Flashman film coming from Ridley Scott

[Brian G Turner]

http://variety.com/2015/film/news/f...fraser-ridley-scott-peter-chernin-1201446608/

Fox is going back to the 1830s and is developing “Flashman,” a movie based on the period novels by George MacDonald Fraser and setting it up with Ridley Scott’s Scott Free and Peter Chernin’s Chernin Entertainment.

The series was first published in 1969 and centers on Sir Harry Paget Flashman, who first appeared as the bully in the influential 1857 novel “Tom Brown’s School Days.” The Flashman character appeared in a dozen of Fraser’s novels and was portrayed by Malcolm McDowell in the 1975 film “Royal Flash.” The character is an antihero who often runs from danger but usually winds up being acclaimed as a hero.

Daria Cercek is overseeing the project for the studio.

 

[Cli-Fi]

http://variety.com/2015/film/news/f...fraser-ridley-scott-peter-chernin-1201446608/

Fox has a knack of turning great ideas into pieces of crap at least in the last few years, so IDK if this will work in their favor. Plus I think people are already starting to get tired of the anti-hero plot at least on TV...

 

[Vince W]

This will turn into a steaming pile. Flashman deserves better.

 

[Dave]

I read all the Flashman books avidly but I can't see it being done properly in the USA. I know Ridley Scott is a Geordie (technically a Sand-Dancer) but without George MacDonald Fraser to write the screenplay I think Vince and Cli-Fi correct about the result of this.

 

[Dinosaur]

I assume large chunks will be edited out to avoid the inevitable internet outrage.

 

[Andersson]

I'm currently reading the Flashman series, I just finished Flashman and the Redskins (#7), and I love the idea of a movie (or series of movies). I think Ridley Scott is a great director but I wonder if he is right for this, has he made any really funny movies? I think most of his movies are pretty dark and serious (in a good way)? Richard Lester would of course be the perfect director (if only he was 30 years younger).

By the way, is the 1975 Royal Flash movie any good? Apparently Fraser himself did not think so (even though he wrote the screenplay himself).

Finally, I couldn't find any more recent news about a possible movie but I did find this:

Dominic West: it's time for a new Flashman film

West would make a good older Flashman but I suppose the movie will most likely feature a younger version.

 

[Vladd67]

No surprise it was in the Telegraph, I can't imagine the Guardian saying it was time for a Flashman revival.

 

[Boneman]

I missed this, last year, any further news on the film? Royal Flash was okay....ish. You didn't have the liking for Malcolm McDowell that you got from the books (or at least, I didn't...) I believe I still have the 3 shillings and sixpence paperback version that has Michael Caine's wife on the front cover. I loved the books, and do hope they get Flashman's humour into the film - if they're doing it. Goes to look... nope, nothing more since last year.

 

[HareBrain]

I saw Royal Flash when I was about ten. As a sheltered child, I was struck by the invective "cabbage-eating bastards", which I then applied to various friends, and impressed that there was apparently a snooker-like game called "pyramids" which I tried to invent from first principles on our own fun-sized pool table.

I hope that helps.

 

[galanx]

A big "Flashman" fan, so let's keep our hopes up. 'Royal Flash' was pretty bad; played way too broadly as farce.

 

[BAYLOR]

It could be a good film franchise.

 

[Andersson]

I eventually managed to get my hands on "Royal Flash". I had been warned in this thread so my expectations were rather low when I started watching, sadly the movie still did not manage to reach them. The serious side of the novels was completely missing and what remained was an incredibly silly, one dimensional and utterly uninteresting portrayal of Harry Flashman.

Though not as big of a complaint as the overall tone of the movie, I also found it very hard to buy into McDowell as Flashman in a purely physical sense. Maybe if they had kept him in uniform it would have worked better but why in god's name did they let him take his shirt off? He looked as physically imposing as a kitten.

 

[Dave]

I have always wondered why I never liked Royal Flash as much as the novels. There is nothing wrong with Malcolm McDowell as an actor, but he was miscast. If this new film is actually happening then the new producers should take note. I think you have all put your fingers on the problem. For all of Flashman's many and varied faults, we still root for him. If he is too unlikable then the film will fail.

 

[BAYLOR]

I eventually managed to get my hands on "Royal Flash". I had been warned in this thread so my expectations were rather low when I started watching, sadly the movie still did not manage to reach them. The serious side of the novels was completely missing and what remained was an incredibly silly, one dimensional and utterly uninteresting portrayal of Harry Flashman.

Though not as big of a complaint as the overall tone of the movie, I also found it very hard to buy into McDowell as Flashman in a purely physical sense. Maybe if they had kept him in uniform it would have worked better but why in god's name did they let him take his shirt off? He looked as physically imposing as a kitten.

I started watching the film and quickly lost interest in it.