Editing Flash Gordon (section)

==Films==
Most of the Flash Gordon film and television adaptations retell the early adventures on the planet Mongo.

===Film serials===
{{Main|Flash Gordon (serial)|Flash Gordon's Trip to Mars|Flash Gordon Conquers the Universe}}
Flash Gordon was featured in three [[serial film]]s starring [[Buster Crabbe]]: ''[[Flash Gordon (serial)|Flash Gordon]]'' (1936), ''[[Flash Gordon's Trip to Mars]]'' (1938), and ''[[Flash Gordon Conquers the Universe]]'' (1940). The 1936 ''Flash Gordon'' serial was condensed into a feature-length film titled ''Flash Gordon'' or ''Rocket Ship'' or ''Space Soldiers'' or ''Flash Gordon: Spaceship to the Unknown'';<ref>{{IMDb title|27624}}</ref> the 1938 serial into a feature-length film entitled ''Flash Gordon: The Deadly Ray from Mars;'' and the 1940 serial into a feature-length film entitled ''The Purple Death from Outer Space''.

The first Flash Gordon serial remains copyrighted, but the compilation made of the second serial, and the third serial itself are in the public domain.<ref>[https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/75122/rocket-ship#notes Turner Classic Movies]  https://books.google.com/books?id=dQIAoAGnKm0C</ref>

===''Flash Gordon'' 1980 film===
{{Main|Flash Gordon (film)}}
In the 1970s, several noted directors attempted to make a film of the story. [[Federico Fellini]] optioned the ''Flash Gordon'' rights from [[Dino De Laurentiis]], but never made the film.<ref name="sw">[[Dale Pollock]], ''Skywalking : the life and films of George Lucas'' New York : Da Capo Press, 1999. {{ISBN|0786749768}}, (p. 101)</ref> [[George Lucas]] also attempted to make a ''Flash Gordon'' film in the 1970s, but was unable to acquire the rights from De Laurentiis, so he decided to create ''[[Star Wars]]'' instead.<ref name="sw"/><ref name="rm">[[Ric Meyers]], ''S-F 2 : A Pictorial History of science fiction films from "Rollerball" to "Return of the Jedi"''. Secaucus, N.J. : Citadel Press,1984. {{ISBN|0806508752}} (pp. 167-8).</ref> De Laurentiis then hired [[Nicolas Roeg]] to make a ''Flash Gordon'' film, but was unhappy with Roeg's ideas, and Roeg left the project.<ref name="rm"/> De Laurentiis also discussed hiring [[Sergio Leone]] to helm the ''Flash Gordon'' film; Leone declined because he believed the script was not faithful to the original Raymond comic strips.<ref>[[Christopher Frayling]], ''Sergio Leone: Something To Do With Death''. London, Faber and Faber, 2000. {{ISBN|0571164382}} (pp. 6, 377)</ref><ref>Michael Carlson, ''Sergio Leone''. Harpenden: Pocket Essentials, 2001. {{ISBN|9781903047415}} (p.22)</ref> Finally, De Laurentiis hired [[Mike Hodges]] to direct the ''Flash Gordon'' film.<ref name="rm"/>

Hodges' 1980 ''[[Flash Gordon (film)|Flash Gordon]]'' film stars former ''[[Playgirl]]''-[[centerfold]]<ref>[http://www.channel4.com/film/reviews/film.jsp?id=103475&section=review ''Flash Gordon'' review for UK TV's '''Channel 4'''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131226200933/http://www.channel4.com/film/reviews/film.jsp?id=103475&section=review |date=2013-12-26 }}. Retrieved January 2, 2009.</ref> [[Sam J. Jones]] in the title role. Its plot is based loosely on the first few years of the comic strip, revising Flash's [[backstory]] by making him the [[quarterback]] of the [[New York Jets]] instead of a [[polo]] player. Raymond's drawings feature heavily in the opening credits, as does the signature theme-song "[[Flash (song)|Flash]]" by rock band [[Queen (band)|Queen]], who composed and performed the entire musical score.<ref name="CCT">[http://www.coolcinematrash.com/cctmovies/flash-gordon/ Cool Cinema Trash's ''Flash Gordon: Saviour of the Universe Edition'' DVD Review & Summary] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081225014802/http://www.coolcinematrash.com/cctmovies/flash-gordon/ |date=2008-12-25 }}. Retrieved January 2, 2009.</ref>

Riding the coat-tails of ''[[Star Wars (film)|Star Wars]]'', ''[[Superman (1978 film)|Superman]]'', and ''[[Star Trek: The Motion Picture]]'', ''Flash Gordon'' was not a critical success on release. [[Melody Anderson]] co-starred with Jones as Dale Arden, alongside [[Chaim Topol]] as Dr. Hans Zarkov, [[Max von Sydow]] as Ming, [[Timothy Dalton]] as Prince Barin, [[Brian Blessed]] as Prince Vultan, [[Peter Wyngarde]] as Klytus and [[Ornella Muti]] as Princess Aura. Produced by [[Dino De Laurentiis]], with ornate production designs and costumes by [[Danilo Donati]], the bright colors and retro effects were inspired directly by the comic strip and 1930s serials.<ref name="CCT"/>

Brian Blessed's performance as the Hawkman leader [[Prince Vultan]] lodged the veteran stage and screen actor into the collective consciousness for the utterance of a single line&nbsp;&ndash; "GORDON'S ALIVE?!"&nbsp;&ndash; which, more than 30 years later, remained the most repeated, reused, and recycled quotation from both the film and Blessed's career.<ref>[https://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A2207279 "Brian Blessed" at the BBC's H2G2] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101105185220/http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A2207279 |date=2010-11-05 }}. Retrieved January 2, 2009.</ref><ref>[http://www.dwscifi.com/news/2001-gordon-s-alive-flash-returns-to-cinema-screens "Gordon's Alive! Flash returns to cinema screens"] {{webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20120730020751/http://www.dwscifi.com/news/2001-gordon-s-alive-flash-returns-to-cinema-screens |date=2012-07-30}}, May 21, 2008, report for [[Dreamwatch]]'s ''Total Sci-Fi'' website. Retrieved January 2, 2009.</ref><ref>The singular phrase was much-used to refer to British [[Prime Minister]] [[Gordon Brown]], including [http://www.accountingweb.co.uk/cgi-bin/item.cgi?id=189641&d=1061&h=0&f=0&dateformat=%25o%20%25B%20%25Y Glen John Feechan's Accounting blog] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081219065455/http://www.accountingweb.co.uk/cgi-bin/item.cgi?id=189641&d=1061&h=0&f=0&dateformat=%25o%20%25B%20%25Y |date=2008-12-19 }}; Blessed himself on ''[[Have I Got News For You]]'' [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W1gwVIhJ8II Series 35, episode 3] (broadcast on [[BBC1]], May 2, 2008); [[Steven Poole]] [https://www.theguardian.com/books/2006/sep/30/featuresreviews.guardianreview10 reviewing ''Gordon Brown: Speeches 1997–2006''] for the ''[[Guardian (newspaper)|Guardian]]'' newspaper, etc.</ref>

The film's cult status led it to feature heavily in the comedy films ''[[Ted (film)|Ted]]'' (2012) and ''[[Ted 2]]'' (2015) causing a resurgence in interest in the film.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2016/sep/11/flash-gordon-star-sam-j-jones-seth-macfarlane-and-/|title='Flash Gordon' star Sam J. Jones on Seth MacFarlane and 'Ted' films|newspaper=The Washington Times|access-date=2018-04-15|language=en-US|archive-date=2018-04-15|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180415190335/https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2016/sep/11/flash-gordon-star-sam-j-jones-seth-macfarlane-and-/|url-status=live}}</ref>

===Unofficial films===
In 1967, a low-budget Turkish adaptation of the comic was made, called ''Flash Gordon's Battle in Space'' (''Baytekin – Fezada Çarpisanlar'' in Turkish). Hasan Demirtag played Flash Gordan.<ref name="sfe" /><ref>Giovanni Scognamillo and Metin Demirhan, ''Fantastik Türk sineması''. İstanbul : Kabalcı Yayınevi, 1999.  {{ISBN|975824020X}} (p. 37)</ref>

Robb Pratt, director of the popular fan film ''Superman Classic'', made ''[[Flash Gordon Classic]]'', released in May 2015. The traditionally animated short features the characters Flash Gordon, girlfriend Dale Arden, sidekick Dr. Hans Zarkov, antagonist Ming the Merciless, and Princess Aura.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://animatedviews.com/2013/superman-classic-creator-robb-pratt-unveils-flash-gordon-classic/ |title=''Superman Classic'' creator Robb Pratt unveils ''Flash Gordon Classic'' |publisher=AnimatedViews.com |date=2013-04-15 |access-date=2013-04-16 |archive-date=2013-04-18 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130418235933/http://animatedviews.com/2013/superman-classic-creator-robb-pratt-unveils-flash-gordon-classic/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

===Possible future films===
In 2010, [[Breck Eisner]] expressed interest to direct a 3D film version of Flash Gordon.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.collider.com/2010/02/23/director-breck-eisner-exclusive-interview-the-crazies-plus-an-update-on-flash-gordon/ |title=Director Breck Eisner Exclusive Interview The Crazies &ndash; Plus an Update on ''Flash Gordon'' |publisher=Collider.com |date=2010-02-23 |access-date=2010-12-14 |archive-date=2010-12-09 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101209045700/http://www.collider.com/2010/02/23/director-breck-eisner-exclusive-interview-the-crazies-plus-an-update-on-flash-gordon |url-status=dead }}</ref> Since April 2014, [[20th Century Fox]] was developing the ''Flash Gordon'' reboot with [[J. D. Payne and Patrick McKay]] writing the film's script.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/flash-gordon-movie-works-at-698291|title='Flash Gordon' Movie in the Works at Fox (Exclusive)|work=The Hollywood Reporter|date=April 22, 2014|access-date=2014-04-22|archive-date=2014-04-23|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140423142310/http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/flash-gordon-movie-works-at-698291|url-status=live}}</ref> [[Matthew Vaughn]] was in talks to direct the film.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/matthew-vaughn-talks-direct-flash-788921|title=Matthew Vaughn in Talks to Direct 'Flash Gordon' (Exclusive)|work=The Hollywood Reporter|date=April 15, 2015|access-date=2015-04-15}}</ref> [[Mark Protosevich]] was hired to rewrite the film's script.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hitfix.com/motion-captured/mark-protosevich-hired-to-rewrite-matthew-vaughns-flash-gordon-for-fox|title=Mark Protosevich Hired To Rewrite Matthew Vaughn's 'Flash Gordon' For Fox|work=Hitfix|last=McWeeny|first=Drew|date=January 2016|access-date=2016-01-17|archive-date=2016-06-10|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160610132101/http://www.hitfix.com/motion-captured/mark-protosevich-hired-to-rewrite-matthew-vaughns-flash-gordon-for-fox|url-status=live}}</ref> [[Julius Avery]] was later signed to write and direct film, with Vaughn as producer alongside [[John Davis (producer)|John Davis]].<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://deadline.com/2018/10/flash-gordon-julius-avery-overlord-fox-1202492382/|title='Overlord' Helmer Julius Avery To Direct 'Flash Gordon' Movie At Fox|magazine=Deadline|last=Fleming|first=Mike Jr.|date=October 30, 2018|access-date=October 30, 2018|archive-date=October 30, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181030230546/https://deadline.com/2018/10/flash-gordon-julius-avery-overlord-fox-1202492382/|url-status=live}}</ref> An animated film was under development at Disney/Fox with [[Taika Waititi]] writing and directing.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://deadline.com/2019/06/taika-waititi-flash-gordon-animated-movie-thor-ragnarok-jojo-rabbit-fox-disney-1202637059/|title=Taika Waititi To "Crack" 'Flash Gordon' As Fox/Disney Animated Film|magazine=Deadline|last=Fleming|first=Mike Jr.|date=June 24, 2019|access-date=June 25, 2019|archive-date=June 24, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190624222924/https://deadline.com/2019/06/taika-waititi-flash-gordon-animated-movie-thor-ragnarok-jojo-rabbit-fox-disney-1202637059/|url-status=live}}</ref> In August 2019, the animated film was believed to be cancelled,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://comicbook.com/movies/2019/08/08/disney-is-scrapping-a-bunch-of-major-fox-movies/ |title=Disney Is Scrapping A Bunch Of Major Fox Movies |website=[[ComicBook.com]] |date=August 8, 2019 |access-date=July 31, 2021 |archive-date=June 11, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240611021231/https://comicbook.com/movies/news/disney-is-scrapping-a-bunch-of-major-fox-movies/#4 |url-status=live }}</ref> but in July 2021, producers [[John Davis (producer)|John Davis]] and John Fox revealed that Waititi was still working on the film, albeit it would now be live action instead of animation.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2021-07-30|title=Exclusive: Taika Waititi's Animated 'Flash Gordon' Movie Is Now Live-Action|url=https://collider.com/taika-waititi-flash-gordon-movie-live-action-new-details/|access-date=2021-07-30|website=Collider|language=en-US|archive-date=2024-06-11|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240611021250/https://collider.com/taika-waititi-flash-gordon-movie-live-action-new-details/|url-status=live}}</ref>