Stephen King's The Dark Tower

[hack slash]

JJ Abrams talks about Star Trek, Cloverfield 2 and Adapting Stephen Kings The Dark Tower

http://www.reelzchannel.com/video/32271/star-trek-cloverfield-2--the-dark-tower

[Just Jeans]

Abrams has had the rights to do it for a while now. Is he finally going to actually do it? :eek: If so, I'm tres excited!
ADDED:
I'm still waiting for the video to stream, but apparently the content consists of Abrams announcing that he and Damon Lindelof have begun work on an early draft of the project.

You know, if and when this happens, I hope that the poster art David Drayton is working on in The Mist is used as the film's actual poster. That was a fantastic painting.

[killingvector]

Abrams is becoming quite a force in filmmaking. The Dark Tower books have the potential to be hugely popular on the big screen.

[Scarecrow]

Sounds interesting. King's non-horror tends to be his best stuff so I think I'll have to check thisout. :)

- Scarecrow

[Just Jeans]

I don't know if I'd call The Dark Tower non-horror, although it certainly is a very different kind of story. There's some potential for some good horrific moments -- particularly under the mountain, when Roland and Jake are attacked by slow mutants -- but I wonder how much of that will even make it into the film?

I also wonder if Abrams is going to try to condense the first and second book into one film, because the first book is a pretty dense story. I really hope this thing turns into a proper franchise and that all seven books make it to the screen, Harry Potter-style.

Speaking of which, I also wonder if they'll be able to utilize things like Hey Jude and Dr. Doom and the sneetches from Harry Potter? It'll be a while before they have to think about these sorts of things, I guess, but they are things that need to be considered.

I'm also curious about whether or not they'll be able to use characters from other Stephen King novels who have already appeared in live-action films, since the rights for those characters will surely be scattered between multiple studios. I mean, if this thing is to be made properly, it's going to be a bit unprecedented in terms of how many characters from different works by King should appear.

I wonder if King will play himself in the series? :X

[Lance Lives]

I've been thinking about the film adaptation of this series since the first time I read the Gunslinger way back in the day. I have to say, I don't really think it's possible...not to be done right anyways. It would have to be done in huge fashion ala Lord of the Rings but there's so much more material and so many problems such as the ones Jeans has already stated.

[Just Jeans]

I think if anyone can turn it into a successful franchise, it's J.J. Abrams. There's just a lot of hurdles he needs to get over -- most of which wont even rear their ugly heads until much later in the franchise -- and he needs to get it in with a studio that will really promote the thing (I'm thinking it'll end up being Paramount, which I'm cautious about).

I still think the concept is better suited to television, but the TV landscape is in such turmoil at the moment that I don't think it would last (if a show like Jericho can't get a leg-up, there's no way The Gunslinger would make the cut).

[Lance Lives]

It would have more of a chance I think because of King's name, but after Kingdom Hospital failed, nothing is certain. I would hate to see this end up as a special on Sci-Fi because it deserves so much more, but it just seems like such an undertaking that regardless of who is at the helm, shortcuts are going to be taken and I'd rather see it left untarnished.

[Just Jeans]

Even Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter feature narrative shortcuts that some of the purists don't like. In film adaptations, it's essential to trim where absolutely necessary but focus on making the bits that are doable the best they can be. That's really all you can hope for in an adaptation of something of this magnitude.

It's never going to be a 100% faithful transition, not even if they did it as an ongoing television series, because some things just can't be done for various budget/logistic/taste reasons. But then even the really faithful adaptations (like The Mist) won't please everyone.

[Cody]

Damon Lindelof (http://blogs.amctv.com/scifi-scanner/2008/09/damon-lindelof-interview.php)

Q: Have there been any developments with your rumored adaptation of Stephen King's Dark Tower series?

A: The Dark Tower is to me every bit as daunting an adaptation as the Lord of the Rings trilogy must have been for Peter Jackson, except we've got seven books we're looking at. And the idea of doing that at the same time Carlton and I are bringing Lost to a close is simply not viable. There are always Dark Tower conversations, but the figuring out of what this will look like as a movie has not begun. If The Dark Tower were in the right hands, I would love to see seven movies executed just right. But you have to get people to see the first one to get them to come and see the second one.

[Just Jeans]

While I hate there doesn't seem to be movement, I'm glad they seem to want to do all seven novels as films. I was afraid they'd want to combine and truncate, but I suppose with Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter getting proper full adaptations, this might get the same treatment.

[JP's Revenge]

BD recently had news that Abrams plans to get going on this once Lost is finished. Makes sense that he and his pal do it... they've been aping DT material for years on Lost.

[Just Jeans]

BD recently had news that Abrams plans to get going on this once Lost is finished.

Leave it to Bloody-Disgusting to make news out of something Abrams has been saying for over a year. :X

I've been secretly holding my breath in anticipation of LOST ending for nearly two seasons, because Abrams & chums refuse to begin work until they're done with it.

The fact that they want to finish LOST first has for a long time left me wondering if the idea is going to be pitched as a television series (or a mini-series) rather than as a film.

[JP's Revenge]

I really hope for a theatrical trilogy... The fanboy in me wants an epic franchise, spanning 7 films, but I'd settle for a trilogy. ;)

TV does not do SK justice... at all.

[Just Jeans]

A trilogy wouldn't do the franchise justice. Mind you, I don't expect them to pull it off very well anyway. For one thing, there are too many characters from too many of King's books that are held in copyright by various film studios, and removing these characters from The Dark Tower cycle would be disastrous to the story. Also, the more time passes, the more I realize that my dream of seeing Ryan Reynolds portray Eddie is never going to happen, and this saddens me.

As far as television is concerned, I think most of the TV productions based on King's work are fine. They range from mediocre (Desperation) to really pretty good (The Stand), at least for what they are. They're not amazing adaptations, but most of them work in their own right. The difference here is that we've got a name like J.J. Abrams attached, and if J.J. Abrams wants to do a big budget TV series based on The Dark Tower (hopefully on HBO, Showtime, or some other network that isn't scared of blood), it could be an amazing experience. I think five seasons of 13 episode each would be plenty to tell the story from one end to the other. If he can get six seasons of LOST planned out with a conclusion, I don't see why he couldn't do something similar with The Dark Tower.

[Cody]

I don't expect them to pull it off very well anyway.

That's my reason for still wanting this to never happen.

[Just Jeans]

Don't get me wrong: I do want it to happen. At the very least, I think Abrams will make a hell of an entertaining film. I'm doubtful of the project's fidelity to the original source, but since when has that stopped a good film from being good? (JAWS is a lot of things, but it can hardly be said to have been devoutly faithful to the source material.)

[Brett H.]

A trilogy wouldn't do the franchise justice. Mind you, I don't expect them to pull it off very well anyway. For one thing, there are too many characters from too many of King's books that are held in copyright by various film studios, and removing these characters from The Dark Tower cycle would be disastrous to the story.

Could you elaborate on that? I don't know how to read, but am interested in which King characters popped up.

I tried reading the first Dark Tower book, quit because reading is for people who don't know how to watch movies, but now wonder about it every now and then because I hear the main character is inspired by The Man With No Name.

[Just Jeans]

Could you elaborate on that? I don't know how to read, but am interested in which King characters popped up.

Characters outside the core cast that are central to the plot are:

Randall Flagg (The Stand) -- This is arguably the most well known of the characters from King's work making his way into the Dark Tower cycle. Until the existence of the Crimson King is made clear, the Dark Man is the central antagonist of the series. He sets Roland on the path that will lead all the way to the Dark Tower, and causes trouble for the Gunslinger every step of the way.

Flagg, having appeared in a number of King novels and having survived the climactic events of The Stand, meets his final end in the seventh novel of the Dark Tower series.

While they never meet her directly, Roland and his group discuss Mother Abigail, and actually visit the world in which the Super Flu has wiped out humanity. Whether this is during or after Flagg's reign of terror is never revealed.


Father Donald Frank Callahan (Salem's Lot) -- He's intricately involved with Roland's quest to fell the Crimson King. About 1/4 of Wolves of the Calla -- book five in the series -- is comprised of Callahan explaining to Roland's group what happened to him after the events of Salem's Lot, and how he ended up on a different level of the Dark Tower. If a film adaptation of Wolves of the Calla remains faithful to the source material, you practically get a sequel to Salem's Lot, free of charge.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/6/67/Fathercallahandt7.jpg
(Callahan in The Dark Tower VII)

Callahan joins Roland's group in book five, and travels with them through book six and seven, until he is killed by minions of the Crimson King, giving his life to save Jake so that Jake might rejoin Roland in his quest. He also discovers that on different levels of the Tower, he is in fact a fictional character (he discovers a paperback copy of Salem's Lot before leaving the Calla).


Ted Brautigan (Hearts in Atlantis) -- I've not seen the film, but the events of the novel lead directly to Brautigan's involvement in the Dark Tower cycle. In the novel version of Hearts in Atlantis, Brautigan is ultimately taken away by Low Men in yellow coats. These are minions of the Crimson King.

Also, while the character of Bobby does not appear in any of The Dark Tower novels, he is somehow connected to Jake Chambers, a central character in the Dark Tower cycle.

I would love for Sir Anthony Hopkins to reprise this, but somehow I doubt that'll happen.


Richard "Dinky" Earnshaw (Everything's Eventual) -- Dinky Earnshaw is the central character in a short story called Everything's Eventual. In the story, Dinky is a 19 year old who is recruited by a company called the Trans Corporation, who are interested in Dinky's ability to do horrible things by drawing complicated designs. They tell him that he's been hired to assassinate sickening criminals -- people the world would be better off without -- but he later discovers he's been used to kill politicians and alternative thinkers. The story ends with Dinky sending a deadly e-mail to the man who recruited him.

In the Dark Tower novels, it is revealed that the Trans Corporation is in league with the Crimson King. As a result of killing his recruiter, Dinky is being held in a prison complex with Ted Brautigan. The pair escape when Roland's group raid the place and aid the Gunslinger in his quest.


Patrick Danville (Insomnia) -- I've never managed to finish reading Insomnia, but I know it is closely linked in many ways to the Dark Tower. Danville is a young boy that is the focus of a prophecy concerning the salvation of The Dark Tower. The Crimson King is trying to kill him during the events of Insomnia, but fails both times.

In The Dark Tower VII, Roland meets Stephen King and obtains a copy of Insomnia, but chooses not to read it -- I don't blame him, the book is dull as hell -- and ultimately decides to ignore the prophecy -- which is probably for the best, as it is speculated within the story that when Gan sent the story to Stephen King, it became muddled in King's mind and is thus rendered useless. In spite of this, Danville (now an adult) is thrust into Roland's care and plays a significant part in the novel's climactic battle.

There are other characters and concepts from throughout King's body of work that turn up in the Dark Tower cycle, but they're too numerous to name. The same works in reverse. A lot of his novels are tied in one way or another to the Dark Tower. Some of these links are so slight that you'd never notice it if you weren't familiar with King's epic.

That's a part of the reason I like King's body of work so much; it's one great big multi-verse. All of his stories exist within the framework of the Tower.

... but now wonder about it every now and then because I hear the main character is inspired by The Man With No Name.

The first Dark Tower book, The Gunslinger, was heavily inspired by Sergio and Eastwood. King found there to be something inherently otherworldly about A Fistful of Dollars, and loved Eastwood's character. This is Roland on the cover of the first comic book (a prequel to the novels):

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/9/93/Marveldarktower.jpg

And here's the revised hardcover dust jacket:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/1/13/Gunslingerrevised.jpg

The inspiration is clear.

And while I'll always love the Man With No Name, I gotta give Roland the edge when it comes to the 'bad ass' factor. The Man With No Name did some bad ass shit, but he never gave anyone an abortion with the barrel of his revolver. :o

[Alex DeLarge]

A trilogy wouldn't do the franchise justice. Mind you, I don't expect them to pull it off very well anyway. For one thing, there are too many characters from too many of King's books that are held in copyright by various film studios, and removing these characters from The Dark Tower cycle would be disastrous to the story. Also, the more time passes, the more I realize that my dream of seeing Ryan Reynolds portray Eddie is never going to happen, and this saddens me.

As far as television is concerned, I think most of the TV productions based on King's work are fine. They range from mediocre (Desperation) to really pretty good (The Stand), at least for what they are. They're not amazing adaptations, but most of them work in their own right. The difference here is that we've got a name like J.J. Abrams attached, and if J.J. Abrams wants to do a big budget TV series based on The Dark Tower (hopefully on HBO, Showtime, or some other network that isn't scared of blood), it could be an amazing experience. I think five seasons of 13 episode each would be plenty to tell the story from one end to the other. If he can get six seasons of LOST planned out with a conclusion, I don't see why he couldn't do something similar with The Dark Tower.

Well, it's not really Abrams; it's Lindelof. Abrams left Lost during the first season and while he's still casually involved, Lindelof is essentially the RTD/Joss Whedon (along with Carlton Cuse). So it's not Abrams they're waiting for on Lost, it's Lindelof, who is still co-writing this, correct?

[Just Jeans]

Lindelof is co-writing and... question mark. We don't really know what his full involvement will be, nor do we know what Abrams will be doing beyond writing.

[JP's Revenge]

A trilogy wouldn't do the franchise justice. Mind you, I don't expect them to pull it off very well anyway. For one thing, there are too many characters from too many of King's books that are held in copyright by various film studios, and removing these characters from The Dark Tower cycle would be disastrous to the story. Also, the more time passes, the more I realize that my dream of seeing Ryan Reynolds portray Eddie is never going to happen, and this saddens me.

As far as television is concerned, I think most of the TV productions based on King's work are fine. They range from mediocre (Desperation) to really pretty good (The Stand), at least for what they are. They're not amazing adaptations, but most of them work in their own right. The difference here is that we've got a name like J.J. Abrams attached, and if J.J. Abrams wants to do a big budget TV series based on The Dark Tower (hopefully on HBO, Showtime, or some other network that isn't scared of blood), it could be an amazing experience. I think five seasons of 13 episode each would be plenty to tell the story from one end to the other. If he can get six seasons of LOST planned out with a conclusion, I don't see why he couldn't do something similar with The Dark Tower.

Couldn't disagree with ya more about the TV productions. Desperation was a complete turd... The Stand wasn't much better, I'd call that just plain 'horrible'. IT was almost 'good', but really, it sucks too.

I somewhat agree that an epic HBO mini-series MIGHT be good... but I don't know, I have too many images of direct to tv SK productions to be all that excited about even a premium channel deal.

One license I would be more then happy to lose in the DT universe is Harry Potter. I don't know what the fuck King was thinking.

A theatrical trilogy could squeeze in enough of the highlights for me to be satisfied... I don't need EVERYTHING that's in the book to be included in the films, truncating such a huge series is fine by me... I just don't want them to cheap-out/screw up what they DO decide to include.

And here's one vote for hoping they tone down the DT universe speak... Just like with Maine accents in the films/tv series, it always comes off as super-goofy and forced.

[Just Jeans]

I don't know what the fuck King was thinking.

King is a huge Harry Potter fan. He reviewed each novel upon release for a newspaper (the New York Times maybe, I can't remember for sure).

I hadn't read any of the Harry Potter novels at that point, so it was no big deal to me. Having now read them, the reference in The Dark Tower is pretty non-substantial. It's practically blink-and-you'll-miss-it.

[Brett H.]

I agree Jeansie Baby, those would amount to a heckuva lot more enjoyment from the hardcore fan. I guess the casuals probably couldn't give a flying fuck, but I certainly understand what that'd mean to you and to a lesser extent, me.

I can't for the life of me figure out how IT and The Stand aren't top notch for horror standards, though. I believe The Stand was almost a 30 million dollar affair and contained at the least 10 very capable actors. The only thing that may have compromised something like The Stand is the fact that, I assume like most other King work, it could have been better represented with an R rating. But, the characters are so strong that I can look past that. It's rare enough in horror that you get people you actually like and can relate to.

[JP's Revenge]

King is a huge Harry Potter fan. He reviewed each novel upon release for a newspaper (the New York Times maybe, I can't remember for sure).

I hadn't read any of the Harry Potter novels at that point, so it was no big deal to me. Having now read them, the reference in The Dark Tower is pretty non-substantial. It's practically blink-and-you'll-miss-it.

I know about his HP obsession... I grew up in Maine, and am obviously a big horror fan... you won't find many bigger SK fans. My first real novels growing up were all King's work.

BUT -- the last few DT books got a little silly, and any HP reference in a King book doesn't fly with me. I haven't read any Potter books either, that's because I'm not interested in them.... and I wish ol' Steve left that shit where it belongs.

I'll never understand the geek-love for The Stand (tv show). Just a piss-poor attempt at a movie.

[Just Jeans]

Are you as strongly opposed to the Dr. Doom stuff as you are the Harry Potter stuff, JP? Or is it just a bias against Harry Potter?

As for the TV mini-series based on The Stand, that's what introduced me to Stephen King. It's the reason I'm such a big fan now. At the time it was made, it was pretty groundbreaking television (in terms of the level of violence and gore you could show on network television). The book is obviously better, but I just don't see what's wrong with the TV mini-series when examined in its own right.

[Brett H.]

Are you as strongly opposed to the Dr. Doom stuff as you are the Harry Potter stuff, JP? Or is it just a bias against Harry Potter?

As for the TV mini-series based on The Stand, that's what introduced me to Stephen King. It's the reason I'm such a big fan now. At the time it was made, it was pretty groundbreaking television (in terms of the level of violence and gore you could show on network television). The book is obviously better, but I just don't see what's wrong with the TV mini-series when examined in its own right.

There happen to be any pre-teen orgies in that one? Yeah... where the hell did that come from in IT? :X

I agree whole-heartedly, but I don't think we're in the minority. Rotten Tomatoes, IMDB and fans alike look at it fondly and I must say that for a 6 hour series, I never felt like it ever dragged on (even as a child) and I loved the characters and actors. The King extended cameo was great, too. I can't even express in words how sad I have felt for Mr. M-O-O-N, Tom Cullen over the years. :cry:

[Cody]

The Stand ruled my life for a while. When that miniseries hit I thought it was pretty much the greatest thing ever.

[Just Jeans]

There happen to be any pre-teen orgies in that one? Yeah... where the hell did that come from in IT? :X

From the same warped part of King's mind that birthed that WTF-inducing fuck scene in The Raft, and the surprisingly out-of-the-blue fuck scene in The Mist. Dude's got a fondness for inappropriately timed fuck scenes. :X

Pity they always manage to screw those scenes up in the film adaptations.

[The Dream Master]

The Stand ruled my life for a while. When that miniseries hit I thought it was pretty much the greatest thing ever.

It scared the piss out of me when I was a kid, no lie. My parents were both huge King fans at the time (my mom still is, I guess, but I can remember our house being littered with King books) so they watched it when it first aired. I went through a phase as a kid where apocalyptic stuff scared the hell out of me, and I think I can trace it back to watching The Stand.

[JP's Revenge]

Are you as strongly opposed to the Dr. Doom stuff as you are the Harry Potter stuff, JP? Or is it just a bias against Harry Potter?

As for the TV mini-series based on The Stand, that's what introduced me to Stephen King. It's the reason I'm such a big fan now. At the time it was made, it was pretty groundbreaking television (in terms of the level of violence and gore you could show on network television). The book is obviously better, but I just don't see what's wrong with the TV mini-series when examined in its own right.

Dr Doom... I'm not a comic book fan, but I'm assuming that was the stuff in Wolves of the Calla, with the boom-bots (or was it doom bots?). I read the last 3 books as they were released in hard cover, so I don't have a crystal clear memory of them.

But assuming that's what you're talking about it, yeah... I knew it was a reference to something, especially with the star wars light sabers and crap... which totally took me out of it. That book was my least favorite of the series.

As for the stand tv show... saw it once on DVD after reading the book sometime around 2000-ish. I just hated it, I remember cringing at the cheesiness of the lines, characters were too closely portrayed to the written word of the book, and not adapted to live-action film. The tall man being a steroid-freak didn't help matters for me... I think I remember being pretty disappointed in the Parker Louis Can't Lose kid, which was a bummer, cause I liked him in that show... Can't really give you specifics 'cause its been so long... but I just remember not liking it at all.

[SlasherFreak]

The Stand is one of my favorite movies. Not just that Im a sucker for long epic movies, but it was really well written, directed, acted, etc. And it stayed fairly faithful to the book.

And as much as I love King...I havent read any of the dark tower books. I've made a point to avoid them until he wraps it up, and he did, and now Im just slacking.

[Just Jeans]

Might want to keep waiting, Di. King is planning to revise books 2-7 pretty heavily. Don't know when, but I know it's something he's keen on doing.

The tall man being a steroid-freak didn't help matters for me...

I don't get this. Jamey Sheridan wasn't a large man at all. :confused:

[JP's Revenge]

You kidding me? He's got a neck on him like Jason Voorhees from F13 '09! :)

[Just Jeans]

Jamey's got a long neck and a big melon, but he's not a big man (http://img5.allocine.fr/acmedia/medias/nmedia/18/35/78/95/18448973.jpg).

[JP's Revenge]

Jamey's got a long neck and a big melon, but he's not a big man (http://img5.allocine.fr/acmedia/medias/nmedia/18/35/78/95/18448973.jpg).

Think sports, Jeansie... not all steroid users look like Arnold.

Big neck/big melon... the #1 physical trait of steroid users (just ask Barry Bonds). And for what its worth... that's the main part of the male human body that I'd be noticing... I wasn't taking peaks at him in the shower, so I couldn't attest to his 'wash board abs', dominating pecs, or other possible attributes.

ANYWAY --- I'm not saying the man used 'roids... I'm saying that he didn't fit the physical appearance that my mind's eye created while reading the book(s). I was thinking more tall/thin and nondescript.

[Just Jeans]

I'm saying that he didn't fit the physical appearance that my mind's eye created while reading the book(s).

These characters rarely end up looking how we envision them when books are adapted to the screen. I tend to envision either people I've met or actors as characters in novels and stories, depending on the way they're described by the author*.

In my mind, the four core cast members in The Dark Tower cycle look like Nathan Fillion and Ryan Reynolds and (a legless) Halle Berry and (a young) Ryan Kelley, but I'm not going to be put off completely if the actors they cast aren't physically similar to how I envisioned them for seven novels.

When it comes to The Stand, the actors I thought were the most physically dissimilar to their novel counterparts were Gary Sinise (Stu Redman) and Corin Nemec (Harold Lauder). Neither actor was very similar to the novel descriptions, but in at least the case of Gary Sinise, that wasn't such a big deal (he's a hell of an actor).

To be honest, I think Sheridan was a much better choice for Flagg than some of the original names they were scouting (Christopher Walken, Willem Dafoe, James Woods, Jeff Goldblum). Miguel Ferrer originally wanted the part. That might have been an interesting direction to go, but I liked him fine as Lloyd.

*King thought Sheridan was the perfect physical embodiment of Flagg, so the author's intention doesn't always match the reader's perception.

[JP's Revenge]

Yeah, I know King had a hand in casting that guy. But like a good song, once a person listens (reads) it, they create their own take on it... at least, that's what Eddie Vedder says.

That actor just wasn't The Man In Black to me... on top of his looks, he was way 'out there'. Like I mentioned above, its been years since I read it or seen the flic, so dead-on examples aren't gonna happen. But I didn't like him in the role... and among a myriad of other problems I had with the mini series, fucking up the main villain tends to ruin it for me. The names you mentioned in your last post would have been much more up my ally... the first 3 especially. Fucking Walken would have owned that shit.

And god... Odetta. Thanks for reminding me about her. She was soooooooo fuckin' annoying. But it'd be funny to see someone act out her 'Detta' lines verbatim, that's for sure. By funny, I mean... goofy, strange, and cringe-inducing.

BTW --- I don't know how much you follow Lost, 'Ed'... but do you draw any parrellels between Richard (on Lost) and the Man in Black? I see some fairly distinct similarities (not the physical debate... I mean character-wise). He seems to be 2nd in command to the higher power on the island, but somehow seems to know more then everyone else, while at the same time, maybe not knowing as much as he seems? It's getting late... I'm probably making no sense. Going to bed now. ;)

[Cody]

Abrams and Lindelof not building their 'Dark Tower' (http://moviesblog.mtv.com/2009/11/10/jj-abrams-will-not-be-building-his-dark-tower/)

It coulda been great! J.J. Abrams and Damon Lindelof — two of the key dudes behind "Lost" — were set to adapt Stephen King's sci-fi/fantasy opus, "The Dark Tower," for the big screen.

Such a seamless fit between material and filmmakers — it coulda be great, but it ain't gonna happen, as Abrams himself told MTV News' Josh Horowitz recently. "The 'Dark Tower' thing is tricky," he said. "It's such an important piece of writing. The truth is that Damon and I are not looking at that right now."

This only confirms what Lindelof said to USA Today in an October interview. "You'll be hard-pressed to find a huger fan of 'The Dark Tower' than me, but that's probably the reason that I shouldn't be the one to adapt it," he revealed (http://content.usatoday.com/communities/popcandy/post/2009/10/a-lost-qa-damon-lindelof-tackles-your-questions/1). "After working six years on 'Lost,' the last thing I want to do is spend the next seven years adapting one of my favorite books of all time. I'm such a massive Stephen King fan that I'm terrified of screwing it up. I'd do anything to see those movies written by someone else. My guess is they will get made because they're so incredible. But not by me."

That's an abrupt about-face for these guys. As late as May, Lindelof told MTV News (http://moviesblog.mtv.com/2009/05/11/damon-lindelof-compares-challenge-of-adapting-dark-tower-to-zack-snyders-watchmen/#more-13144) that he was still gung-ho about the project, though he did seem to be a little bit wary following the blowback from Zack Snyder's efforts to adapt "Watchmen."

"Having seen Zack go through what he went through on 'Watchmen' in terms of saying where can I digress from the material, I just get headaches thinking about changing anything," Lindelof said at the time.

[Just Jeans]

Fuuuck. :meh:

[The Gunslinger]

Fuuuck. :meh:

I'm right there with you, pal. I just started reading "The Drawing of the Three" about a week ago.

These books are what inspired me to write.

[Cody]

Opie has taken over and he's got big plans.

Dark Tower to Become a Film Trilogy and TV Series (http://www.superherohype.com/news/articles/106842-the-dark-tower-to-become-a-film-trilogy-and-tv-series-read-more-the-dark-tower-to-become-a-film-trilogy-and-tv-series)

Universal Pictures Chairman Adam Fogelson and Co-Chairman Donna Langley—along with Jeff Gaspin, Chairman, NBC Universal Television Entertainment and Angela Bromstad, President, Primetime Entertainment, NBC & Universal Media Studios—today announced that Universal Pictures and NBC Universal Television Entertainment have acquired the rights to produce three films and a television series based on the seven epic novels, short stories and comic books from Stephen King's The Dark Tower.

Ron Howard will direct the first film and the first season of television, which will be written by Akiva Goldsman. Goldsman will produce the film through his Weed Road Pictures with Howard and Grazer for Imagine Entertainment. Howard, Grazer and Goldsman will executive produce the television series for Universal Media Studios. Kerry Foster will executive produce the first film for Weed Road Pictures along with Todd Hallowell and Erica Huggins for Imagine Entertainment.

"I've been waiting for the right team to bring the characters and stories in these books to film and TV viewers around the world," said King. "Ron, Akiva, Brian along with Universal and NBC have a deep interest and passion for the 'The Dark Tower' series and I know that will translate into an intriguing series of films and TV shows that respect the origins and the characters in 'The Dark Tower' that fans have come to love."

"The Dark Tower" is Stephen King's opus of seven bestselling novels with, to date, more than 30 million copies sold in 40 countries. The novels incorporate themes from multiple genres including fantasy, science fiction, horror and adventure. After the series was completed, a prequel of comic books based on one of the characters was also published.

"Building a franchise home for 'The Dark Tower' is an exciting opportunity for this studio, and we're thrilled that Stephen has entrusted us to bring his beloved novels to the big screen," said Fogelson.

"Stephen King is a brilliant storyteller who creates imaginary worlds that resonate with the broadest audiences across ages and demographics," said Gaspin. "We are thrilled to partner with our colleagues in the film division and Brian, Ron and Akiva to bring Stephen's vision to the largest audience possible through this innovative multi-platform collaboration."

Howard, Grazer and Goldsman are planning for the first film in the trilogy to be immediately followed by a television series that will bridge the second film. After the second film, the television series will pick up allowing viewers to explore the adventures of the protagonist as a young man as a bridge to the third film and beyond.

"We are excited to have found partners at Universal who understand and embrace our approach to King's remarkable epic," said Howard. "By using both the scope and scale of theatrical filmmaking and the intimacy of television we hope to more comprehensively do justice to the characters, themes and amazing sequences King has given us in 'The Dark Tower' novels. It might be the challenge of a lifetime but clearly a thrilling one to take on and explore."

"The worlds of Stephen King's 'The Dark Tower' series are richly detailed, inter-locking and deeply connected," said Goldsman. "By telling this story across media platforms and over multiple hours—and with a view to telling it completely—we have our best chance of translating Roland's quest to reach 'The Dark Tower' onto screen. We are proceeding with tremendous excitement, fidelity to the source material and, quite frankly, no small amount of awe at this opportunity."

"King has created the most visually enthralling places and characters in 'The Dark Tower,'" said Grazer. "The synergy created across all the media divisions of our partners at NBC Universal to tell this remarkable story is ground-breaking and invigorating. This project will be one of the most exciting and challenging that I will have ever worked on and I am thrilled to be a part of it."

Unprecedented Feature/Network TV Adaptation (http://www.deadline.com/2010/09/universal-lands-stephen-kings-the-dark-tower-and-plans-unprecedented-featurenetwork-tv-adaptation/#more-65742)

I spoke with Goldsman and Howard, who have polled enough of their peers to be convinced what they are doing here has never been attempted: using a major studio’s film and TV platforms simultaneously to tell a story. It is reminiscent of when Peter Jackson directed three installments of The Lord of The Rings, back to back, so that they could be released in three consecutive years.

“What Peter did was a feat, cinematic history,” Howard told me. “The approach we’re taking also stands on its own, but it’s driven by the material. I love both, and like what’s going on in TV. With this story, if you dedicated to one medium or another, there’s the horrible risk of cheating material. The scope and scale call for a big screen budget. But if you committed only to films, you’d deny the audience the intimacy and nuance of some of these characters and a lot of cool twists and turns that make for jaw-dropping, compelling television. We’ve put some real time and deep thought into this, and a lot of conversations and analysis from a business standpoint, to get people to believe in this and take this leap with us. I hope audiences respond to it in a way that compels us to keep going after the first year or two of work. It’s fresh territory for me, as a filmmaker.”

Considered King’s answer to JRR Tolkien’s Middle Earth trilogy, The Dark Tower revolves around Roland Deschain, the last living member of a knightly order of gunslingers, and humanity’s last hope to save a civilization that will crumble unless he finds the Dark Tower. Howard and Goldsman describe the world as “an alternate Americana, one part post-apocalyptic, one part Sergio Leone.”

Goldsman first mentioned The Dark Tower to Howard and Grazer while they worked on A Beautiful Mind nearly a decade ago.

“Akiva said, ‘Stephen will not let go of it, but it’s like nothing else you’ve ever read,’” Howard recalled. “It was frustrating because it’s one of those works where you read it, and then at odd times, the imagery and sensations just pop up in your mind. This is going to be an amazing life experience for us, trying to do justice to the story and the universe.”

King granted an option—for $19, a number relevant to the plotline--to JJ Abrams and his Lost partners Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse. They never cracked the sprawling plotline and all the characters. Goldsman pounced when the rights were available, but saw the same problems until Howard suggested using film and TV platforms. Though Howard famously grew up on a TV screen on The Andy Griffith Show, he hasn’t directed TV since the early 80s, but is eager to return. It seems hard to fathom he'd direct a full season's worth of episodes, but that is the early plan, and who says they have to do 22 to create that bridge to the next film?

The plan is to start with the feature film, and then create a bridge to the second feature with a season of TV episodes. That means the feature cast—and the big star who’ll play Deschain—also has to appear in the TV series before returning to the second film. After that sequel is done, the TV series picks up again, this time focusing on Deschain as a young gunslinger. Those storylines will be informed by a prequel comic book series that King was heavily involved in plotting. The third film would pick up the mature Deshain as he completes his journey. They will benefit from being able to use the same sets cast and crew for the movie and TV, which could help contain costs on what will be a financially ambitious undertaking.

"We will certainly be looking to maximize both creative and fiscal opportunities by creating one enterprise that encompasses TV and movies," Goldsman said. "Some of the shooting will likely encompass both platforms, and that has never been done before. It's thrilling, we feel like kids in a candy story."

Goldsman is writing, and Howard said he and Grazer have cleared the decks to do this quickly. “I’m finishing The Dilemma, and then I don’t have anything scheduled and I plan to work hard on this with Akiva and Brian,” Howard told me. “We will refine our take on the feature and TV shows. We have a clear view of what we want to do, and we’re lucky to have a company with the nerve to back us up on this venture."

[Just Jeans]

Oh. My. God.

Can't express the joy I feel at this news. I really hope they get it right, but with Ron Howard in the drivers seat, I'm not particularly worried about the look of the film. He's a good director. Just get the casting right, people!

I really like how they'll be telling the entire story over the course of the films and books. Looks like they'll be handling the bulk of Wizards and Glass (the prequel novel) in the form of the second season of the TV show.

[The Dream Master]

Just get the casting right, people!

http://www.i-mockery.com/minimocks/prince-of-darkness/ice-cream.jpg

Come on, Ronnie...can't leave Clint sitting on the sidelines for this shit.

[Just Jeans]

...as Randall Flagg? :eek:

[Natman]

Anyone else see the disturbance in the force here?

YEARS I've been waiting for this. Years. This news is monumental to me. And who's taking the writing duties?

Avika Goldsman.

All this time, all these possibilities, and King's magnum opus is handed to the writer of Batman & F****ing Robin.

[Alex DeLarge]

B&R's campy tone was basically dictated to them by the studio. He might've wrote a really interesting Batman script... if the studio wanted that. I mean, he later won an Oscar for screenwriting.

[Just Jeans]

Yeah, his involvement doesn't bother me in the slightest. Batman & Robin was a studio-diddled nightmare, and Goldsman has clearly proven himself a competent screenwriter -- contrary to popular belief, they don't just hand out Oscars to any old hack. He's proven he's a capable writer, he just happens to have turned out some naff stuff. A bit like Stephen King himself in that regard.

I've not seen a lot of his work, but I've got at least one friend who rates A Beautiful Mind as his all-time favorite film, so there must be something to the Howard/Goldsman combo.

[Natman]

I forgot about A Beautiful Mind. But I'm also not a huge fan of either The DaVinci Code or Angels & Demons, so I'm still a little hesitant about the decision. Not for the director. Ron's capable and he's been announced for some time, right? I also do like the format they're choosing to try and adapt everything.

[Just Jeans]

But I'm also not a huge fan of either The DaVinci Code or Angels & Demons...

In fairness, the source material on which those films are based isn't so great in the first place. I think A Beautiful Mind is an adaptation of a novel as well, so I guess we'll have to wait and see how well he adapts The Dark Tower.

As an aside, it's comforting to know that Marvel is on board with this -- insomuch as they're allowed to use plots from the comics -- so hopefully a lot of the Marvel-influenced aspects of the later novels won't be cut.

[SlasherFreak]

Fuck that, I want The Talisman first.

[Just Jeans]

Eh, it'll get done eventually. Probably by Frank Darabont.

The Dark Tower on the other hand, well, I reckon we're lucky to be getting it at all, frankly. It's such a long, convoluted story... I'm surprised they found someone willing to tackle it.

[Natman]

I'm wondering about actors, though. This is a hell of a lot to sign on for.

[The Dream Master]

I'm telling you, Clint Howard will clear out the entire decade to be in this.

[Michellemabelle]

I hope they make Roland an older man. I already have a few of the cast members worked out in my head.

Viggo Mortensen as Roland Deschain (He's in his fifties, which is ideal for the character I would like to see, and he's not bad at playing cowboys).

Vincent Kartheiser as Eddie Dean (I'm probably one of five people who liked his part on Angel. He played a troubled young antihero really well. And for some reason, I can just see him as a former drug addict).

Rosario Dawson as Susannah Dean (I love this woman. She's probably my favorite actress and I can just see her playing the many different sides of Susannah).

Michael Wincott as Randall Flagg (This guy is one of the best villain actors of our time. In all of his villainous roles, most especially Top Dollar, the man just oozes sinister. I could definitely see him as the Walkin' Dude).

[Natman]

I've always had a good bit of cast worked out in my head too. Here's what I thought.

Stephen Moyer as Roland Deschain
James McAvoy as Eddie Dean
Zoe Saldana as Susannah Dean (etc.)
Josh Brolin as Randall Flagg
Nathan Gamble as Jake Chambers
Simon Woods as Cuthbert Allgood
Scarlet Johannson as Susan Delgado
Bill Nighy as Pere Donald Callahan
Stephen Dorff as Mordred Deschain
Malcolm McDowell as Eldred Jonas
Nathan Fillion as The Tick Tock Man
Philip Seymour Hoffman as Jack Mort
Sam Elliot as Steven Deschain
Cate Blanchett as Gabrielle Deschain
Christopher Lee as The Crimson King
and Stephen King as Himself

[Just Jeans]

Unless they ditch the plot point -- which is very possible -- whoever they cast as Roland needs to be able to look young-ish throughout the majority of The Gunslinger, and then made to look convincingly 20 or 30 years older at the end of the first film.

My ideal cast has been, for a number of years, as follows:

Nathan Fillion - Roland Deschain
Ryan Reynolds - Eddie Dean
Gina Torres - Susannah/Odetta Holmes/Detta Walker
Unknown - Jake Chambers
James Cromwell - Father Callahan (reprising the character from the Salem's Lot remake)
Anthony Hopkins - Ted Brautigan (reprising the character from Hearts in Atlantis)
William Saddler - Jack Mort
Daniel Roebuck - Calvin Tower
David Tennant - The Tick-Tock Man
John Glover - Randall Flagg
Bill Nighy - The Crimson King

The problem is that some of these actors are a bit old now to be playing these character. Gina Torres and Ryan Reynolds would have been a lot better for the roles I envision them in 10 years ago, but I'd still love to see 'em do it.

[Natman]

I love Nathan Fillion as much as the next guy, but I really don't see him as Roland. Doesn't have the eyes for it, and Roland has *none* of his sarcasm.

Also, didn't James Cromwell's Callahan die in the Salem's Lot remake?

[Rick]

This is certainly a very interesting way of handling the material. I really hope it works out.
Clint Howard could play Gasher, the crazy diseased guy in The Wastelands that kidnaps Jake and brings him the the Tick Toc man.

[Cody]

Ron Howard talks a bit (http://www.aintitcool.com/node/48064)

Promoting his Vince Vaughn comedy “The Dilemma” on Howard Stern’s satellite radio show Thursday morning, director-producer Ron Howard mentioned a few things I did not know about the "Dark Tower" project.

* He described the project as still being merely in development and seemed uncertain that any component of his version of the project – which would span three Universal big-screen features and a bridging NBC TV series – would reach screens at all.

* The plan now appears to integrate only a six-hour miniseries between the first two movies. If you suck out the commercials, that’s only about 4.5 hours of small-screen time, and I wonder how effectively seven or eight novels and a comic-book prequel can been crammed into three movies and TV show that’s about as long as two more movies. (The limited size does help explain how a big-deal movie director can find time to direct an entire TV series.)

* When asked by a caller if “The Dark Tower” wouldn’t be a good fit for HBO, the filmmaker seemed at first reticent to discuss it, then seemed to indicate that the series might find its way to one of NBC/Universal’s cable channels instead of the less permissive broadcast outlet NBC. (Since NBCU doesn’t operate a censorship-free channel like Showtime, Encore or IFC, I’m thinking Syfy or USA might provide a destination.)

* Viggo Mortensen (“The Lord of the Rings”) and Javier Bardem (“No Country For Old Men”) are apparently the current frontrunners for the role of Roland Deschain. So I guess Deschain might speak with a Spanish accent?

[Natman]

I'm sorry, but you simply cannot fit the entire story into the amount of space they're providing for it, no matter how you slice it.

[Just Jeans]

Sure they can. Three two hour films and a six episode miniseries is more than enough to tell this story. Let's not forget how wordy King can be -- things that take hundreds of pages to explain can be translated to minutes of screen time.

There are things that'll go -- there are going to be rights issues that stop them using certain characters and situations, for one thing -- but if they've got a talented writer, they can absolutely hit all the series' important plot points.

As for actors, I think Viggo is the better of the two choices. Javier is a good actor, but I'm still not convinced he's right for Roland.

[Natman]

You know, I was thinking about that right after I posted. It's true that it probably could be condensed, but I don't know. I still see it as seven films. At least. Hell, book seven could be a six hour miniseries on it's own.

[Just Jeans]

I really think they could stand to condense The Gunslinger and The Drawing of the Three down into a single 3 hour film. The Gunslinger is a really slight novel, there isn't that much going on in it.

I also think the majority of Wizards & Glass and the prequel comics (if they choose to explore those) should comprise the television series, that way they can get a young cast of unknowns, and whoever ends up playing Roland in the film won't have to play him on TV too (except for possibly during the campfire scenes, if they choose to keep those).

At this point though, I'm still not convinced the project is going to happen. Particularly after reading Howard's comments. The Dark Tower has managed to intimidate J.J Abrams and his camp enough to send them on to other projects, so I wouldn't be surprised to see Howard flee as well.

Then there are all the rights issues: everything from Harry Potter to Dr Doom turns up in this franchise. There are a ton of King characters in it too, and the film rights for those characters are scattered all over the place.

[Rick]

They condensed and changed a hell of a lot of stuff in IT for TV and (as hard as it is for me to believe, personally) a lot of people loved it.

[Just Jeans]

I still can't wrap my head round why IT was such a rousing success with people -- book or film. I got about halfway through the novel last year and discarded it in favor of The Dresden Files. It's so boring and long-winded.

Some of King's novels can run-on like that and be pretty good. I liked The Stand and I enjoyed Under the Dome. But IT and Insomnia are two novels I just haven't been able to power through, and in both cases it's because they're overlong and over-egged (and this is coming from someone who managed to read Wizard and Glass without flaking out!)

I wanted to love IT, I really did, but the book just isn't grabbing me. And on re-examining the film, I find that it's so ridiculously melodramatic (even for a King film) and soapy. The stuff with the kids is pretty good, but the stuff with the adults is... painful. And Tim Curry isn't scary. He's flippin' hysterical.

[Natman]

IT was like a brief collection of "best of" scenes from the novel, and ironically left out some of the best moments. I really love both the novel and miniseries, but I want this to be... well, better than that.

I do agree with Jeans on the structure though. The TV series should cover Wizard and Glass and I suppose the comics I still have yet to read.

[Freddy Krueger]

I still can't wrap my head round why IT was such a rousing success with people -- book or film. I got about halfway through the novel last year and discarded it in favor of The Dresden Files. It's so boring and long-winded.



It has to be one of the best books I've ever read, but I can understand putting it down about halfway through if you're not getting into it. The adult scenes aren't as interesting as the flashbacks, but it is indeed extremely terrifying, in my opinion. Not only that, but King is also discussing the bridge between childhood and adulthood, and how easy we as adults forget what it was like to be a kid. That in itself is enough to draw me into the story. That and Pennywise disguising himself as a hobo with syphillis.

But to each his own. I can definitely understand having a tough time with Insomnia. I enjoyed the novel (much more than the mundane Rose Madder which followed), but it took me quite a while to identify and or care about an old man going on walks around Derry.

Though I do suggest giving IT another go Jeans. But give it a couple of years. I just attempted to read IT for a third time, but it had been less than a year since I'd last read the book, so I A) remembered every detail of what was going to happen and B) felt guilty about all of the unread books on my bookshelf. But IT is truly one of the great modern books of horror literature.

As far as the Dark Tower movie and television miniseries is concerned, I'm still not convinced. I want to be convinced, but I just don't know how it's going to work. Three movies covering seven books and a six hour miniseries covering the stuff in between...ehhhh. There's a lot of pages to cover there, and you gotta wonder what they'll have to change if they don't include characters crossing over from other books: I.E. Father Callahan; I just don't see him working, considering no film interpretation of his character has gotten it right. The general public who've never read these books would just be lost.

Tolkien once thought that Lord of the Rings would be unfilmable. He was wrong, but I think King in his genius went about and created the ultimate unfilmable books series.

[Natman]

Father Callahan was a major player in three of the seven novels. I don't see him just being dropped. There are plenty of ways to explain him without losing the audience. I'm sure the majority of readers weren't lost when he was introduced in Wolves of the Calla.

[Just Jeans]

Regarding Father Callahan, I don't think losing the audience will be an issue*, I think rights issues will be the issue. I'm not sure who owns the film rights to the Father Callahan character at the moment -- they may have reverted to King, I dunno -- but if an opposing studio has him, they're not going to want to sell him off cheap (it's the same reason we were never going to see King Pin in the Spider-Man films).

I'm also not convinced we'll see Anthony Hopkins' character from Hearts in Atlantis (even though the feature film apparently did retain the Low Men coming to take him away).

Freddy: I'll probably give IT another try after I've read King's latest collection of novellas. Got that for Christmas, I should really read it this month.

*I've never read Salem's Lot and I've never watched any of the film adaptations, but I knew who he was when he turned up in the Dark Tower novels, and I could follow his story fine.

[SlasherFreak]

But IT is truly one of the great modern books of horror literature.


I agree 100%. IT is my favorite book ever. It's nostalgic for me...one of the first King books I read (completely understanding it is a different story...I was about 11 when I first read it, and was still reading RL Stine [and I proudly still do] and being introduced to King via his short stories...I couldn't really grasp IT til I re-read it a few years later)

I see Jeans complaints though. The adult sections aren't entirely too interesting to me, the middle of the book is pretty slow, and I don't like the diary interludes. But I think the brilliance in the other pages way overshadow it. IT is something I re-read every 1-2 years...but honestly, I do pretty much skim the adult sections, the middle, and the interlude.

Jeans...I would definitely give IT another try...the book REALLY heats up in the July 1958 segment. I can understand it being rough to try to get through, but Im confident you'll be glad you did....

Also...read Salem's Lot...it's my second favorite King book, and something else I re-read every 1-2 years. There's a magnificent illustrated edition with 2 connected short stories (both from Night Shift) and some deleted scenes.

Definitely read Salem's Lot...the films arent entirely too shabby either.

[Rick]

I agree 100%. IT is my favorite book ever. It's nostalgic for me...one of the first King books I read (completely understanding it is a different story...I was about 11 when I first read it, and was still reading RL Stine [and I proudly still do] and being introduced to King via his short stories...I couldn't really grasp IT til I re-read it a few years later)

I see Jeans complaints though. The adult sections aren't entirely too interesting to me, the middle of the book is pretty slow, and I don't like the diary interludes. But I think the brilliance in the other pages way overshadow it. IT is something I re-read every 1-2 years...but honestly, I do pretty much skim the adult sections, the middle, and the interlude.

Jeans...I would definitely give IT another try...the book REALLY heats up in the July 1958 segment. I can understand it being rough to try to get through, but Im confident you'll be glad you did....

Also...read Salem's Lot...it's my second favorite King book, and something else I re-read every 1-2 years. There's a magnificent illustrated edition with 2 connected short stories (both from Night Shift) and some deleted scenes.

Definitely read Salem's Lot...the films arent entirely too shabby either.

I agree with you on IT.
I read it when I was about the same age and see the same flaws with the adult sections being a little under whelming and the Derry sections about the town history were really boring the first time through.
I`ve read IT at least 5 times cover to cover, maybe more. I love that book.
I`ve also read `Salem lot a few times, that was the first King book I ever read.

[Just Jeans]

It seems like most of the people who really love IT read it when they were really young... I wonder if that's significant? Probably not.

I plan to re-evaluate IT when I've finished Full Dark, No Stars.

[Rick]

It might be, the book deals with the power of children and friendship.

[WesReviews]

The New York Post says...

Bale in the Lead

From "Dark Knight" to "Dark Tower?" Fresh off his Golden Globe win for the "The Fighter," sources say Christian Bale has pulled ahead of Javier Bardem and Viggo Mortensen as Ron Howard and Stephen King's choice for "Tower" main character, gunslinger Roland Deschain. We previously reported that Howard's adaptation of King's books has set off a casting frenzy, with agents battling to land their clients roles in what promises to be a blockbuster franchise.

A source said "Dexter" star Jennifer Carpenter is rising on the short list for the role of Susannah, as is French/Moroccan Ghita Tazi.

http://www.nypost.com/p/pagesix/bale_in_the_lead_zFpNlqEJYd5grv6q1V0P4J

[Just Jeans]

susannah was black. stupid hollywood.

[Steve]

Jennifer Carpenter as Susannah? It's been a while since I read the books, but Susannah is a black woman if I remember correctly, and if they mean Susan from Wizards and Glass, her and Roland are teenagers in that story and she dies in it.

Seems like there will be some changes unless I'm remembering stuff wrong.

[Just Jeans]

might be playing susan, if susannah, backstory shot to shit.

[WesReviews]

Now, Deadline is reporting Bardem has been offered the part (http://www.deadline.com/2011/01/javier-bardem-wanted-for-the-dark-tower/).

EXCLUSIVE: After Javier Bardem's terrifying Oscar-winning turn as the assassin in No Country For Old Men, is there any doubt he'd fit as the gunslinger Roland Deschain in The Dark Tower, the mammoth adaptation of the Stephen King 7-novel series that’ll span three movies and a limited run TV series in between?

I'm told that Bardem has officially been offered the lead role by director Ron Howard and Universal Pictures. While formal negotiations haven't yet begun, there's a high level of enthusiasm internally that they've got their cowboy. Akiva Goldsman has scripted the first movie, and will write the TV component as well. Imagine Entertainment’s Brian Grazer is producing with Goldsman and the author. Universal is financing and distributing the films, and NBC Universal Television Entertainment is backing the TV component, which will either be a limited run series or a miniseries.

It has been a heady week for Bardem. He received a Best Actor nomination for his performance as a terminally ill street hustler in the Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu-directed Biutiful, and Bardem and Penelope Cruz just welcomed their first son into the world. Since Deadline first revealed that King, Goldsman, Howard and Grazer were joining forces on the ambitious project that would tell the story on multiple platforms, speculation has been rampant over who'd play the lead role. Bardem has been mentioned, as has Viggo Mortensen and Christian Bale. Deschain is the last living member of a knightly order of gunslingers, and humanity’s last hope to save a civilization that will fall unless he finds the Dark Tower. At the time, Howard and Goldsman told me they saw the trilogy as their answer to the Peter Jackson-directed adaptation of JRR Tolkien’s The Lord of the Ring. Instead of Middle Earth, the venue has an old West feel, which Goldsman described at the time as “an alternate Americana, one part post-apocalyptic, one part Sergio Leone.”

Bardem just wrapped the untitled next feature by Terrence Malick.

Howard plans at this point to direct the initial film as well as the TV component that will create a bridge to the second feature. The plan calls for the original actors to headline the TV version as well. The second film will pick up where the first left off. That would be followed by a TV installment that would be a prequel that introduces Deschain as a young man. The third film brings back the original cast once again return and complete the screen trilogy. So if Bardem closes a deal, he’ll likely appear in all three films and that first TV stint. Imagine's Erica Huggins will be executive producer with Kerry Foster of Weed Road. Bardem's repped by WME.

Two high-scale rumors in one day. I'd say this is very much still in flux, however, with so many rumors, I'm sure it won't be too much longer till we hear an official casting confirmation.

[Cody]

I'd much rather have Bardem than Bale or Mortensen. Just think he's more interesting. Never expected Roland to have a Spanish accent, but it makes more sense than a white Susannah.

[Just Jeans]

If they dig into Roland's backstory, then they'll surely need to cast everyone else to match (his parents, for example). Considering how heavy the story draws on Arthurian mythology, it'll be interesting to see what direction they go with it.

[Cody]

Brian Grazer says (http://moviesblog.mtv.com/2011/03/01/javier-bardem-the-dark-tower/):

"'Dark Tower,' Javier Bardem, that's what we're hoping," Grazer said when I asked him for an update. "We're in the process of trying to put that together. Will that make you happy? Will that make MTV happy?"

Yes, I told him. Very happy! But has he officially signed Bardem onto the project?

"He's locked in psychologically," Grazer said. "He really wants to do it, so we're absolutely rooting for him to do it."

When asked to address other potential cast members, Grazer said they're too busy with Bardem.

"We're really just focused on Javier right now," he said.

Grazer went on to say that in addition to the challenges involved with locking in a lead actor, they'll have their hands full trying to roll-out the project across multiple platforms including film, TV and video games.

"It's challenging to capture all of it, the density of it," he said, adding that he's excited to explore all the metaphors involved, and that the first story they're exploring is that of "The Gunslinger."

[Cody]

Bardem Closing Deal (http://www.deadline.com/2011/04/javier-bardem-closing-dark-tower-deal/)

Javier Bardem is close to sealing his deal with Universal Pictures to play gunslinger Roland Deschain in The Dark Tower, the mammoth adaptation of the Stephen King 7-novel series that’ll span three movies and a limited run TV series in between each film. Director Ron Howard begins production on the first film in September, and he’ll also direct the first TV segment. ...

Bardem's WME reps are putting the finishing touches on the deal, and they are close enough that Howard has begun meeting with other actors to cast the roles around Bardem. It's a complex deal, almost unprecedented, because it calls for Bardem to star in the feature film and the TV component. His deal will also include options for two sequels (the TV program that runs between the second and third films will be a prequel). I'm told it will add up to a career-best payday for Bardem.

[Just Jeans]

I can't believe they're trying to get Bardem for the TV series, too. Particularly if the TV series is based on Roland's early life...

[Cody]

Mark Verheiden To Co-Write, EP NBC Series (http://www.deadline.com/2011/04/mark-verheiden-to-co-write-ep-nbcs-dark-tower-series-with-akiva-goldsman/)

TV, film and comic book writer Mark Verheiden has been tapped to co-write with Akiva Goldsman the NBC TV series The Dark Tower. ...

Verheiden will executive produce the The Dark Tower series along with Goldsman and his Weed Road Pictures for Universal Media Studios. As previously announced, Ron Howard will direct the series, which is envisioned as a bridge between the first and second movie in the trilogy.

This marks Verheiden's return to NBC and UMS following his turn as a supervising producer on Heroes. He also was a writer/co-exec producer on the NBCU series Battlestar Galactica, which ran on Syfy. He most recently served as a co-executive producer of TNT's upcoming sci-fi series Falling Skies, from DreamWorks TV. Verheiden, repped by CAA and Untitled, is also in business with DreamWorks on the feature side, developing Quatermain for the studio, as well as Ark for Sony Pictures for producers Neal Moritz and Mike Richardson. He has written nearly 125 comic books including The American, Aliens, Predator, The Phantom, Superman and Superman/Batman.

[SlasherFreak]

I wont lie.

Im in no way looking forward to this.

Gimme the fucking Talisman mini series before this shit, please.

[Just Jeans]

The Talisman was awful. I wouldn't begrudge the world a film or mini-series based on -- everyone's got their favorite King stories -- but The Dark Tower is so much bigger than The Talisman. Hell, I'd rather see another IT before The Talisman.

[Cody]

The Talisman was awesome. Another one that would have to be handled just right by the right people for an adaptation to do it justice.

[Just Jeans]

I guess I'm going to have to do what I did with IT and give The Talisman another try, not least of all because everyone in the galaxy seems to enjoy it. I haven't tried reading it since I was 12 or 13 years old, and I've tried to re-read most of the books that I read initially when I was a kid.

Maybe I'll come away from it feeling differently as an adult? One can hope.

[Cody]

Budget issues and ticking clock (http://www.deadline.com/2011/05/universal-pushes-dark-tower-attempts-to-trim-budget/)

Universal Pictures has pushed this year's start date on the Ron Howard-directed adaptation of Stephen King's mammoth novel series Dark Tower until February, I'm told. It was supposed to start this summer. The studio will work with the filmmakers to reduce the budget on a series that will include three feature films and two limited-run TV series. Universal has its own ticking clock: It must greenlight the film by July, or the rights revert back to the author and the filmmakers. Recent speculation had Universal contemplating putting the film in turnaround. That hasn't happened, yet.

[Freddy Krueger]

Having just finished the series (Little Sisters of Eluria aside, anyway), you gotta hope that Universal won't go cheap with the adaptation here. Hell, the seventh book alone has great battles and imagery that just needs to be captured on film if you're adapting it. I understand the concern since it's not King's most popular work with the general public, but if you're going to take a risk with the material to begin with then...damn, go all out and take the risk.

[Cody]

Writing it down (http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/dark-tower-stay-at-universal-188326)

The project did hit budgetary snags and the fall start date was shelved. But Ron Howard, Brian Grazer and Akiva Goldsman have regrouped to try to bring the budget down.

Insiders say the end result is that Goldsman is now rewriting the script to reflect a lower price point. No start date has been given although it will certainly not be the fall.

What that does to the involvement of Javier Bardem, who was attached to star in the first movie and the first TV arc, is unclear.

[Just Jeans]

...The Gunslinger isn't exactly the most ambitious novel ever written. The landscapes are barren and there are very few set pieces. Exactly how cheap are Universal going on this thing?

[Cody]

I suspect the first movie will cover more than just Gunslinger, there's probably at least some Drawing in there as well.

[Just Jeans]

I considered that too, Cody, but even The Drawing of the Three isn't all that big in scale. Roland spends the entire novel on a beach dying from a venomous bite, with the occasional step into other worlds (that are regular, every day locations) looking for help. How expensive could that be?

They wouldn't really turn into a budget drain until at least The Wasteland, surely?

[Cody]

I don't know, sometimes money doesn't go very far with these Hollywood things. Wasteland definitely has stuff that would require a step up from the first two books, but maybe they wanted to go nuts with the Slow Mutants mine ride or something.

Or maybe some Wastelands stuff will be in it, too?

I still haven't read past Wizard & Glass yet, saving the Dark Tower re-visit and completion until after I've gone through everything else King, so I have no idea how to divide the series into three movies and two miniseries, I only know half of the events.

[Just Jeans]

Now that I think on it, there's the whole rights issues thing as well. There's a lot of stuff (even early on) that borrows from things that would, presumably, require licensing clearance. I wonder if someone still owns the film rights to Randall Flagg, for example? The Stand came out 17 years ago, but the film is still out there on the market, so I'm not sure whether ABC would still hold the rights to the character or not.

God help 'em when they get into the later novels.

[Freddy Krueger]

Now that I think on it, there's the whole rights issues thing as well. There's a lot of stuff (even early on) that borrows from things that would, presumably, require licensing clearance. I wonder if someone still owns the film rights to Randall Flagg, for example? The Stand came out 17 years ago, but the film is still out there on the market, so I'm not sure whether ABC would still hold the rights to the character or not.

God help 'em when they get into the later novels.

You can't do The Dark Tower without Randall Flagg, though. He is, after all, the man in black that Roland chases through the desert.

[The Dream Master]

Looks like the project is dead (http://www.badassdigest.com/2011/07/18/the-dark-tower-collapses) at Universal.

[SlasherFreak]

Cool.

Now, bring on The Talisman.

[Cody]

King comments (http://insidemovies.ew.com/2011/07/19/stephen-king-dark-tower-universal/)

With the news that Universal has canceled its planned film-and-TV adaptation of Stephen King’s The Dark Tower book series, the author tells EW.com that he’s still optimistic that director Ron Howard will find a home for Roland the Gunslinger on the big (and/or small) screen. “I’m sorry Universal passed, but not really surprised,” he writes in an email. “As a rule, they’ve been about smaller and less risky pix; maybe they feel it would be better to stick with those fast and furious racing boys. I bear them no ill will, and trust Ron Howard to get Roland and his friends before the camera somewhere else. He’s very committed to the project.”

[Just Jeans]

Now, bring on The Talisman.

They'll be taking The Dark Tower to another studio.

[SlasherFreak]

Im actually curious to see which studio would back it.

I just have a feeling if they do this, I'll never get The Talisman :(

[Just Jeans]

Dude, The Long Walk is going to get the Hollywood treatment. If that can make it, so can The Talisman. Just give it time: if Darabont doesn't get around to it, someone else will. :D

[Cody]

Spielberg has the Talisman rights. It went through a situation similar to Dark Tower's, it was going to be a TNT miniseries in 2008 but they dropped it because it was too expensive. They've had script problems during the development as well.

[Natman]

Im actually curious to see which studio would back it.

I just have a feeling if they do this, I'll never get The Talisman :(

I have a very good feeling that if they don't do this we will never, ever see The Talisman. Not the other way around.

[Monkey]

I'd rather see the Dark Tower on HBO. Three seasons; roughly 30 episodes/hours.

[Darth Sinister]

When it comes to money, I think it'll happen once George Lucas works out how to make a $30 million epic look as good as a $150 million feature with effects. Something he's working on now for the live action Star Wars series, so that it could be done. This way stuff like King's work can be done and success or failure, it'll get done and still look good.

[Cody]

Producer Brian Grazer is sounding confident (http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/archives/the_dark_tower_down_to_single_movie_budget_current ly_set_at_or_below_100_mi/#) about the first movie

“We found a way to cut out $45 million out of the budget without changing the scope and actually giving it a good ending,” Grazer said, suggesting a heavily re-worked approach. “In the $140 million draft, the ending wasn’t quite as satisfying. Now, we’ve got $45 million, $50 million out of the way and a really satisfying ending. It’s gonna get made.”

and says the TV portion has a new network (http://movienight.mtv.ca/2011/10/dark-tower-heading-to-hbo/)

Grazer revealed that "The Dark Tower" is still very much on track, so much so that that HBO has come on board.

"We’re going to do ['The Dark Tower'] with HBO," Grazer told us. "We’ll do the TV with HBO, and we’ll do the movie with… to be determined. We’ll do it right."

[Just Jeans]

Fuckin' A. HBO is a much better fit.

I bet they lost $45 million off the budget by losing Bardem. :X I can't believe that film was going to cost so much in the first place. It must have been a joining of the first 2 books, because the first novel shouldn't have cost so much to produce.

[Just Jeans]

The Dark Tower film project picked up by Warner Bros (http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2012/mar/13/dark-tower-film-warner-bros)

The Dark Tower, Stephen King's sprawling fantasy saga set in a world resembling the old west, is back on track after being taken on by the studio Warner Bros, reports Deadline.

Oscar-winning director Ron Howard's hugely ambitious attempt to bring the US writer's self-described "magnum opus" to the big screen faltered in July 2011 when Universal decided to pass on a proposal for three films and two linked TV series, which were to be shown on the NBC network. Warner Bros is now reportedly interested in making at least the first film, and would be in prime position to greenlight the TV element through its sister company, the critically acclaimed HBO channel.

Javier Bardem, tipped to play gunslinger Roland Deschain, is reportedly still on board, and Howard is likely to direct from a screenplay by Akiva Goldsman, who won an Oscar for A Beautiful Mind and also worked on The Da Vinci Code and its sequel, Angels and Demons, with Howard. The shoot may commence as early as the first quarter of 2013.

Howard and Goldsman, who is also producing, have reportedly trimmed the budget for the project following Universal's concerns. The Dark Tower arrives in Hollywood at a time when even high-profile film-makers are struggling to get ambitious projects approved. Last year, Steven Spielberg and Peter Jackson had to settle for making one Tintin movie at a time, rather than the trilogy they had originally anticipated. The Oscar-winning director Andrew Stanton is under intense scrutiny following the failure of John Carter to open strongly at the US box office, despite a reported $300m budget.

A nightmarish jigsaw puzzle of colliding references and motifs, The Dark Tower throws together a bloodthirsty panorama of Sergio Leone-style cowboys, post-apocalyptic mutants, demons and murderers. There are seven books in the original series, with an additional eighth, published last month, slotting in between volumes four and five. More than 30m books in the series have been sold in 40 countries. Howard's proposal for the project would be potentially even greater in scope than Jackson's The Lord of the Rings trilogy, itself a gargantuan eight-year endeavour.

[The Dream Master]

Since WB also has The Stand in development, I wonder if there will be any crossing over with characters and shit. As I understand it, Randall Flagg figures kind of prominently in Dark Tower, right?

[Just Jeans]

Randall Flagg is the main antagonist through the majority of The Dark Tower story. Pretty sure It's set after The Stand in Flagg's lifespan -- I think the final moment of the book showcase him arriving in Roland's world -- but I'm not sure he's using the same face/persona in The Dark Tower novels. It would be neat if the same actor plays him in both The Stand and The Gunslinger, though.

Also, Roland and his group spend a significant period of time in the world where The Stand takes place, so they could possibly use sets from The Stand (assuming the films are shot around the same time; Roland wouldn't make it to that world until one of the TV shows/later films).

Anyone know who owns the rights to Salem's Lot and Hearts in Atlantis? Prominent characters from both of those stories are main characters in The Dark Tower books, too. I wonder how they'll be handled with the films/tv shows.

[The Dream Master]

I should probably read those Dark Tower books I've had for like 3 years!

Seriously, if either of these movies happen (I don't even think The Stand has made it past pre-production yet), it would be super cool to see them intertwine. I love the massive scope of it, and it'd be cool to see a Hollywood studio embrace the fuck out of it and go balls out.

[Cody]

Anyone know who owns the rights to Salem's Lot and Hearts in Atlantis?

Don't know if they still have the rights, but Hearts in Atlantis was a Warner Bros. movie and they were involved with both TV versions of Salem's Lot.

[Natman]

Warner Bros. still owns Salem's Lot.


....I see now how this may have been a very, very good decision.

[The Dream Master]

Come to think of it, Warner's released a lot of King shit: Cat's Eye, Dreamcatcher, IT, Creepshow, The Shining, etc.

Does IT/Pennywise figure into the Dark Tower at all? Imagine the big time pop you'd get from just seeing him show up even for one scene.

[Natman]

It sort of connects in a monumental way... but don't expect to see Pennywise as you know him.

[The Dream Master]

Doesn't IT end up being like some weird space turtle/entity thing?!

Or is that actually in the IT novel?

[Freddy Krueger]

Doesn't IT end up being like some weird space turtle/entity thing?!

Or is that actually in the IT novel?

Actually The Turtle and IT are enemies. It takes a final form of a spider in the novel and film.

[Just Jeans]

I'm pretty sure the creature from IT is a creature that escaped todash space, the same purgatory between dimensions that the creatures from The Mist escaped when the Crimson King attempted to have the Dark Tower bulldozed.

...I can't imagine trying to wrap your head round all that without having enveloped yourself in the lore that King has built throughout his entire body of work in the last 10 years. :X

Anyhow, a lot of King's other work is referenced in the Dark Tower (the hotel from The Shinning comes up at some point, for example) but a lot of things outright cross over with each other. A lot of characters from a lot of King stories end up helping Roland in his quest. Depending on how closely these films and TV shows stick to the books, we'll practically get a Salem's Lot sequel as a part of the package.

[The Dream Master]

While I'm not nearly on the level of King fandom as a lot of you guys are, the possibilities of even minor visual references and crossing over has me really excited (which of course means it'll never happen). Like even a glimpse of Kubrick's Overlook Hotel would be sweet.

[Natman]

the hotel from The Shinning comes up at some point.

http://deadhomersociety.files.wordpress.com/2010/10/treehouseofhorrorv4.png

[Freddy Krueger]

Anyhow, a lot of King's other work is referenced in the Dark Tower (the hotel from The Shinning comes up at some point, for example) .


Really? Man, I don't remember that. I do however remember Eddie reminiscing briefly about seeing The Shining with his brother.

[Just Jeans]

Ha! The Shining, I mean.

Yeah, Eddie talks about the hotel from The Shining when they're trying to save Jake from the demonic house in New York. I can't remember if he mentions it as "a fiction place" or as something that happened in his world, though.