Kings "The Dark Tower" tv series?

Richard Dower

The Stephen King story gets an unprecedented treatment.
September 8, 2010
by Eric Goldman

The Dark Tower is a huge and epic series of books – so perhaps it's appropriate that it is getting a huge and epic adaptation.

Deadline is reporting that Universal Pictures and NBC Universal Television Entertainment have closed the deal to adapt the famous Stephen King series – as both a movie trilogy and a TV series, which will be developed and produced together.

As reported back in April, the team behind A Beautiful Mind and The Da Vinci Code -- Ron Howard, Akiva Goldsman and Brian Grazer -- are behind the adaptation, but it is only now being 100% confirmed that the rumored TV series is part of the deal.

The feature films will begin first, with the first TV season being used to bridge the first and second movies. Deadline notes this means that the cast of the film trilogy – including a yet to be cast big name star as the main character, Roland Deschain – will be committing to appear in the TV series as well, which is, obviously, a very unusual scenario. After the second film is released, the second season of the TV series would then focus on the younger Deschain, before the third and final film picks up with the older Deschain and finishes his story. The storylines will also be influenced the Dark Tower prequel comic book series that King helped plot.

As Deadline notes, the same sets, cast and crew could be used for the films and TV series, which will help contain costs – though this is obviously going to be a very expensive undertaking.

Goldsman has committed to writing the film and the first season of the TV series. Goldsman has recently been working in TV on Fringe, where he has been a consulting producer and written and directed several episodes. Deadline says Howard will direct the first Dark Tower film and also the first season of the series – it's unclear if that means he will direct every single episode (a rare feat in TV, especially dramas) or direct the majority of episodes.

Howard spoke to Deadline and when asked to compare what he's hoping to accomplish with Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings series, said, "What Peter did was a feat, cinematic history. 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."

No schedule has been announced yet for The Dark Tower but based on the plan the producers have, it seems likely it will be released over three consecutive summers, with the TV series seasons airing in-between.

Also not made 100% clear is the network the TV show will air on. NBC Universal Television Entertainment is producing, but besides the NBC network, they also have USA and Syfy as sister companies.

Revolution9

YESSSSSSSS!

That is all.

Basq

This could be fantastic!

Dohnny Jepp

Probably my favourite series of books. So any adaption is gonna be scary, I'd hate for them to **** it up. . .

I wonder if certain actors /actresses will be put off because of the TV series bit.

Really hope it comes together and works out well.

Also Starring LeVar Burton

Sounds great

RolandIRL

They better not butcher it. i would like to see it but i doubt it will live up to my expectations. i've put the DT series on a pedestal and i don't think the tv show will be better than the books. though i wish it wasn't NBC doing it

J-blk

It sounds like a great idea but can't see how this will work practically... If the first movie is not a huge hit, will the first season of the TV show even air? Or if the movie is a hit but the TV show is not, will the TV show get axed after a handful of episodes? Same thing after the second movie, etc...

Especially if the TV show airs on NBC, we all know how trigger happy US networks are with cancelations. If they stick to the whole plan as outlined, it would be epic, especially having mapped out the whole sequence of movies/TV episodes from the start but there is a lot that can go wrong here...

Doodah7

I was never more disappointed with an ending than when I finished the last book... After all the time spent reading them...

folan

Books 1-5 were epic.

Not so sure after that.

hmmmm, so conflicted............................................................

RolandIRL

tallpaul wrote: »

I was never more disappointed with an ending than when I finished the last book... After all the time spent reading them...

it was a love-hate ending. i didn't like it first but later on a re-read, i felt it couldn't have ended any other way.
the ending does not take away from the journey. that's what it's all about, the journey.

i wish some cable channel had the rights to it. at least they'd probably continue on with it even if it had low ratings. but i still wouldn't have high hopes for it. it'll just butcher it in my mind

daveyboy_1ie

When I first read the last book I was very dissapointed but on reflection, as has been pointed out it was as good an ending as possible with the direction it had gone over the last two in the series.

It was that strange feeling of 'was it worth it all?' mixed with 'finally I have read one of our times genre defining fanasy series'. I myself was a HUGE King fan for over a decade and never got around to reading the Dark tower as at the time I heard so many rumours as to the series ever finishing considering how long it took to write book four and five (1997 & 2003) and at the time I had read there was anywhere between 7 and 11 books in total.

Then I took the plunge and read the first one about mid 2002 after reading everything the master had written till that point and was so so dissapointed as it was very tedious and hard work. Book 2-5 were amazing and I had them read in just a few short months and had to wait only a few months until it was released. Honestly if your a King fan they are as good as he has ever released.

folan

ok, so a movie and tv series. How do you see it?

Gunslinger is definatly a film, but the drawing of the three makes sense to be a tv series. after that, id continue to do waste lands. the next 2 could be films, and then series and finally a film.

adox

I only ever read the first book of the series(The Gunslinger?) when it was released and thought at the time it was least interesting of Kings work.

Maybe I need to re-visit it?

Revolution9

adox wrote: »

I only ever read the first book of the series(The Gunslinger?) when it was released and thought at the time it was least interesting of Kings work.

Maybe I need to re-visit it?

Do. King makes you work at the start of the Dark Tower. Gives so little of the actual plot away, focuses on the journey and the character. Little background given at all. Very easy to put down.
Re-visit. It's well worth it. Midway through the 2nd book you will be hooked.

RolandIRL

agree, i stopped reading the first book cos it was so difficult to understand (it was the first SK book i read) but i came back to it and the 2nd book was much better to understand. got hooked on it

Kur4mA

I've been waiting soooo long for this but now I'm kinda saddened by their plans. Ron chicken **** Howard is gonna ruin the movies and NBC are gonna ruin the tv series. The Dark Tower is a very dark and gritty book series... very violent at times and absolutely insane too.

Ron is gonna dumb down the movies and make them PG friendly, then NBC are gonna spill out some crap popcorn tv. It's all seeming a bit meh to be honest.

whiterebel

kyub wrote: »

I've been waiting soooo long for this but now I'm kinda saddened by their plans. Ron chicken **** Howard is gonna ruin the movies and NBC are gonna ruin the tv series. The Dark Tower is a very dark and gritty book series... very violent at times and absolutely insane too.

Ron is gonna dumb down the movies and make them PG friendly, then NBC are gonna spill out some crap popcorn tv. It's all seeming a bit meh to be honest.

Thats what I'm afraid of. Someone like Peter Jackson should do the movie. The ending will certainly be different from the book for US audiences.

RolandIRL

whiterebel wrote: »

Thats what I'm afraid of. Someone like Peter Jackson should do the movie. The ending will certainly be different from the book for US audiences.

imo Peter Jackson would be more suited for action epics (like LOTR and King Kong). DT is more like a story epic that's all about the journey. personally, i think Frank Darabont would be perfect. he just understands King and i loved the SK films he directed (especially The Mist)

RolandIRL

just got a newsletter email from SK's website. just telling me about the new TV show and films

Newsletter wrote:

Dark Tower Films and TV Series

NBC Universal has released an in-depth press release that details the overall plans to make the long awaited Dark Tower films and TV projects a reality. Most importantly, the release delves into exactly how the oscar-winning team will structure the projects for both film and television.

With comments from just about every executive team member, this release answers many of the questions the Constant Reader has been waiting to hear more about.

Click Here For More Information

Click Here To Read the Full Press Release (Requires the Adobe Acrobat Reader)

Revolution9

whiteman19 wrote: »

imo Peter Jackson would be more suited for action epics (like LOTR and King Kong). DT is more like a story epic that's all about the journey. personally, i think Frank Darabont would be perfect. he just understands King and i loved the SK films he directed (especially The Mist)

The LOTR book was all about the journey, just like DT. Which would indicate Jackson wouldn't be the man to make the movies/tv series that we all wish for.

Don't know much about Ron Howard, so have no idea how this will be handled.

RolandIRL

Revolution9 wrote: »

The LOTR book was all about the journey, just like DT. Which would indicate Jackson wouldn't be the man to make the movies/tv series that we all wish for.

Don't know much about Ron Howard, so have no idea how this will be handled.

i read the LOTR books a good few years ago, but for me the films were more about the action. the story didn't really come into it for me (i was young and stupid at the time ). Jackson does action really good, but i'm not sure he'd be suited to adapting the DT.
i wish JJ Abrahms and the other Lost producers would get involved in it, because Lost is just so SK, and i think they'd do a brilliant job of it.

hopefully it won't spoil the DT for me, though i probably wait for other to gauge it before watching because nothing will ruin the DT for me....nothing

Revolution9

hopefully it won't spoil the DT for me, though i probably wait for other to gauge it before watching because nothing will ruin the DT for me....nothing

Even if it's a rubbish and unfaithful adaption, it could never spoil the fantastic series

JP Liz V1

I am putting it out there now - William Fichtner as Roland

RolandIRL

JP Liz V1 wrote: »

I am putting it out there now - William Fichtner as Roland

looked up who that was, couldn't remember. but god no, i thought he was awful in Prison Break. please tell me you are joking.

Chronic Rick

you do realise that if the film flops at box office the whole thing goes out the window, these american tv stations have no qualms about canceling a project such as this mid-flow

whiterebel

whiteman19 wrote: »

looked up who that was, couldn't remember. but god no, i thought he was awful in Prison Break. please tell me you are joking.

Sam Elliot, although he might be a bit old for it now. Lance Henriksen?

Richard Dower

King talks Dark Tower + casting: http://popwatch.ew.com/2010/09/09/stephen-king-twilight-dark-tower-casting/

Revolution9

Richard Dower wrote: »

King talks Dark Tower + casting: http://popwatch.ew.com/2010/09/09/stephen-king-twilight-dark-tower-casting/

King imagines Angela Bassett as Susannah. Anyone know if she's a decent actress? Never actually heard of her myself.
He also said he'd like to voice Blaine the Mono!
This is all getting me really excited

calex71

This will be really interesting to see how this pans out, I can't see it getting past the 1st movie and a half a tv series to be honest. Ron Howard's movies have been ok for me but this is not the kind of material I think he will pull off for the screen.

In terms of the violence etc there in lies the problem, it's sparse but intense in the books, and spatacus was more graphic as a tv show maybe, but it's the movies that will suffer as they will try for as low a cert / rating as possible to get the biggest audience.

I stake my watch and warrant on Susanna getting legs in the movies

Pity the guy who did the audio book can't voice Blaine

Raedwald

In the middle of the series at the moment and cant wait to see what it would be like as films/show.

One thing that i've always thought is that, if it ever did get made Susannah would have legs as it would be too difficult for some audiences.

Robert McGrath

Just joining the chorus of excitement/trepidation on this. I also started reading the series after reading almost everything else SK wrote, and was hooked enough to finish them in a couple of months.

It's a while since I read them, but wouldn't Susannah having legs seriously mess some the character development up? Not only does facing that kind of adversity kind of define a character, but the dynamic with the other characters carrying her around etc. would be destroyed ... is ti being suggested that she "acquires" legs or that she never lost them?

Outkast_IRE

Just hand this project over to Frank Darabont and give him total control and somethin that is really special is possible.
As soon as executives start pushing for cert for a certain age etc a lot will be lost. Really need someone who will be faithfull to material and will fight the executives

calex71

Robert McGrath wrote: »

is it being suggested that she "acquires" legs or that she never lost them?

No one is suggesting she should have legs in the movie, but speculating that the powers that be will write the Susannah character as able bodied for what ever reasons.

Robert McGrath

Understood, Calex.

I realise that we all fear for what the "powers that be" might do to our beloved story, and no-one is suggesting that the changes should be made.

I just fear for the knock-on effects on character interaction etc that that kind of major change would make ...

Richard Dower

I've no clue about the books...is it like LOTR?

calex71

Robert McGrath wrote: »

Understood, Calex.

I realise that we all fear for what the "powers that be" might do to our beloved story, and no-one is suggesting that the changes should be made.

I just fear for the knock-on effects on character interaction etc that that kind of major change would make ...

I hear ya , the mind boggles as to the many many things in the books that are going to be difficult to do and keep true to the books, Susannah's legs being the least of them I think.

calex71

Richard Dower wrote: »

I've no clue about the books...is it like LOTR?

You could draw some parallels definitely , like for example it does have it's own kind of "fellolwship" going on. However the setting or settings should I say rarely resemble middle-earth. More than a little of it is set in our world.

Over all though if you expect LORT's you'll be rudely awoken, checking the wiki pages for the books will give you the gist but be warned are not spoiler free by any means.

RolandIRL

Richard Dower wrote: »

I've no clue about the books...is it like LOTR?

it's not like LOTR in the sense of elves and that. it combines loads of different genres (western/fantasy/sci-fi/horror etc) into one series. i would recommend you read them. it's just EPIC!!!!
you may find the first book a bit hard to get through if you've never read King before, but if you persevere onto the next one, you'll understand it a lot more. My favourite books in my collection. Wizard And Glass is easily the best imo.

calex71

whiteman19 wrote: »

Wizard And Glass is easily the best imo.

massive +1

sweetie

whiteman19 wrote: »

it's not like LOTR in the sense of elves and that. it combines loads of different genres (western/fantasy/sci-fi/horror etc) into one series. i would recommend you read them. it's just EPIC!!!!
you may find the first book a bit hard to get through if you've never read King before, but if you persevere onto the next one, you'll understand it a lot more. My favourite books in my collection. Wizard And Glass is easily the best imo.

reading the wizarda and glass at the moment and the

roland in exile in hambry

storyline is dragging a lot. Much preffered the previous two books.

calex71

sweetie wrote: »

reading the wizarda and glass at the moment and the

roland in exile in hambry

storyline is dragging a lot. Much preffered the previous two books.

Stick with it epicness is coming !!!!!!! Also which of the books didn't drag a little lol I know how you feel, they count some horses , he rides yer one ..... only after I finished it did I appreciate it .

Revolution9

calex71 wrote: »

Stick with it epicness is coming !!!!!!! Also which of the books didn't drag a little lol I know how you feel, they count some horses , he rides yer one ..... only after I finished it did I appreciate it .

This Brokeback Mountain or the Dark Tower?

calex71

Revolution9 wrote: »

This Brokeback Mountain or the Dark Tower?

Frightening combination of titles

I would imagine that the cross-platform format is quickly dropped given the huge workload it wold place on the cast and crew. If they do go through with it I'm not sure that it's going to be the success it could otherwise have been. The biggest problem is going to be the content, it's either going to be neutered to hell in order to receive a PG13 rating or if they go for an R I can see the TV show being cut to pieces for its inital broadcast followed by an unrated DVD edition.

The biggest problem with this is the uncertainty, while the series has a built-in fan base the more casual fan may not be willing to invest so much time in the series. After all, it's one thing asking an audience to watch 9 hours spread over 3 films but an entirely different thing to expect them to watch a minimum of 21 hours spread across TV and Cinema.

folan

right, have decided to go back and read them after i finish the book im on.

I have great memories of Wolves of the Calla, but didnt like W&G, so as ever, its a matter of taste!

Cast wise, I can only hope the actors stay between everything. Interested in seeing who plays Jake.

Snake Plisken

It's a pity Ron Howard has got his hands on this I would have prefered Frank Darabont or JJ Abrams, to have been attached to The Dark Tower project and as mentioned before it would have been better it Showtime or HBO had the rights to make it, I would actually have prefered this to me a TV series rather then feature film/series, with a target of 4-5 seasons to do justice to Roland's journey. Anyway we will wait and see.

Elmo

Snake Plisken wrote: »

It's a pity Ron Howard has got his hands on this I would have prefered Frank Darabont or JJ Abrams, to have been attached to The Dark Tower project and as mentioned before it would have been better it Showtime or HBO had the rights to make it, I would actually have prefered this to me a TV series rather then feature film/series, with a target of 4-5 seasons to do justice to Roland's journey. Anyway we will wait and see.

Is it just a TV movie or a Mini-series? Very few mini-series or serials have done justice to Stephen Kind Novels. Some exceptions include the 1970s Salems' Lot and I liked The Dead Zone TV series, while the more recent Salems' Lot with Rob Lowe was just dreadful.

Daithi O'Shea will be interviewing Stephen King on his TG4 show later on in the autumn.

Current reading Under the Dome, Stephen King back to himself IMO. Never got into Dark Tower have read the first 5 chapters of the first book about 5 times now.

calex71

Elmo wrote: »

Current reading Under the Dome, Stephen King back to himself IMO. Never got into Dark Tower have read the first 5 chapters of the first book about 5 times now.

Isn't that being made into a series also? When I read it earlier this year I thought it was made for TV.

calex71

calex71 wrote: »

Isn't that being made into a series also? When I read it earlier this year I thought it was made for TV.

There's talk of an Under the Dome TV series as well as a film. everything Stephen King will eventually be adapted, he remains one of the most popular writers of all time and his name brand alone guarantees profit.

Mick Garris gets a lot of slack from people but the man did deliver some damn fine adaptations of King's work, The Stand remains a classic and while I do have problems with some of his adaptations, films such as Riding the Bullet and Desperation ahve their charms.

RolandIRL

Didn't think much of Under the Dome tbh. was very bulky and hard to push through imo.

Haven on SyFy is also a SK adaption of the Colrado Kid. starts off very good but loses its way a bit as the series runs on.

Snake Plisken

my favourite King adaptation was Salem's Lot imho it was the actual tv mini series that got me reading Stephen King, obviously Frank Darabont's Shawshank, Green Mile and the mist (although he changed the ending). Also liked Christine & The Shining, didn't think much of The Stand & It adaptations.
I read Under the Dome while on Holidays I thought it was great although I couldn't shake the fact that he ripped off the Simpsons Movie lol