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“Flash! A-ah! Savior of the universe!” These iconic Queen lyrics instantly transport fans back to the 1980 film “Flash Gordon,” featuring Sam J. Jones as the titular hero and Max von Sydow as the villainous Ming the Merciless. The movie has cemented its place as a cult classic, garnering a devoted fan base. Despite this, a reboot has never come to fruition, though there was a moment in the 2010s when it almost happened.
Universal Pictures
Steven E. de Souza, renowned for his work on franchises like “Die Hard,” “Street Fighter,” and “Beverly Hills Cop,” revealed to Den of Geek that he wrote a script for a “Flash Gordon” reboot back in the ’90s. Although it underwent numerous revisions over the years, it was poised for revival until a significant obstacle arose. “Then ‘John Carter’ came along and now ‘Flash Gordon’ is likely shelved for a decade,” de Souza explained. The similarities between “Flash Gordon” and “John Carter” meant that any studio would see the former as a mere echo of the latter.
The 2012 release of “John Carter,” starring Taylor Kitsch, was intended to launch a major franchise for Disney. However, despite the studio’s $350 million investment, the film only grossed about $284 million globally, marking it as a costly misstep. Given this financial setback, studios became wary of investing in another film about a similar hero, as de Souza noted.
While a big-screen “Flash Gordon” revival seems as distant as the planet Mongo, the character did get a shot on television in 2007. A live-action series aired on Syfy, featuring Canadian actor Eric Johnson (known to some as Erik from “Vikings”) as Flash Gordon and John Ralston as Ming. Unfortunately, the series only lasted one season.
Fans of “Smallville” would recognize Johnson for his role as Whitney Fordman, the all-American rival to Clark Kent in the show’s first season. Despite Johnson’s efforts, the series failed to capture the joy and vibrancy of the 1980 film, resulting in a lackluster reception. On Rotten Tomatoes, it garnered a dismal 15% from critics, although audiences were slightly kinder, giving it a 60% approval rating.
There was a Flash Gordon reboot on TV
Syfy
Even though a “Flash Gordon” reboot movie still feels further away than the planet Mogo, the King of the Impossible received his own live-action TV series in 2007. “Flash Gordon” aired for a single season on Syfy, with Canadian actor Eric Johnson (who might be familiar to you as Erik from “Vikings”) playing the titular hero and John Ralston appearing as Ming.
“Smallville” fans who loved the show’s less-than-superheroic take on Clark Kent (Tom Welling) recognized Johnson at the time for portraying Whitney Fordman, the Joe College, all-American lad competing with Clark for Lana Lang during Season One. Unfortunately, Johnson’s charisma couldn’t save the joyless slog that was this latest “Flash Gordon.” Considering how vibrant and over the top the 1980 “Flash Gordon” movie had been, this series lacked the same fun factor and enjoyability. On Rotten Tomatoes, it holds a pitiful 15% critical approval rating, though the audience score is considerably higher at 60%.
Having said that, it’s unlikely that anyone lists the 2007 “Flash Gordon” series above the movie (if they do, make sure they aren’t trolling you intentionally). At least Johnson went on to bigger and better things in his future.
