After working on X-Men: First Class, Kick-Ass, and the recent Kingsman: The Secret Service, Matthew Vaughn has become a fan-favorite director among comic book and action/sci-fi film enthusiasts. Vaughn is reportedly in talks to take over another popular franchise based on a classic comic strip, as Twentieth Century Fox wants him to take the helm of their highly-anticipated upcoming Flash Gordon reboot.

While most people associate Flash Gordon with Sam J. Jones’ 1980 box office failure of the same name, the character was originally conceived in 1934 by Alex Raymond in the form of a popular comic strip. Vaughn has proven his ability to bring superheroes and Bond-esque spies to the big screen over the past few years, but the exotic planet Mongo which Gordon lands on during his attempt to investigate the cause of meteor attacks on Earth will present the director with a new challenge.

In the comics and various Flash Gordon animated shows throughout the 1970’s and 1980’s, Gordon attempts to lead a revolt against Mongo’s evil emperor Ming the Merciless, with the help of the world’s indigenous Hawkmen, Shark Men and Lion Men. The 1980 film’s attempt at telling the outlandish tale was initially met with widespread criticism, with viewers making fun of the eccentric costumes and Queen soundtrack featured in the film. However, the film has since acquired “cult classic” status, and fans have demanded a sequel or reboot for years.

Twentieth Century Fox picked up the project almost a year ago, with John Davis and King Features producing. Davis spent more than a year acquiring the rights from the Hearst Corporation.