The Dark Tower Film and TV Series Combo

[Prince Vegita]

If they do it right, you should never really see all of Roland's face at once. Something should always be hidden in shadow, or under the brim of a hat, etc.

But they won't do it right.

[BrotherMan]

The On Again, Off Again, No Wait, On Again Romance of the Making Of The Dark Tower Continues

First Javier Bardem was attached to play Roland, the Gunslinger and lead character. Then there were budget concerns so the movie was not going to happen. Then it might happen. They even slashed the budget to make sure it could happen. They found a possible home for the planned TV portion of the story at HBO. Then Ron Howard was taking a sort of strange and slow approach to making the movie. Oh, and then they were apparently eyeing Russell Crowe as a replacement for Bardem (which: oh, please no). Then Warner Bros. passed on the project, putting it in jeopardy once again. But it is still happening! All caught up? Ready for the newest morsel of news?

Yes, I see the attraction to bringing someone like Aaron Paul into this. He was fantastic in Breaking Bad. I have no doubt that he'd be fantastic as Eddie Dean. But then I think, is that a little too on the nose slash typecasting? Once playing a druggie, always playing a druggie, you know?

And now, besides all that? I'm wondering if I even want this to happen.

[livius drusus]

I think that's a solid call. Now if only Ron Howard were as big a fan of Mad Men as he is Breaking Bad...

[LadyShea]

The only reason this all would be happening is if someone in charge is very afeared of losing money because of ignorance or something.

They put huge amounts of money into the riskiest projects imaginable (Tom Cruise as Jack Reacher still boggles me, even though I heard the film works)...but are scared of putting it into fairly known quantities like Ron Howard and Stephen King? Where is the paranoia coming from?

[livius drusus]

It's the ambition of the project, I think, Shea. A billion dollars of TV and movies is a huge commitment even with big names behind the scenes.

[Sock Puppet]

Why not just make a fantastic film version of the first book, as a standalone project meant to make money on its own? Then they'll have an enthusiastic audience that will flock to the sequels with predictable Pavlovian slaver, and probably eat them up no matter what form they take. (Maybe even if The Gunslinger gets a theatrical release while Books 2-7 end up on HBO.) After all, that's essentially how King got me to read the rest of those fucking books.

Maybe Peter Jackson convinced the industry that adaptations of entire book series need to be mapped out from the outset.

[BrotherMan]

After all, that's essentially how King got me to read the rest of those fucking books.

Oh, me too.

[ShottleBop]

I never made it past the ride on the train. Never made it to the middle of the ride on the train.

Took me years to make it through Dune Messiah, too.

[LadyShea]

OMG, The Hobbit is a movie trilogy unto itself. If they can expand one book to three movies, surely they can make DT work somehow.

Also, I agree with Sock on making The Gunslinger and then see what happens.

[BrotherMan]

Rumors have resurfaced that maybe possibly the Dark Tower movie/tv combo could probably someday happen. Maybe.

According to Deadline, Sony Pictures is teaming with MRC to “co-finance” the first in what is intended to be a franchise of films based on Stephen King’s Dark Tower novels, as well as a “complementary” TV series being developed by MRC.

The current draft of the film script is reportedly based on the series’ first book The Gunslinger and focuses on the relationship between Roland and Jake. Deadline says scribes Akiva Goldman (Insurgent) and Jeff Pinkner (Lost, The Amazing Spider-Man 2) have “totally reconceived” the script since Universal abandoned the project.

So far, no word on whether or not Jon Hamm is in the running for childe Roland Deschain which as we all know would be the only real hope this has of being remotely successful.

I FORGOTTED:

[livius drusus]

I'm sure he won't be because they'll want some shitass so-called "movie star" like they did when they pursued coffin-faced Javier Bardem and angerblob Russel Crowe. Everything is the worst.

[BrotherMan]

All kinds of people are calling for Matthew McConaughey to portray Randall Flagg. I'm not sure how I feel about that.

[livius drusus]

Not alright, not alright, not alright.

[LadyShea]

I love me some Matthew,but just no. Did these people even read the books?

[BrotherMan]

It's been long enough since I thought about it that I forgot I had already cast the Man in Black, Randall Flagg and all associated characters that fit under that banner: Jared Harris.

[LadyShea]

Oh gawd, I had blocked The Stand from my working memory because it was horrible. Looks like they are doing it again, sans Molly Ringwald?http://www.themarysue.com/matthew-mc...hey-the-stand/

[JoeP]

* JoeP surfs the web

Daniel Craig? No no no
Russell Crowe? No no no no
Hugh Jackman? He could act Roland, I'm sure, but he's not right
Hugh Laurie. Ha ha ha. Yes, someone suggested him, probably only having seen House.
Michael Fassbender? No. Yes. Wait.
Viggo Mortensen? Hmm ... looks, check; range, check ...

Seriously, the backers are just waiting until cloning technology is advanced enough to produce a younger Clint Eastwood. Or until anti-aging technology is advanced enough to ensure the real Clint Eastwood will make through the entire series.

For the man in black:
Jim Carrey. NO NO NO.
Javier Bardem. Aha. Much better than as Roland.
Jeremy Irons. Um.
Christopher Walken. Um.
Hugo Weaving. Hmm ...
Willem Dafoe. Hmm ...
Johnny Depp. Maybe ... not quite.
Benedict Cumberbatch. Maybe ... not quite.
Alan Rickman. Yes. No.

So while there are several suggestions for Roland, there's a fair amount of consensus. Not so for Walter O'Black Flagg.

* JoeP surfs his subconscious
If someone can suggest Hugh Laurie as Roland, then I suggest Stephen Fry as the man in black. OK not really

So here's my suggestion. Epitome of evil; highly persuasive (how else do you explain that marriage); and possessed of diabolical powers:

show spoiler

Tom Cruise

[BrotherMan]

On a long enough timeline, any actor with cache and charisma will be cast as either Roland Deschain or the Man in Black.

“The Dark Tower” may have found its gunslinger: Deadline reports that Idris Elba is the frontrunner for the role of lead protagonist Roland Deschain in the film adaptation of Stephen King’s novel series. The article states no deal is done, and no one involved would comment on the story.

[SharonDee]

Who?

[BrotherMan]

[Sock Puppet]

Huh. I suppose that would work better than some of the names floated, but ... nah. I really think it needs to go to someone with at least a vague Lee Marvin look.

[livius drusus]

JOHN. HAMM.

[JoeP]

Has anyone seen liv recently?

[wei yau]

JONAH HEX

[BrotherMan]

Originally Posted by livius drusus

JOHN. HAMM.

I tried to proselytize out in the world.



Filthy cretens don't like the Hamm.