10 Things You Might Not Know About Flash Gordon (1980)

1. Dino De Laurentiis’ Early Interest Since the 1960s, producer Dino De Laurentiis had been intrigued by the idea of creating a Flash Gordon film. Having worked on movies like Danger: Diabolik and Barbarella, De Laurentiis approached renowned Italian director Federico Fellini to helm the project. While Fellini acquired the rights and was briefly involved, the film never materialised under his direction. As a nod to the director, a character named Fellini was included in the final film, which also featured extravagant sets and costumes designed by Fellini’s frequent collaborator, Danilo Donati.

2. George Lucas’ Failed Attempt In the 1970s, George Lucas sought to make a Flash Gordon film but was unable to secure the rights from De Laurentiis. Undeterred, Lucas channelled his creative energy into developing Star Wars instead, setting a new benchmark for science fiction cinema.

3. A Script Struggle Lorenzo Semple Jr. was tasked with writing the screenplay for Flash Gordon. He later expressed regret about the film’s tone, recalling that De Laurentiis insisted on a humorous approach. Semple felt that the indecision between comedic and serious elements led to a chaotic final product. De Laurentiis also approached Sergio Leone to direct, but Leone declined, wanting to create a more faithful adaptation of Alex Raymond’s original comic strips.

4. Casting Sam J. Jones Newcomer Sam J. Jones, a former Marine, landed the role of Flash Gordon after De Laurentiis’ mother-in-law spotted him on The Dating Game. Before this, Jones had only a minor role in the romantic comedy 10 (1979). To prepare for the role, Jones trained in Taekwondo and ran six miles twice a week through London’s Hyde Park.

5. Beating Out Big Names Jones secured the role of Flash Gordon over notable actors like Kurt Russell and Arnold Schwarzenegger. His fresh-faced charisma was seen as a better fit for the role than the more established stars. It also secured him a six-movie deal, at least tentatively so.

6. A Close Call Before Filming Just before production began, Jones was attacked by a group of skinheads in Leicester Square, London. Director Mike Hodges recalled keeping the incident quiet to maintain the actor’s tough image, fearing headlines about their leading man being vulnerable would harm the film’s publicity.

7. Recasting Dale Arden Canadian model Dayle Haddon was originally cast as Dale Arden. However, De Laurentiis replaced her with Melody Anderson after deeming Haddon’s appearance unsuitable, reportedly finding her "emaciated" upon arrival on set.

8. The Massive Hawkmen Scene The Hawkmen sequence required an enormous 60-foot-high and 100-foot-wide blue screen, illuminated by clusters of quartz-halogen lights. This lighting setup consumed a staggering one million watts of power, showcasing the production’s ambitious scale.

9. Dubbed Dialogue Jones left the production after disagreements with De Laurentiis, resulting in portions of his dialogue being dubbed during post-production. Voice actor Peter Marinker stepped in to mimic Jones’ voice, though this fact remained unknown to Jones for years. In 2020, director Mike Hodges revealed that Marinker was brought in after Jones refused to return for post-production work.

10. Plans for a Sequel De Laurentiis initially envisioned Flash Gordon as the first in a trilogy. However, Jones’ departure from the franchise derailed these plans. The situation worsened when a 1975 nude photo spread of Jones, originally published under the alias Andrew Cooper III, resurfaced in Playgirl magazine in 1981. This further tarnished his relationship with the production team, ending any prospects of a sequel.

From behind-the-scenes challenges to its lasting cultural impact, Flash Gordon remains a fascinating piece of sci-fi history, embodying both the ambition and chaos of large-scale filmmaking.