Matthew Vaughn May Direct Flash Gordon Remake

Dust off those old Queen records, as it may at long last be time for us to once again start singing, “FLASH! AH-AHHHH!”

According to The Hollywood Reporter, the esteemed British director Matthew Vaughn is in talks with 20th Century Fox to helm a new take on vintage comic book hero ‘Flash Gordon.’

- Sam Jones Talks Flash Gordon Follow-up
- Guardians Of The Galaxy 2 Plot Hints
- Gender-Reversed Logan’s Run Remake? 

This new take on the property - which has been languishing in development hell for decades - is underway at Fox with producer John Davis and King Features.

A script has been written by  J.D. Payne and Patrick McKay, though if Vaughn does come on board it seems fair to assume he would rewrite it with his frequent collaborator Jane Goldman, with whom he co-wrote his films ‘Stardust,’ ‘Kick-Ass,’ X-Men: First Class’ and ‘Kingsman: the Secret Service,’ as well as the John Madden film ‘The Debt’ and the story for ‘X-Men: Days of Future Past.’  

Arguably one of the most influential pop culture icons of the 20th century (for starters, there’d be no ‘Star Wars’ without it), ‘Flash Gordon’ was created as a comic strip in 1934 by Alex Raymond, and followed the titular deep space adventurer in his endless struggles with the evil Ming the Merciless.

Three film serials ensued with Buster Crabbe in the title role, but for modern viewers the character is best remembered as portrayed by Sam Jones in the outrageously over-the-top 1980 film from the usually sober director Mike Hodges and legendary producer Dino DeLaurentis.

Though it underperformed at the box office on release, ‘Flash Gordon’ has long since become a perennial favourite for holiday viewing, unforgettable thanks to its garish aesthetics, attention-grabbing soundtrack from Queen, and high camp theatrics - most notably Brian Blessed’s performance as the Hawkman, Prince Vultan. (Altogether now - “GORDON’S ALIVE?!”)

The film has subsequently enjoyed a whole new lease of cult status with a new generation thanks to its frequent references - and a notable cameo from Sam Jones - in Seth McFarlane’s hit comedy ‘Ted.’

However, since the 1980 movie the character has only come back to the screen in live action once, in a ‘Flash Gordon’ series on SyFy (The Sci-Fi Channel as it was still called then) in 2007, with ‘Smallville’ actor Eric Johnson in the lead. The show lasted one season and is largely forgotten now - and with good reason, as it really was quite poor.

Though director Stephen Sommers (’The Mummy,’ ‘GI Joe: Rise of Cobra’) was attached to a new big screen take on the property in the early 2000s, the project failed to gain traction until being picked up by Fox last year.

Given Matthew Vaughn’s track record for making A-grade popcorn movies, keeping them light-hearted and fun without dumbing the material down, it’s hard to think of any filmmaker better suited to a new take on ‘Flash Gordon.’

Plus, just as ‘Kingsman: the Secret Service’ made amends for Vaughn (above, with wife Claudia Schiffer) not having directed a Bond movie, perhaps this could make up for him missing out on ‘Star Wars Episode VII,’ for which he is known to have been a contender.

Still, Vaughn is said to only be in negotiations to direct ‘Flash Gordon’ at present. We can but hope those negotiations pan out, as this is most definitely a film we want to see…

- McCarthy ‘Leader’ Of New Ghostbusters
- Gremlins Reboot Gets Writer
- Johansson Eyed For Universal Monster Remake

Picture Credit: Dino DeLaurentis Company, Checker Book Publishing Group, Universal, WENN