According to The Hollywood Reporter, Eric Johnson — Smallville’s Whitney Fordman — has been cast in the title role in Sci Fi’s Flash Gordon series.
The 22-hour series, which puts a contemporary spin on the legendary comic-strip space opera, is set to premiere in August.
Production is scheduled to begin May 1 in Vancouver. However, casting continues for the parts of Dale Arden and Hans Zarkov.
The first two episodes of Flash Gordon were written by executive producer Peter Hume (Charmed), and will be directed by Rick Rosenthal (Smallville, The Dresden Files).
April 11th, 2007 at 8:38 am
I can’t tell if that’s skewing it a little young or not. Hopefully they get the feel right. I’m looking forward to this more than anything else on TV this summer.
April 11th, 2007 at 10:01 am
He looks the part, I’ll give you that.
Jennifer Connelly as Dale Arden
Sam Neill as Hans Zarkov
Robbie Coltrane as the king of the Hawk People (only because I don’t think Brian Blessed can carry the wings anymore)
Cary Elwes as Prince barin
And Richard O’Brien as Ming.
April 11th, 2007 at 11:43 am
I can’t say why, for sure, but I gotta little love in my heart for Flash Gordon. Perhaps maybe something to do with the Queen soundtrack. I’ll try to catch this if I’m near a tv with cable access.
April 11th, 2007 at 12:45 pm
I think it may skew a little young. I always considered the character to be in his mid-twenties (which Johnson probably is), so at least it would not be a huge leap.
April 11th, 2007 at 2:22 pm
He certainly looks the part. And he’s not a bad actor. I’m looking forward to it.
April 11th, 2007 at 2:32 pm
“I can’t say why, for sure, but I gotta little love in my heart for Flash Gordon. Perhaps maybe something to do with the Queen soundtrack. I’ll try to catch this if I’m near a tv with cable access.”
That movie is a big part of why I love Flash Gordon. And the soundtrack is a big part of why I love that movie.
FLASH A-AHH 
:D 
April 11th, 2007 at 2:54 pm
“Jennifer Connelly as Dale Arden”
She’s beautiful (even without her previous wonderful boob size :p) but she’s 10 years too old, at least.
April 11th, 2007 at 4:41 pm
If you look at the original Raymond strips(as I am currently reading through the first Checker volume now), it’s not skewing young at all. Raymond constantly referring to Flash as a young lad, and the implication in context is late teens and early 20’s at most. Later interpretations such as the Buster Crabbe serials, the Fimation animated series, the live action film etc. have all skewed Flash as older than the original source material by Raymond.
-M
April 11th, 2007 at 8:34 pm
Huh. That’s…actually a really good casting decision.