Roland’s quest for the Dark Tower is back on.
According to Deadline, Sony and MRC are teaming up to produce an adaptation of Stephen King’s magnum opus. Now, if this sounds familiar it’s because we’ve been here before. Ron Howard was attached to a massive adaptation of the books a few years back before things fell apart with Universal and then Warner Bros. Howard is still around for this Sony/MRC deal but apparently he’s only producing and not directing the behemoth. Akiva Goldsman and Jeff Pinkner have put together a script for the first movie, based on The Gunslinger and none of the former rumored cast members are attached apparently.
As was planned before, the project is envisioned as a series of movies and a companion TV show. With seven books in the series, they have plenty of ground to cover on both the big and small screen.
As most of you do, I love Stephen King. LOVE him. And while I haven’t finished the Dark Tower series, I can understand its importance in the history of King’s work. Nothing would make me happier than to see an adaptation of his books become the next Lord of the Rings but I’m going to hold off on being too excited about this news until they actually start filming (and I finish the books…). There have been so many false starts with this project that it’s dangerous to get your hopes up. For awhile, I was trying to figure out which long-gestating adaptation we’d get first: The Dark Tower or The Stand. Josh Boone is (slowly) moving along with his take on The Stand and now The Dark Tower is seemingly up-and-running again so I’m not so sure anymore.
So now comes the time when you start your fan-casting and list your picks for director. Hugh Jackman for Roland? Aaron Paul for Eddie? Naomi Harris for Susannah? I’ll play Oy if they want!