We think Brian Blessed said it best: “Gordon’s ALIVE!”
Flash Gordon, the comic strip creation of Alex Raymond, starred in classic movie serials that directly inspired Star Wars, headlined a big and delightfully campy 1980 movie adaptation, and suffered through one truly abysmal SyFy TV series from 2007-2008. But that was yesterday. It’s been a while since this classic pulp icon got the respect he deserved – except perhaps from the stars of Seth MacFarlane’s Ted – so his fans will probably be ecstatic to learn he’s coming back to theaters in a new film from 20th Century Fox.
Star Trek 3 co-writers J.D. Payne and Patrick McKay have been tapped to write the new movie version of Flash Gordon, based on a treatment by The Adjustment Bureau‘s George Nolfi, to be produced by Nolfi and John Davis, according to a new report from Hollywood Reporter. John Davis’s most impressive credits include The Firm, Courage Under Fire, Chronicle and the original Predator. His least impressive credits include Norbit, Marmaduke, Garfield and the Jack Black version of Gulliver‘s Travels. So what we’re saying is, this new Flash Gordon could easily go either way.
It’s too early to speculate on casting or the director 20th Century Fox will hire (although George Nolfi seems to have a pretty solid “in”), but we thoroughly expect a blonde-haired Yale University sports star to save the planet Earth from an alien conqueror named Ming the Merciless, teaming up with the lovely Dale Arden, the brilliant Dr. Hans Arkov and an army of hawkmen in the process. And they’d better bring back that awesome Queen soundtrack. Otherwise it’s just not Flash Gordon, is it?
William Bibbiani is the editor of CraveOnline’s Film Channel and co-host of The B-Movies Podcast. Follow him on Twitter at @WilliamBibbiani.
