Apr 30, 2010 by Courtney O.
Stephen King's The Dark Tower in the Works
Stephen King's The Dark Tower gets new life
According to Variety, the first book, "The Dark Tower: The Gunslinger" was published in 1982. The final book, "The Dark Tower VII," was published in 2004.
The project was in development at J.J. Abrams' Bad Robot banner, but hasn't been set up yet at a studio.
No production date has been set.
Do you like this story?
Comments (31)
To leave a comment, please sign in or use
Facebook or Twitter
Josh
I don't think this would require the kind of budget you seem to be implying. It follows a very small group of characters, and the world resembles our own, for the most part. It feels like it should be very similar to The Book of Eli, to me.
2 years agoby @shuabertFlag
Shnoopbop
Hugh Laurie. Though Viggo would be great too.
2 years agoby @shnoopbopFlag
The Narrator: The Better Man
@Josh, true, but this has to earn money back somehow, and to visually create this world, it will cost quite a lot of dough. Theres always the unrated version (which sounds lame).
But I'd rather have it slightly watered down then a complete bomb and no sequels following?
2 years agoby @narratorFlag
Melnickdtm
I wish Clint Eastwood was younger. After all, Roland's character is partially Dirty Harry & Eastwood's Spaghetti Western heros. ;)
2 years agoby @melnickdtmFlag
Josh
I definitely think Viggo would make a better Roland than Thomas Jane.
2 years agoby @shuabertFlag
Pwnersmanual
Hurry up!!! Only been waiting 6 years now since the last book was published, this is a long time coming, Thomas Jane for Roland or GTFO!!!!
2 years agoby @pwnersmanualFlag
ed_wood
I hope this happens.
2 years agoby @ed-woodFlag
Josh
God, I hope they don't make this PG13. Even Stand by Me was R-rated, and they could easily have cut the swearing out of that for a lower rating and family appeal. Part of the charm of the series is King's grit. To get rid of that will be to turn this out like Jackson's The Lovely Bones adaptation, an emotionally watered down version of a great novel.
2 years agoby @shuabertFlag
The Narrator: The Better Man
True @Twisted.
The day I see a complete word for word adaption... wow.
2 years agoby @narratorFlag
Twisted Smile (The Untold Smile)
At Fallen, Yeah I get that. I just wish they wouldn't do that. I agree with you about Jackson man. That would be pretty cool.
2 years agoby @twistedsmileFlag
The Narrator: The Better Man
@Canucklehead, good points. Lost was stellar with it's budget. But this requires far more than that. This would be a landscape like few places on Earth can provide. So I still say a movie would be good. Whoever handles this own't mess up for it to tank.
@Josh, I hope so too. He was my thoughts exactly.
@Twisted, they will always cut stuff from it, and hopefully they will make this a hard PG-13. (It has to earn its huge budget back somehow). It can work, and not all the little characters are necessary. Look at LOTR. Which brings me to my point again, Jackson would do a stunning job.
2 years agoby @narratorFlag
Twisted Smile (The Untold Smile)
I wonder how this will work as a film? Not because of the story (awesome stuff), but because of the content of the series. This isn't Harry Potter. It's hard for me to imagine they would commit to bringing all the books to film. I think it would work great as a series on HBO or something of that caliber. Either way, this is great news.
2 years agoby @twistedsmileFlag
Josh
All I know is I hope they get Viggo Mortensen to play Roland.
2 years agoby @shuabertFlag
Canucklehead
Re: The Fallen. I see what you are saying when it comes to budget issues, but I still think this would be much better as a series. HBO would be a good spot for something like this. With shows like Rome, True Blood, the Wire, and the soon to be released "Game of Thrones" as proof that budget can be managed when done right. That being said I still think there is still room it on regular tv as well. Just look at what Abrams, Cuse, & Lindelof did with a limited budget on Lost. Movies are tougher, cause if the first one tanks say good bye to the trilogy.
2 years agoby @canuckleheadFlag
The Narrator: The Better Man
@Jimthar, good point. So I guess my fan like dream would be each book into a movie with a different director. Only the same source material, actor producers and continuation. That way we can see different peoples visions and interpretations, while having something to tie them together, and it will get released year to year. That would totally work.
2 years agoby @narratorFlag
Jimthar
thats cool. they need to get a director that can handle things like this though. my pick is ridley scott, though i do agree with the fact that peter jackson would do great with this. but the thing is, will it be a seven movie series? and can you get a director to commit to such a thing for so long a time?
2 years agoby @jimtharFlag
The Narrator: The Better Man
@renodc, too true. I can only imagine how hard it will be to adapt, which is why Jackson is on the top of my list to do it. He gave it all for LOTR ,and boy did it pay off. Same can happen here. This also lets him get his fx overload out (too much in TLB), and his character drive, which he lacked in The Lovely Bones.
@Canucklehead, I can't see this as a tv show. They usually have smaller budgets, require dedicated fans who know of the book, and talented writers and directors ever for every episode. One falls short? Can't have it happen. A trilogy IMO is the way to go.
2 years agoby @narratorFlag
The Narrator: The Better Man
@Zany, .. .. ..
F*CK YES!!!
As you said below me, any of those directors would work wonders with this epic. And this totally deserves to be called an epic. Again, agreed, choose wisely Abrams.
2 years agoby @narratorFlag
ZanyZap
Ha! Where's The Fallen. Did you not just bring this up, like yesterday? As The Fallen and I mentioned in the last Abrams thread: Fincher, Jackson, Abrams, or Snyder. Hell, maybe the director of District 9 - Blomkamp. If it's in development at Bad Robot it sounds like Abrams will either direct, or help select the director. Choose wisely.
2 years agoby @zanyzapFlag
Morrbrad108
About time. Only Steven King story that I have always hoped to be made into a movie
2 years agoby @morrbrad108Flag
Canucklehead
This should be a TV show produced by JJ Abrams, and written (converted) by Cuse & Lindelof. If Howard turns it into a movie it will be a waste. Not cause he isn't talented enough, but because he makes movies not good tv shows.
2 years agoby @canuckleheadFlag
renodc
I hope this goes well. I can't imagine what a monumental task it will be to translate this massive story to film.
2 years agoby @renodcFlag
Josh
I'm reading this series for the first time right now, and am on part 4.
2 years agoby @shuabertFlag
Err
neat.
2 years agoby @err2005Flag
gothamknight
YES! the movie i have been waiting for ever since i read the books years ago, and i always wanted abrams or jackson to do it
2 years agoby @gothamknightFlag
Emmytt
sounds cool
2 years agoby @emmyttFlag
KaoNoshi
Books 1-5 are really good, the story falls apart after that. Really great story that is woven through all King's books. All his books are connected and characters from other King books show up in the DT universe all the time.
2 years agoby @kaonoshiFlag
Remy72883
never heard of the book but the plot has me interested
2 years agoby @remy72883Flag
righthandofdoom
Awesome.
2 years agoby @righthandofdoomFlag
Batman Rules !!!
Cool
2 years agoby @the-fallenFlag