Director Breck Eisner Discusses His New Flash Gordon Movie

Director Breck Eisner Discusses His New Flash Gordon Movie

The director of The Crazies hopes to turn the pulp hero into a modern superhero movie franchise!

News
By bsprecher - Jul 19, 2010 03:07 AM EST
Filed Under: Flash Gordon
Source: AirlockAlpha



Hot off of his successful remake of The Crazies, director Breck Eisner is setting his sights on bringing back another classic, though this one dates back much further. In a recent interview with AirlockAlpha, Eisner discussed his plans to bring Flash Gordon back to the big screen in big way.

"The comic from 1930s was made into serials in the '50s and '70s, then the director’s version in the '80s. It was campy and the effects were not so good - this version is in no way a remake. Our version goes back to strips from '30s and we will update those and shoot the movie as if the strips were drawn today. It will be an action and adventure sci-fi."

Because of rights issues, nothing from the 1980 movie can be used in his updated movie--which is probably for the best--not even the awesome theme song by Queen.

"We haven't that option. Anything that was unique in the movie, we have to stay away from. Flash, the characters, races ... that's all from the comics so we can use all of that."

Eisner said that his plans are to turn Flash Gordon into a superhero movie franchise.

"It’ll be a franchise for sure. It will be a standalone story, it definitely won't [be] left open for more, but the ultimate goal is to turn it into a franchise. It will be an origins story for Flash. He’s going to Mongo, he’s gonna save the planet and it will have a superhero buy in and will be unique. It is very much a superhero origins story."

What does Eisner think of the terrible Flash Gordon series that aired on the Sci Fi Channel?


"It was crap, total crap. I watched one episode. I don’t want to look at something like that – it was a real disservice to Flash and nobody watched it. What it did was pollute the 'Flash Gordon' name. The series was only interested in doing it on the cheap and 'Flash Gordon' is not a cheap shadowy show in small, dark ships. It’s about Flash saving the whole planet."




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bsprecher
bsprecher - 7/19/2010, 3:21 AM
As riddled with cheese as it was, I loved the 1980 Flash Gordon movie when I was a kid!

There's a lot of great characters and concepts to draw on from the original series, so I have high hopes for this one!
RadHatter
RadHatter - 7/19/2010, 3:30 AM
Eisner seems capable, so I'll remain positive he can deliver something spectacular. No one will ever top the 80's film though, no matter what.
DDD
DDD - 7/19/2010, 3:53 AM
I love that 80's Flash Gordon!
What a wonderful cheesy movie indeed, Brent@!

I hope they do this up right! Give it the flavor
of the original serials! He says he's gonna do
just that!

I like his attitude about doing it up right and
BIG!
BubbaDude
BubbaDude - 7/19/2010, 3:57 AM
Flash......AAAAaaaa!

IMHO to get the spirit of the original it needs to be a 30's period piece.
longbowhunter
longbowhunter - 7/19/2010, 4:34 AM
I'm also a big fan of the 80's Flash Gordon. I wonder if this guy will include Prince Barin in his updated version?
AlexDeLarge87
AlexDeLarge87 - 7/19/2010, 4:49 AM
Max Von Sydow was awesome as Ming.
I hope that Brick... i mean Breck Eisner gives it justice!

Ps. There was a rumor that Timothy Olyphant could be Flash, but i seriously hope that its a lie!:(

By the way that Klytus guy (Ming´s right hand man with the steel face and arm). Did he appeared in the comics?!
Bobsuncorp
Bobsuncorp - 7/19/2010, 5:03 AM
"Flash I Love You! But we only have 14 hours to save the Earth!"

"Do you take this woman?... Do you promise to not blast her into space?"

"DYIIIVVEE!!"

nuff said.
superotherside
superotherside - 7/19/2010, 5:15 AM
whatever this might be interesting...
xkot
xkot - 7/19/2010, 5:52 AM
I hope Eisner was using "superhero" as shorthand, and won't actually make a superhero movie out of Flash. Flash Gordon should be "Indiana Jones" meets the 1939 World's Fair. Or the original "Star Wars" told on Busby Berkeley sets.

His comments about the Siffy series give me a ray of hope he knows what he's talking about.
LEEE777
LEEE777 - 7/19/2010, 6:11 AM
I dunno...

Whats the point on doing a FLASH GORDON movie???

HOLLYWOOD, just do THE FLASH ffs! : p
comicb00kguy
comicb00kguy - 7/19/2010, 6:39 AM
Now THIS I like! Eisner is going back to the original source material from the '30s for Flash Gordon. It sounds like he wants to do this character right, unlike that execrable abortion that aired on Siffy. I enjoyed the 1980 movie, but I would like to see something closer to the original character. Too bad they can't use that great Queen song at all.

xkot: agreed about the "superhero" thing. I think he's using the word strictly in the context of the first film being an origin film, where we see how Flash came to be the great hero he is.
Joe6Pack74
Joe6Pack74 - 7/19/2010, 6:41 AM
The 80's Flash was an awesome movie and still is. The only good thing about the Sci-fi channels Flash was the eye candy other than that total crap.

Matador
Matador - 7/19/2010, 7:49 AM
What no Queen? Well maybe we they can use Queensryche close enough.
rolanddeschain
rolanddeschain - 7/19/2010, 7:56 AM
don't know why people are trying to reboot flash gordon. I absolutely loved the 80's movie, even though it was mst3k cheesy in some ways, the cast was great, and the over the top characters, and the queen score more than made up for the cheese. I just don't see what you can do to make flash gordon an interesting character for todays crowd. I know he wasn't always a quarterback, but what could he be other than a regular guy, put on a whole other planet? I'm glad the director hated the scyfy version, at least he's on the right track in that regard.
superdave789
superdave789 - 7/19/2010, 12:08 PM
GORDONS ALIVE!?!?!?
DeathWalker
DeathWalker - 7/19/2010, 12:37 PM
Oh well......Who wants to live forever??!?!?!?!

Hawkman....DIIIIIIIIVE!!!
ROMACK
ROMACK - 7/19/2010, 3:41 PM
"GO FLASH! GO!"

"....flyin' blind on a rocket cycle?"
Kalabog
Kalabog - 7/19/2010, 5:45 PM
I loooove the 80's version!!!!

I know Director Breck Eisner said it already but here's my wish list...
1. Above everything Queens epic song... even a slightly updated version.
2. Darn it should be a sequel -
3. As a sequel and it doesn't have to be campy he can do whatever he wants
just no more retelling of the 80's version
4. Retain same set design motiff (art deco?)
5. The biggest let down of the De laurentiis's Flash Gordon --
It was mentioned but never featured--- THE BORE WORMS!!!!





r0r5ch4ch84
r0r5ch4ch84 - 7/20/2010, 2:40 PM
@Kalabog- Here's the pros and cons of what you said right there:

#1- PRO! Dude, even the original Flash theme by Queen always sounded a little cheap. You know, like they didn't want to do it but went ahead and made it accidentally epic anyway.
I say we get a version done that's a combo of different bands coming together. Bands like Tenacious D, Queens of the Stone Age, Breaking Benjamin, Dream Theater, The Cult... And they could definitely get artists like Mika, Constantine Maroulis, Glen Danzig, Jason Mraz....oh God the possibilities...
#2- Uhhhh, no the hell it should not. Period.
#3- Stop it....Right-- now.
#4- Pro? Honestly, Flash Gordon in design was always intended to be Lord of the Rings meets Star Wars anyway.
#5- Pro. I would like to see what they could do with them little buggers.

Furthermore the 1980's movie seemed super-condensed to me, they didn't even try to introduce all of the characters from the series. If they make it a trilogy or something that would be epic. It could be the same story from the 1980's movie, just better spread out. You know, give everybody and all the races more time for character development. I mean what they did to the lizard-men was appalling. And they completely left out the lion-men. And it would make a shit-load lot more sense if all of these different kingdoms ruled by ming were continents on the planet Mongo (Mondo?) instead of planetoids... I mean there is cheese, and then there is...well, damn.
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