character. That film was a minor success.
I’ll keep you posted on more Flash Gordon news as it becomes available.
Source: Variety
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10 Comments
Its ABOUT TIME!
My only request,
Dont MODERNIZE it!
UGH!
I do have a perverse love for that movie. I got it recently on DVD with commentary by Brian Blessed, and it is great to hear him ramble on!
I have a feeling a new version will be slicker, lots of CGI and get lots of press. I also doubt I will love it as much. But you never know.
Not sure about the cast, but Blessed, Dalton and Sydow can’t be beat for me.
Didn’t Sci-Fi channel try this a few months ago, and nobody cared?
I must be one of the few people who actually enjoyed the show on SciFi. Yeah, it was corny and campy, but so were ALL the other incarnations of Flash Gordon. I admit I do have a fondness for the 80’s version though, that Ming WAS Ming!! I’d love to see a GOOD Flash Gordon movie. IF they can have a solid script, a good cast and a director that WANTS a good film, it’s a great story.
McConaughey would be a decent choice for Flash, better than Damon. I’m too tired right now to think of people to play Dale, Zarkhov, Aura and Ming. Although the hottie from Transformers would be a great Aura….
Hope they go the same “tongue in cheek”-approach as the 80s version and not the “try to make something campy into something serious” of SciFi-Channel.
ZAR.
A couple of years ago, I took my family to Las Vegas. While they were gambling and swimming, I went to a Star Trek Convention. At one of the tables, I saw some Flash Gordon posters and paraphanellia, and the guy at the table asked if I liked anything. I looked down and to my surprise, it was Sam Jones.
I also played Black Jack with Marina Sirtis, shook hands with the actor who played Twiki from Buck Rogers, talked with Marta Kristin (Judy Robinson of Lost in Space) and met other actors from Star Trek including Brian Thompson (the Klingon who befriended Ryker when he was first officer on a Klingon ship); Thompson would make a perfect Kurgen for the upcoming Highlander remake.
John, great story. Amazing the people you can meet and talk to at Cons. I’ve met Marina Sirtis (tiny little thing), met Lou Ferrigno a couple of times (dude is HUGE), John DeLancie (”Q”), and the woman who played the doctor on ‘Stargate SG-1′ who was super-friendly.
Vic
Maybe McConaughey but Jane a definate no especially after Punisher. Damon I was say no to as well, I’m not sure he wants to follow best buddy Affeck’s footsteps into an action movie that may not be such a mess, and frankly im not sure Flash in theatres would be. It’s just not cool enough and visually appealing in a cinematic sense like Ironman was. But who knows, im just not a big fan of flash.
Vic, yes she is small but lovely. Brian Thompson is also large but not as big as Lou, I’m sure. I wish I could have stayed the entire weekend in Las Vegas because the next guests were going to be Avery Brooks (Benjamin Sisko), Connor Trinnear (Trip of Enterprise), Patrick Stewart, and the legendary William Shatner.
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