Ron Howard to Adapt King’s Dark Tower Series

Published on May 1, 2010, by Jeff Leins - Posted in Movie and TV News 32

Dark Tower “The man in black fled across the desert and the gunslinger followed.” — Stephen King’s “The Gunslinger”

Director Ron Howard, producer Brian Grazer and screenwriter Akiva Goldsman are teaming up to take on Stephen King’s sprawling “The Dark Tower” novel series.

The adaptations may begin as a feature film directed by Howard and written by Goldsman. The pair has collaborated on favorites like A Beautiful Mind and Cinderella Man, but recently created back-to-back let-downs, the Dan Brown adaptations Da Vinci Code and Angels & Demons.

According to Heat Vision, after the first film the series would transition to a television series to be produced by Imagine Entertainment (the joint venture of Howard and Grazer). Universal and Warner Bros are vying for the project.

J.J. Abrams’ Bad Robot production company originally owned the rights (for a mere $19) and was planning a faithful version after the completed run of “Lost.” His producing partner, Damon Lindelof, said after working six years on the enigmatic show, the last thing he wants is to work on a seven-novel series. Thus the rights reverted to King.

The books published so far span from the original, “The Gunslinger,” in 1982 to “The Dark Tower” in 2004, incorporating elements of fantasy, sci-fi, western, and (of course) horror. King is currently working on an eighth installment tentatively titled “The Wind Through the Keyhole” for an undetermined date.

Imagine’s involvement should be bittersweet news to Stephen King fans who have wanted to see the beloved books on the big (or small) screen. There’s already trepidation over the rights being handed from the capable producers of “Lost” to the hit-or-miss hands of Howard and especially Goldsman, whose takes on I, Robot and I Am Legend have upset literary fans before. Not to mention Goldsman’s involvement in the two worst Batman movies (Batman Forever and Batman & Robin). What do you think about this news?

kevinaflan

Absolutely disappointing.
gpiercemey

I do hope that this is not a butchering of the novel.
gpiercemey

I do hope that this does not end up a butchering of the novel.
vanvorce

Yes Absolutey disappointing. Peter Jackson would be a perfect director for this movie.
Harold Lauder

Why, so he could roll out another 3 hour yawner? Give me a break
cnh320

joey dillon should be roland. he can handle guns like noone i have ever heard of, and is in the entertainment business. Young, tall, skinny, dark, and magic with guns.
Jake

Why can't they just leave them as books?
Malcolm42

I agree the Lost team is the only team for this. Lost is practically a Dark Tower fan book. I would rather wait 20 years for them to make it right; they would make it right. Than have these no good hacks make it. Howard would probably cast Hanks as Roland.

I hope that this is not truly as ka intended.
French Canadian

Did you just call the LOTR movies 3 hour yawners?
I'd take a lot more 3 hour yawner like these !!

I guess you prefer Jackie Chan movies…
Harold Lauder

No, though I do like Jackie Chan. I love the LOTR series in written form, and found it to be superior in excitement to the films. Yes the landscape was breathtaking, great play to film it there. And I loved the acting of the characters as well. But 1 & 2 did seem to drag quite a bit (I own them all btw). The third one was the best by far. I was more or less defending Ron Howard a bit. I don't think he makes poor films. I suppose I just get aggravated with the homo artso fartso types whining for Jackson
Mr. CogKneeToe

im glad JJ and Lindelof didnt go for the dark tower series, it would be over-dramatic as hell. Ron Howard could be a good pick for this, The Missing was done very well and i hope he goes for that same tone when he starts filming the Dark Tower Trilogy.

Peter Jackson would be the director on most peoples minds, only because he successfully adapted Tolkien's trilogy and he'd follow Dark Towers story very well.
Pete from Canada

Howard is a good director, but anything that does not remain as faithful as possible to the books will be crap. Any one who can read knows that the books are always better than the film translations, and it will probably be hard not to be disappointed no matter who directs. This is exactly why JJ Abrams and Damon Lindelof backed out. What concerns me more is that they are talking trilogy, rather than making more movies. Gunslinger, drawing of the three, and wasteland as one movie? Ok, but it better be really long, but Wizard and Glass, Wolves of the Calla need there own movies, Songs of Susannah is too short for its own movie, and Dark Tower will probably need to be made into two films. And what about the eighth book king is writing? I don't know if I can get on board with a tv series, because it would be watered down, censored, and have a crappy budget for visual effects.

I”m also severely distraught that anyone attached to the two worst movies made in my lifetime (Batman Forever and the 2hr gay joke Batman and Robin) could possibly be attached to my favourite books of all time, let alone still be allowed to work in the film industry.
Bmize311

I've always pictured Clint as well! I think Christian Bale could pull it off. I'm not happy with the decision to have Ron Howard direct, though. JJ Abrahms / Bad Robot should have held on to the rights. It's more in their wheelhouse, I think. Peter Jackson would have been an obvious choice as well. Both Peter and JJ have proved that they have what it takes to do justice to “beloved” material with LOTR & Star Trek respectively. Don't get me wrong- Opie Cunningham is a fine director, but his only fantasy movie was “Willow” <gag>, and he did a western too, I believe, but this story demands a CREATIVE director. I'm sorry, but Ron Howard just isn't that guy. Heck, he somehow managed to make The DaVinci Code boring, and that book was great!
Bmize311

I have mixed emotions about a tv series. Shows like Lost & Battlestar Galactica have proved that television can be as good as, if not better than, most movies. But, they better be ready to pour a helluva lot of money into it if they're going that route. I'd LOVE to be able to tune in every week and watch a good adaptation of this story! But this is my favorite story of all time, and if they're going to do it, they better go ALL OUT and do it right. I just don't see how this story can be told correctly in movie format without making 7 movies, & they'd have to be shot pretty much at one time (like The LOTR did). That is a huge undertaking, and an even bigger gamble money-wise. I say do it on a CABLE network, like HBO or ShoTime. Now THAT might work!
Ghost Wiring

Not a fan of this Ron Howard business. I stopped watching LOST after four seasons, but I still thought JJ Abrams and the rest of the team were a great fit for a Dark Tower adaptation.
xMissxAndristx

Young Clint Eastwood for sure. I was watching The Outlaw Josey Wales with my father and at one point i turned to my dad and said “you know who he reminds me of?” and he said “roland” haha
Twrenchnbts

I agree with the t.v. series being sugar coated and under done. I was almost hoping they would just start with Roland's child hood instead of sticking to the order of the books. Either way I am hoping for a miracle that this turns out even 1/4 as goos as the books. I dont know how many more book to film adaptations I can complain through, and especially not one as special to me as The Dark Tower!
shaohua

i would rather the books never ever EVER be made into movies if these guys have their hands on it.

Ron Howard made two of the worst films, plus most of his other work is both boring and predictable.

Akiva Goldsman RUINED absolutely RUINED “The DaVinci Code” and “Angels and Demons” we don;t need this wonderful, thoughtful, compelling series to be ruined as well.

If it goes to a tv series then it should be done on a channel like SHOWTIME or HBO where it can have the gore and profanity and creepiness that it deserves, and not be turned into some watered-down crap for “the family” or something.
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Southsidetrev

Not only has this series been an escape during both good and bad times of my life, It has become almost Holy in a way. The spiritual journey you undertake while reading these books IS otherworldly. No other series, let alone a single book has effected me on so deep a level. While my heart cries out for this to be made into film, my soul understands that it would cheapen, tarnish, and forever ruin the world King created in my own mind. A TV series would be too massive, and Films would have to cut and cut to make room for the important plot points. The only medium strong enough to carry these worlds is that of words. My heart races at the thought of another installment! If King truly is “Hearing the Song of the Turtle” again, maybe the journey can continue and all this movie nonsense will fade. The horn of Jericho is blaring, Maturin is singing, and the Path of the Beam will once again bring me back into a land where hero's live, and evil needs vanquishing, and the struggle of the gunslinger keeps me coming to grips with my own mortality.
nessa

I would love to see someone like Darren Aronofsky direct them. I am extremely disappointed to hear it would be Ron Howard, I don't think he can see outside the box, or reflect the abstract themes that will pull this off. Sad that the Lost creators aren't willing to try, but a TV show (agreed- on HBO or Showtime) would let it stretch out the way it deserves to and not compact it into six hours. (Obviously didn't work very well for The Stand!!)
http://www.facebook.com/Hesprus Billy Bontrager

There is always room for possibility. The Dark Tower stories themselves are strong and worthy of screen time. A television series could work if made for cable, say HBO or Showtime, but on network TV they would be at the whim of budgetary hatchet men and censors. A miniseries would be a nightmare. http://www.thedarktowerblog.com
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Sodmcl

after reading these thoughts i had to add my own ,while the silver screen rarly does a good book justice ,i agree peter jackson would be a obvious pick and what about josh brolin for roland and i cant think of his name but the blond haired vp from fx's sons of anarchy for eddie
Attorney786

My thoughts exactly.As I read the books, I envisioned Roland as a 75% Clint Eastwood and 25% Chuck Connors from The Rifleman.
http://pulse.yahoo.com/_FECJAQQYCAK4747BLXXDZ56PCY Cubed

Being a Constant Reader, I've always dreamt of seeing Roland and his Ka Tet on the silver screen. Now that it is actually happening, I am feeling let down. No mater who directs, writes or even stars in the film I will be disappointed. SK builds images in my mind that can not be created with CGI (computer generated imagery). That and time constrants will cut detail from the story. However I am excited to see how the movie-episodes-movie-episodes-movie is going to work out.
Mbruder33

I don't think people understand that the TV series will act as a bridge for the films. It will be the same cast and the films will have a massive budget which will cover a great deal of the cost for the series. Ron Howard was on Howard Stern the other day and mentioned both HBO and Showtime. I think 3 films with 2 seasons of 13 one hour episodes on HBO is the only way these books can be done. This really is a massive undertaking (as big as Peter Jackson's ass).
Mbruder33

Try also to remember that Howard was behind Arrested Development, the best show to ever air on network TV
Mbruder33

I don't think people understand that the TV series will act as a bridge for the films. It will be the same cast and the films will have a massive budget which will cover a great deal of the cost for the series. Ron Howard was on Howard Stern the other day and mentioned both HBO and Showtime. I think 3 films with 2 seasons of 13 one hour episodes on HBO is the only way these books can be done. This really is a massive undertaking (as big as Peter Jackson's ass).
Mbruder33

Try also to remember that Howard was behind Arrested Development, the best show to ever air on network TV
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