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Matthew Vaughn in Talks to Direct Flash Gordon

Matthew Vaughn. Photo: Cindy Ord/Getty

Following the success of X-Men: First Class and Kingsman: The Secret Service, Matthew Vaughn is in negotiations to direct Fox’s Flash Gordon movie, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The film, based on the Alex Raymond 1930s sci-fi comic strip of the same name (which inspired Star Wars), has already seen a few iterations on film: It was first turned into a three-part film serial, starring Buster Crabbe as the the famous space explorer, in the ‘30s and, in 1980, was brought to the silver screen again (this time soundtracked by Queen) with Sam J. Jones in the title role. The comic strip follows Flash, his love interest Dale Arden, and scientist Hans Zarkov, who travel to the planet Mongo to fight its ruler, Ming the Merciless.