The Dark Tower Film and TV Series Combo

[livius drusus]

Universal Pictures and NBC have made a deal to film Steven King's Dark Tower series as a movie trilogy with a TV series interspersed between the film releases. Ron Howard will direct the first movie and first season of the TV show. Akiva Goldsman will write the movie and show. Brian Grazer will produce along with Goldsman and Steven King.

From the article

I spoke with Goldsman and Howard, who have polled enough of their peers to be convinced what they are doing here has never been attempted: using a major studio’s film and TV platforms simultaneously to tell a story. It is reminiscent of when Peter Jackson directed three installments of The Lord of The Rings, back to back, so that they could be released in three consecutive years.

“What Peter did was a feat, cinematic history,” Howard told me. “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.”

It makes some sense, no denying, but it's so insanely ambitious the odds are this is going to blow on a very large scale. I'm even more convinced than I was before that Jon Hamm is the only person who can play Roland.

[Kael]

I keep wanting to read that series, but then I forget about it again. I'll need to bump it up my list.

[BrotherMan]

I'm sorry. I can't thank that poste. You missed on an all time classic thrad title:

Childe Rowland to the Dark Screen Came

I am very disappointed in you, livius drusus. Very. Disappointed.



That said, I'm modestly hopeful. It sounds ambitious, and I like that. It's that kind of thinking Hollywood needs and the Dark Tower deserves. Also, I second Hamm as Roland Deschain.

[livius drusus]

But "dark screen" doesn't suggest teevee so it wouldn't have covered the key point. Still, I accept my thrad title failure.

[Ymir's blood]

[teasasue]

I think that will be cool, I have read the 1st 3 or 4 of the series and need to finish it but my husband has been wanting this for a long long time now. He loves this series.

[Adam]

That's pretty damned sweet. To really capture the feel of the series, though, they'd need to do like a dozen apparently unrelated projects that turn out to tie into it.

[LadyShea]

Okay wow. I find myself excited...Ron Howard and a combo of TV and movies (which while complicated and ambitious makes TOTAL SENSE)?? And terrified, because with the exception of those directed by Rob Reiner, screen adaptations of King's books tend to suck ass. Dark Tower is too awesome and epic to destroy like they did The Stand

[SharonDee]

Originally Posted by LadyShea

Dark Tower is too awesome and epic to destroy like they did The Stand

I know, right?! I mean, c'mon. Who thought Molly Ringwald was a good idea?

Except ... I don't find The Stand that hard to watch. The one they really made hash out of was It.

[livius drusus]

I just emailed Ron Howard (I found the addy online, so I'm hoping against hope that it's real) the following:

I SAID MY PIECE

Hello Mr. Howard,

Pardon my importuning you (or the assistant/s who screen your mail), but I recently read with awe-struck trepidation about your plans for a Dark Tower movie trilogy and companion TV series. I think your planned approach is innovative and ambitious and am keeping all my digits crossed that it is a boundary-busting success.

I'm sure you'll be considering a vast panoply of fine actors for the role of Roland, and I hope most fervently that Jon Hamm is among them. In fact, I hope most fervently that he gets the job. He's the perfect Gunslinger, in my opinion, both in terms of his looks -- the piercing blue eyes, that frown line between his eyebrows that speaks of heavy burdens carried, the effortless masculinity -- and in his ability to convey profound emotion with few (or no) words. He's also just the right age, and to be brutally honest, I live in fear that someone younger and more plucked, polished and waxed will get the part for his appeal to the ever-desirable pubescent demographic, despite the known fact that said demographic has an affinity for non-threatening androgyny.

I won't go on at length Jon Hamm; suffice it to say I wish you the best of Jon Hamm luck in this endeavor. Without a doubt you're going to Jon Hamm need it Jon Hamm because doing Jon Hamm the books justice will be a very Jon Hamm tall order indeed. Jon Hamm.

Yours sincerely,
livius Jon Hamm drusus

[LadyShea]

Did you really send that? Awesome! I am re-reading the series now

[livius drusus]

Sure did. It hasn't bounced yet either, so it appears the address may actually be real.

[ZEZOZE]

i didn't think The Stand was that bad on the little screen. i think Stephen King just has a way of rushing endings and they end up silly. if they come off that way on paper, they're gonna leave you even more disappointed on television. you invest a lot of time in his good storytelling, only to feel kinda cheated at the end. Stephen King isn't good at ending things. even a speeding car couldn't do it for him.

all that said- i think it sounds cool and with those big shots backing the production it's bound to make heaps of money. i'll watch it.

[Deadlokd]

Originally Posted by ITSOZAZ

i didn't think The Stand was that bad on the little screen. i think Stephen King just has a way of rushing endings and they end up silly. if they come off that way on paper, they're gonna leave you even more disappointed on television. you invest a lot of time in his good storytelling, only to feel kinda cheated at the end. Stephen King isn't good at ending things. even a speeding car couldn't do it for him.

Exactly. Awesome story....awesome story...awesome story...end; what the fuck was that?

I picked the Dark Tower up at a book sale the other day (haven't read it yet), $8 for a bag of books. I like those book sales.

[The Man]

Originally Posted by LadyShea

Okay wow. I find myself excited...Ron Howard and a combo of TV and movies (which while complicated and ambitious makes TOTAL SENSE)?? And terrified, because with the exception of those directed by Rob Reiner, screen adaptations of King's books tend to suck ass. Dark Tower is too awesome and epic to destroy like they did The Stand

Stanley Kubrick would like a word with you.

That said, I'd thought Lindelof and Cuse were going to be involved with this but I guess that was just a baseless rumour. Anyway, hopefully this'll be good.

[Janet]

Australia's expensive. Bag day at our library book sale is $2 a bag.

[LadyShea]

Originally Posted by The Man

Stanley Kubrick would like a word with you.

That said, I'd thought Lindelof and Cuse were going to be involved with this but I guess that was just a baseless rumour. Anyway, hopefully this'll be good.

Kubrick didn't adapt a King book, he made a hell of a movie that used the same names and places as a King book.

[Adam]

So, apparently, this has a release date now? First movie is on May 17, 2013.

One of the nerds at the forum where I cheat on you guys pointed this out (light the Iacchus and/or ITSOZAZ Signal!):

5/17/2013 = 5 + 1 + 7 + 2 + 0 + 1 + 3 = 19.

[LadyShea]

I just finished a series re-read, but 2013? I'll have to read it yet again between now and then

[Ensign Steve]

Originally Posted by Adam

So, apparently, this has a release date now? First movie is on May 17, 2013.

One of the nerds at the forum where I cheat on you guys pointed this out (light the Iacchus and/or ITSOZAZ Signal!):

5/17/2013 = 5 + 1 + 7 + 2 + 0 + 1 + 3 = 19.

Is 19 a magical number in the Dark Towerverse?

[LadyShea]

Yes it is

[Adam]

Oh, also, Howard apparently thinks Viggo Mortensen would be a good Roland.

Ron Howard wants Viggo Mortensen (maybe) for 'Dark Tower' | PopWatch | EW.com

I can dig it. I'm curious as to possible casting for Marten/Merlin/Flagg.

[livius drusus]

He's a bit older than Roland is in the book, but I would be perfectly delighted with Viggo anyway on account of he's awesome and I him.

[Adam]

I guess I can accept Viggo, but only if Shia LeBeouf and Michael Cera are sure they aren't available.

ETA: Also, isn't Roland supposed to be, like, thousands of years old, thanks to the the way time had gotten since the world moved on? I don't think Viggo is older than that.

[LadyShea]

Originally Posted by livius drusus

He's a bit older than Roland is in the book, but I would be perfectly delighted with Viggo anyway on account of he's awesome and I him.

Yabbut remember at the end of the Gunslinger, he wakes up after his palaver with Marten greatly aged. Through the rest of the series he is discussed as being or looking 40'sish (though time slips and hundreds of years go by and all that )