Adaptations
A script for a Flashman film adaptation was written by Frank Muir in 1969, to star John Alderton, and is mentioned in his autobiography A Kentish Lad. A film version of Royal Flash was released in 1975. It was directed by Richard Lester and starred Malcolm McDowell as Flashman, Oliver Reed as Otto von Bismarck and Alan Bates as Rudi von Sternberg.
Sobered by his experience with Lester, Fraser said that further film adaptations of the Flashman books have not been made because he "will not let anyone else have control of the script... and that simply does not happen in Hollywood." He also pointed to a lack of a suitable British actor to portray Flashman; Errol Flynn was always his favourite for the role (although Flynn was Australian): "It wasn't just his looks and his style. He had that shifty quality." The suggestion of Daniel Day-Lewis struck a chord with him and he says that although "He's probably getting on a bit," he "might make a Flashman... He's big, he's got presence and he's got style."
In 2007, Celtic Films indicated on their website that they had a series of Flashman TV films in development. Picture Palace has announced they are developing Flashman at the Charge for TV and that the script has been prepared by George Macdonald Fraser himself. Both companies took an extensive role in developing Bernard Cornwell's Sharpe (TV series). No further news has been forthcoming since this time and the project has been removed from both companies' websites.
Playwright Patrick Rayner produced the radio play adaptation Flash for Freedom which was broadcast in 2002 and again in 2008 on BBC Radio 4. In it the older Flashman was played by Joss Ackland and the young Flashman was played by Rhys Meredith. This was followed by a radio dramatisation of Flashman At The Charge in 2005, with Ackland reprising the older Flashman and Angus Wright as the younger Flashman.
All of the novels are available as unabridged audiobooks read by David Case, with alternative versions of most being available read by either Timothy West or Jonathan Keeble.
Read more about this topic: Harry Paget Flashman