Looks like we are closer to seeing Stephen King’s Dark Tower being made than we thought.
I kind of hope it never happens, but this is the news so far:
It now looks likely that Imagine trio Akiva Goldsman (‘Batman & Robin’, ‘Lost in Space’) would adapt, Ron Howard would direct and Brian Grazer would produce King’s seven novel series for screen, in conjunction with Universal Pictures.
However, there are two conflicting reports tonight over Imagine’s planned execution of King’s work. Mike Fleming at Deadline hints at a big budget movie trilogy ala ‘The Lord of the Rings’ with potentially a t.v. series to follow, whereas Borys Kit at THR say only the first in the series ‘The Gunslinger’ will be adapted as a big screen movie, with the further six stories adapted for HBO, or another t.v. network soon after.
Despite Stephen King’s elaborate library of horror, this is still considered to be his Magnum Opus.
But its a tough peice of meat to chew in any format. Its one of those adaptations that are just frought with problems before a single word is typed for the screenplay.
The Gunslinger (first book of the seven book series) is a confusing mess of questions, many of which do not get answered until much later in the series. At its core its a journey of a gunslinger hunting down another man. The why unfolds as the story goes. The story is revealed in chronologically jumping mini stories, but still no questions are really answered. The Dark Tower itself is barely explained, and this world he lives in makes no sense. Don’t even get me started on Jake.
But if you JUST read Gunslinger, there is no movie there. Its a massively detailed prologue to the real story. If they make the first book into a movie, they will have to change so much to make it Hollywood appeal that it wont be much of the Dark Tower’s appeal.
I predict this will be a lot like Watchmen.
This amazing peice of work will be made in one way or another (faithful or adapted), people will either love it or hate it. But it will have narrow public appeal and flop critically and financially.
And I don’t have a lot of faith with Batman & Robin and Lost in Space writer Akiva Goldsman with the pen either. Ron Howard gives me some hope.
HBO would be cool. Hell, get the Deadwood cast….My worst nightmare is seeing it in the hands of someone like Joss Whedon….Oh the HORROR!!!!
nvm, id rather see it in some sort of anime film, like afroninga
id rather see it on HBO than in theaters
This series should not be made period. Not by Ron Howard not by any director ever. These are my favorite books ever and I would hate to see hollywood destroy it as they destroy every other book adaption they make. (except for the ring trilogy, I loved those)
I concur with Beejag’s comments…the series dragged after the first three and making this into a movie or even three would be extraordinarily difficult.
This is leaving a bad taste in my mouth already….
The Dark Tower series was an odd read for me. On one hand, I enjoyed the first three novels and found them to be brilliant, if not somewhat confusing and lacking in clarification and details. However the series quickly spun out of control in my honest oppinion, and by the fifth book it was just a drag to get through them.
Now barring my personal oppinion of the series, I have to agree with your comments in the main post. This is not a series, which I can see easily translating to the big screen without huge, (and I mean huge) changes.
If nothing else I am at the very least interested in seeing what the series does end up looking like when it translates to film.
Why not just let them do it, see it or not. It will not destroy Stephen King’s writings. Bring it to theaters, it could be a good time.
If anything it will heighten the audience to The Dark Tower series.
At least it’s not another remake or reboot.
How is it different from a remake or reboot? Its still a film based on a pre-existing work. Just because it hasn’t been a film before, its ok?
Adapting from a book is no different than adapting from a movie.
@ Rodney
I think he means a remake of a movie or a reboot of a failed series. I mean, his argument is flawed – it doesn’t matter if it was a remake or reboot… it’s an adaptation, that’s what is being discussed and that’s what you’re saying. But he just took a wrong turn is all.
Before bashing on Akiva Goldsman, remember that he also wrote “A Beautiful Mind.”
I mean really? a Beautiful Mind was horrible, so boring and uninspired. This should be a painstaking journey between people who are drawn to each other and against their better judgment feel the need to proceed no matter the cost. It is a tale of love and loss, good versus evil, simple as that. If you like the Harry Potter novels I hope you would not want that plague assigned to these works of art! Stephen King is one of the most beautiful writers in the world, what he creates for his readers no one can touch, that is why when they try to make his movies they always fail, they are trying to please the masses, not the fans, it seems they always make them low budget and lose the essence of the story he is trying to convey. I hope that the Dark Tower series becomes exactly that, no matter what station gets it, a series that tells the tale, in order the way he wrote it.
Why not just make it for HBO from the start, or do it on Sci Fi? Sci Fi has made some fantastic miniseries and I’m sure some similar deal could be done for a source material like this as when they got Steven Spielberg to do Taken for them. And Taken was one of the best miniseries ever, IMO. That way you could do the miniseries over 10-15 episodes, have plenty of time for everything and actually have a decent enough budget to make it look good.
I love the Dark Tower series. I only read the comic book adaption though. If they do the comic version it could be a good adaption.
I agree with you. I don’t think this is a good book series to adapt to movie form, and I’m a huuuuuuge fan of the series.
And Rodney, let’s remember: i before e except after c!