Ron Howard to direct DARK TOWER movie trilogy and produce TV series

[Werthead]

Ron Howard, director of films such as The Da Vinci Code, Apollo 13  and A Beautiful Mind, has signed on to tackle a movie trilogy based on Stephen King's seven-volume Dark Tower sequence. According to the source, there is also the possibility of a spin-off television series being developed simultaneously.

 

The series, which sees a gunslinger named Roland making his way to the forbidding Dark Tower, is the unifying cosmological link between much of King's other work, although its sales have not been at the same level as his other, more stand-alone books. King is currently writing a new Dark Tower novel that falls earlier in the books' timeline.

 

J.J. Abrams and the writing team behind Lost, Carlton Cuse and Damon Lindelof, had previously discussed adapting the series as a seven-season TV series, but had changed their minds given the desire to have a break after the conclusion of the six-year Lost project.

[Samuraiflip05]

Now see, the Dark Tower books are the ones I know the least about among King Novels.  I had heard about the tie-ins to other novels.  Is this worthy of a read?

[Hallow]

Now see, the Dark Tower books are the ones I know the least about among King Novels.  I had heard about the tie-ins to other novels.  Is this worthy of a read?

 

Definitively.

[Red2111]

Now see, the Dark Tower books are the ones I know the least about among King Novels.  I had heard about the tie-ins to other novels.  Is this worthy of a read?

 

i got through the first 3, but got boered early on in the 4th so i put down the series.

 

 

the first and 2nd book were more than enjoyable though :)

 

i'm not sure if they're the typical King novel, i've only read a few of his but i've seen most of the movies. 

[Faolin]

Awesome series, my next favourite after the WOT!

 

I am not sure I would be so keen on the movies tho, I dunno I just dont enjoy movie adaptions of sci/fi fantasy books (except perhps LoTR).

[unlabled]

This is my favorite series after WOT as well.

 

I really like the format of Movie, TV Season, Movie, TV Season, Movie. If successful, I think it could pave the way for a WOT adaption to proceed.

 

The challenges of adapting the Dark Tower series into movies and a TV series are immense. The scale and scope certainly is one factor but I think the biggest obstacle (and one Damon Lindelof couldn't overcome) was how to treat the meta storyline interjection in the latter books.

 

Be forewarned the spoilers are pretty extensive below.

 

 

 

How do you deal with Sai King? It works in the books (although I will argue if interjecting him and his car accident into his magnum opus was wise), but I can't see it working in a movie at all, it will pull the audience out completely.

 

I think removing King and finding another reason for Roland and his ka-tet to go to the key world in the 70's and later is important. Such as limiting it to setting up the Tet Corporation against Sombra.

 

Keeping Pere Callahan in the story can still be accomplished, even without the King meta.

 

Still, removing King takes a certain aspect of the story out and will change the many of the characters exits significantly (how does Jake die now?).

 

They also have to fix the ending as I can't see a guy erasing the Crimson King FTW after all the hype leading up the Roland's confrontation.

 

Start the first movie off with Roland having the Horn of Eld? That would be a subtle way to tell the portion of the audience who has read the books that this journey is different from the one we read in the books.

 

 

 

Anyway, I look forward to how Howard and co. tackle this. It could change the business model for epic fantasy series adaptations.

[Lynchgrinch]

Meh, i dunno likes... i could see this being guffed up pretty badly, i would love a Dark Tower film to be done but done right. It's my fave series after WoT like many here, books 1 to 3 are awesome but 4and 5 are the best IMO, book 6 is a filler kinda like Crossrods of Twilight, it needs to be there but nothing realy happens

 

Book 7 is bloody intense and has the best ending i have ever read. Not to mention the whole story is about alone gunslinger running continuously towards a tower at a nexus in the universe(s). Damn but it's good.

 

The rest of King's books arn't as great IMHO, i've not read many others but the ones i have wern't great...i sometimes realy can't stand the way he writes.

[Alanna]

I've never gotten around to reading this series, even though I'm pretty sure I would love it. Hope the movies are good.

[Mulk]

I always thought of Dark Tower as having a non-ending. For me, a great deal about whether I will enjoy future re-reads has to do with whether the ending is satisfactory to me. King is a hell of a writer and it's very well done, just not to my taste. A real shame. The first line of the Dark Tower grabbed me like no other ever has.

 

If they do, as suggested, start with Roland having the Horn, I'd be tempted to follow it and see what they do with it.

[A.H.]

I love the idea of the movies and show but it will definitely be difficult. I just hope it's done better than that bs show based off of The Sword of Truth.

 

I've read through it a few times and love the twist at the end. I kinda feel like the same things happens to me on occassion.