Stephen King’s massive, still-unfolding, 28-years-and-running The Dark Tower novel series has gotten several comic book spinoffs at Marvel starting in 2007, and is now getting the mass media full-court press with both a film trilogy and television show from Universal Pictures and NBC Universal Television Entertainment.
As reported today on Deadline.com, the Ron Howard/Akiva Goldsman/Brian Grazer team — responsible for A Beautiful Mind, Cinderella Man and the film version of The Da Vinci Code — will creatively head the adaptation, with Howard set to direct the first film and TV season, which is planned to follow soon after. Goldsman will write, Howard and Grazer’s Imagine Entertainment will produce. Quotes from Howard in the Deadline article indicate that he’ll turn his focus to the adaptation shortly after wrapping 2011 comedy The Dilemma.
Simultaneously launching a TV series and film trilogy is a relatively unprecedented move, and a clear attempt to do justice to the seven novels and counting (an eighth is in the works) source material. Lost crew J.J. Abrams, Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse at one point optioned The Dark Tower from King.
The structure is interesting as well. The plan is for the first movie to come out, followed by Season 1 of the series. Movie 2 comes after that, continuing the story. Season 2 and beyond of the TV show (it’s unclear just how many) will then reach into the past, using the material from the comic book series to tell more of the history of Roland Deschain. Finally, Movie 3 will wrap up the story.
The Dark Tower has thus far inspired six miniseries from Marvel Comics, scripted by Peter David and with King serving as “Creative and Executive Director.” The current The Dark Tower: The Gunslinger – The Journey Begins is scheduled to wrap this month with issue #5. The partnership between King and Marvel Comics has been a high-profile one for the publisher, first teased at Comic-Con International: San Diego 2005 by Marvel editor-in-chief Joe Quesada.
Feel free to speculate wildly (Russell Crowe as Roland Deschain?) in the comments.
September 8th, 2010 at 9:50 pm
Sounds like a good team for the job. As for TV/ Film launches, I think Cartoon Network’s ‘The Clone Wars’ started that way, and has done pretty well.
September 9th, 2010 at 6:00 am
I’m really excited to read this story. I’ve literally been waiting 15yrs for this news. I love the series and the only way to honour it properly is through a TV series. I think by starting with a movie it raises the IP’s profile and hopefully will act as a gateway drug for the rest of the series.
September 9th, 2010 at 6:03 am
This could be cool, but needs very careful attention, quality and lots of publicity to make it work, as I don’t think anything like this has ever been done or even attempted before. I would rather the LOST creative folks handle it, as they planned to, as Akiva Goldsman’s involvement makes me very nervous given his track record with fantasy stuff like this.
September 9th, 2010 at 6:59 am
Sorry, Akiva Goldsmith is a deal-breaker for me. Even with my love for the source material, I refuse to watch anything that hack is involved with.
September 9th, 2010 at 7:30 am
Don’t forget, Goldsman has been working as a writer on Fringe. Not only does that give him exposure to Abrams, but it clearly has helped him hone his concepts of other worlds.
September 9th, 2010 at 7:43 am
makng this a film trilogy is a bad idea imo. then again, it would be hard to guarantee a set amount of seasons for this as well as support to finish a 7 part movie series. of course, it would allow the audience to skip song of susannah *bleh*.
September 9th, 2010 at 8:52 am
I loved every word of that article until the very end. Russell Crowe would be a terrible choice. Roland needs to be someone who could look both young and older. I think Tom Hardy would be perfect for the role.
September 9th, 2010 at 12:12 pm
Russell Crowe would never do a TV show, anyway. The ideal would be to share the cast and creative team for both, wouldn’t it?
September 9th, 2010 at 12:16 pm
I think Thomas Jane is perfect for Roland.
September 9th, 2010 at 12:26 pm
I second Thomas Jane.
September 9th, 2010 at 12:45 pm
Ugh. I’d love to see a successful Dark Tower translation but…. Really Ron Howard and Akiva Goldsman!?! They’re two of the biggest “Feel good” hacks in Hollywood!!! *bleck* Pass. Collectively their projects have ranged from mediocre to crap (at least in my book.) I just don’t feel that their “sure-to be-suitable-for-network-TV-and-with-a PG-13 rating-for-the-films to-ensure-huge-profits” take on this is appropriate to the source material. I think the Dark Tower would be well served as an R-Rated HBO series or better left alone.
I hate to be one of those “sky is falling” fans but I couldn’t imagine a worse mis-match of creators to source material for this project.
September 9th, 2010 at 12:51 pm
the benefit of doing a TV prequel series means that the majority of the flashback scenes for Roland can be ignored for the movies. so, that means a good part of The Gunslinger and Wizards and Glass can be skipped.
September 9th, 2010 at 2:46 pm
Why would you want to skip The Gunslinger & Wizards & Glass? If anything skip books 5-7. Some really awful writing & a hurry up & finish book 7 made this series really disappointing to me.
dan j
September 9th, 2010 at 3:04 pm
@danjack
skipping the backstories in the Gunslinger and Wizards and Glass makes sense from a storytelling perspective. Both are essential aspects of Roland’s characterization and motivations, but they can also best be handled in the suggested concurrent tv series. The majority of Wizards and Glass itself can best be done in a tv show format (most likely comprising the first season along with Roland’s Gunslinger test) where they don’t break up the important narratives of Roland’s chase after the Man in Black and the Drawing of the Three (most likely the first movie). With the exclusion of the Wizards and Glass backstory from the movie narrative, imo, focus can be given to the encompassing of King’s other works as well as the eerieness of the Wastelands and the thinnies. It also makes the second movie much easier to develop (most likely The Wastelands, the non-flashbacks fo Wizards and Glass, and Wolves of the Calla). Of course putting more elements of Wolves into the last movie might work better as well–especially if Song of Susannah is editted out (with much hope).
just my $.02.
September 9th, 2010 at 4:22 pm
I have also been waiting 15 years. Lets get it done! PLEASE someone call Daniel Craig–he was made to be this gunslinger! His personality–I can soo totally see his sarcasm and depth of talent slinging his guns and wit all over this role. And his star power will “Bring-IT”–he just completed shooting Cowboys & Aliens! cheers~G
September 9th, 2010 at 6:05 pm
Naaah,
No established “stars” as Roland puh-leaaase! It totally takes me outta the moment to see Tom Cruise prancing around as who is supposed to be the vehemently hard-boiled Gunslinger. The last thing we need is a self-professed die-hard celebrity fan of the series getting their mitts on the role. Thomas Jane, here we come. Or Nicholas Cage as he tries for every, even mildly related to a comic book, movie. Ugh with a capital “U”. I’d prefer the casting of a relative unknown so as to not sully my mind’s eye of Roland w/ some Hollywood regular’s face forevermore.
September 9th, 2010 at 6:06 pm
Hah.. i didn’t even see the other poster’s requesting Tom Jane as Roland until after i’d already nay-sayed that idea. Oh well, there’s no accounting for opinionated taste I guess.
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September 12th, 2010 at 2:09 am
Viggo Mortenson as Roland.
September 12th, 2010 at 6:11 am
I think the Dark Tower would be well served as an R-Rated HBO series or better left alone.
September 12th, 2010 at 6:38 pm
wow am REALLY hoping this all works out and if i had to choose between tv and movie would rather have a hbo type miniseries
September 21st, 2010 at 2:23 pm
I don’t know / understand how this film and TV series concept if going to work out.
The only basis I have for would be TV shows made into movies while the shows were still on the air. (X-Files)
Those didn’t turn out that well.
Would the show/films be a continuation of one another? Or would be show be it’s own stand alone franchise while the trilogy is on it’s own?
It’s risky in my opinion, as not all regular film goers will tune in week after week and vice versa.
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March 9th, 2011 at 10:41 am
*Gnnah* – *Hnnngh* – *Grrr-ugh*
This is the sound of me trying to shit in my hand so I can throw it at you.
F-you, and F-Russell Crowe!!
Everything else sounds bloody lovely though, thanks…