The Hollywood Reporter is, well, reporting, that Kingsman: The Secret Service director Matthew Vaughn is in negotiations to direct their Flash Gordon project. You may also remember him as the man who brought us Kick Ass, Layer Cake, and X-Men: First Class.
At last report, Star Trek 3 scribes J.D. Payne and Patrick McKay were to write a script based on a treatment by George Nolfi (The Bourne Ultimatum). Presumably, Vaughn will rework the script (as he is known to do) before shooting begins.
Fill me in on Flash Gordon. Who is he?
Flash Gordon is a cultural icon. The comic strip, originally drawn by Alex Raymond in the 1930s, has been a massive inspiration on an entire generation of filmmakers including a young George Lucas. The strip told the tales of Flash’s adventures on the planet Mongo as he battled its evil ruler, Ming the Merciless. Along the way with his friends Dale and Dr. Zarkov, he meets up with creatures that could only come from the imagination of the 1930s, including Hawkmen and Sharkmen.
It’s been adapted for the screen before?
Yes. In 1936 it was adapted into a 13 part series of the same format as the adventure serials that inspired Star Wars and Raiders of the Lost Ark. In 1980, of course, we got the amazingly cheesy yet oh-so-enjoyable film, complete with the best opening (and Queen song) ever. You may remember the 1980 movie being referenced repeatedly in the recent Seth MacFarlane movie Ted.
What is this movie going to be about?
Nothing is concrete yet, but Den of Geek scored an interesting reveal in an interview last month. According to Sam Jones, the actor who played Flash in the 1980 feature, the new film may not be a reboot so much as a sequel to his movie. But, this being Hollywood, everything can turn on a dime. Vaughn could come on and decide to go in a completely different direction.
If he does go in a different direction, any idea who he will cast?
It’s far too early for that, but assuming it will, most big Hollywood productions work from the A-list down. So, were this a typical process, the top contenders would start at guys like Chris Hemsworth and Tom Cruise. If Vaughn signs on, however, it’s very possible he’ll go with someone lesser known, as his other films have typically gone with upcoming talent such as Daniel Craig (at the time of Layer Cake, anyway), Aaron Taylor-Johnson, and Taron Egerton. It really depends on the budget of the movie. The higher it is, the more likely we are to see a recognizable face in the lead.
When will we hear more?
It depends on how long negotiations last. We’ll keep you up to date. Until then, steer clear of the bore worms.
