The Dark Tower series filmed adaptation

[Isamu Dyson]

Isn't Paul a bit old for the role?

[Bev Vincent]

Isn't Paul a bit old for the role?

This is an unconfirmed rumor -- and one that is vague enough that there's no definite role associated with it, though speculation has taken off in 100 different directions at the same time.

[Shannon]

Jacob Tremblay is PERFECT casting. Absolutely fantastic actor.

[mtdman]

I can get behind Aaron Paul as Eddie.

I think it would be fantastic if Susannah was white, but her personality was black. Oh boy that would be great to see a white woman playing a black woman arguing with Idris Elba as Roland about race relations. Whoo hoo. Makes my head spin.



On a serious note, part of the relations Roland has with his ka tet is that they both love him and hate him at the same time. Eddie loves him like his older brother and will do anything for him, but at the same time hates him because of his callousness towards the group. Susanna loves Roland as her leader, the man that brought her to meet Eddie and combined her into one person, but hates him as a honkey mother fucker. Jake loves him as a father, but mistrusts him because he let Jake die once already. It's very complicated. It would be a shame to see that lost in the movie.

Finally, if anyone actually thinks that movie studios set their release dates without regards to when other movies come out, they are kidding themselves. If the studio wants TDT to be a big movie and make lots of $$, they would be morons to release it at the same time as the Rogue One movie in December, regardless to 'Oscar considerations' (Lol). Ep VII destroyed the box office last December. If you don't think that affected other movies, ask Quentin Tarintino what that movie did to H8 and his box office. He couldn't get his movie into theaters because of Ep VII. January and February are traditional dead months for movies. Releasing TDT during those months, before the big summer comic book movies and blockbusters come out, and after Star Wars has had its holiday run, is a great strategy. It will have no competition and should be able to make $$, if it isn't a piece of garbage.

Although, if the Oscars don't want to be so white in the future, a best actor nod to Alba for Roland wouldn't be that surprising. But in that case, it wouldn't much matter how good the role was, just that it was filling a quota for minority nominations.

[Lookwhoitis]

a best actor nod to Alba for Roland wouldn't be that surprising. But in that case, it wouldn't much matter how good the role was, just that it was filling a quota for minority nominations.

I think Jessica Alba could pull off the Gunslinger... Heck she was good as the invisible woman right? She sure got robbed of the Oscar nom for that role... Perhaps they will give her the make-up Oscar for this one!

Think of how many asses that hot little actor could put in the seats!

[Bev Vincent]

Apparently, Mr. Paul is intrigued by the rumor:

@aaronpaul_8: Dear *@StephenKing‬,
How goes it my friend? So, about these Dark Tower rumors. What are your thoughts? Could you put in a good word for me?
Ap

[Bev Vincent]

And got this reply!

@StephenKing: *@aaronpaul_8‬ Indeed I will. I'm a big fan.

[Rahfa]

Although, if the Oscars don't want to be so white in the future, a best actor nod to Alba for Roland wouldn't be that surprising. But in that case, it wouldn't much matter how good the role was, just that it was filling a quota for minority nominations.

That's how the Oscars work - that's why Scorcese wins for "Departed," which was a moderately entertaining remake of a moderately original Hong Kong action movie and featured moderately interesting acting by a couple of actors and a moderate job of overacting by one other - it wasn't the best directed movie that year - City of Men was, but obviously Scorcese had to get an Oscar, just like Leonardo got one this year for a movie that didn't require acting as much as looking beat up for two hours. He deserved it for Inception more than this one.

It's not about a quota as much as "we couldn't have you win for this one, so we'll have you win for that one." It's funny that nobody ever looks at the awards from white performers as a quota, but they're obviously sometimes presented in a way to make up for people being overlooked in the past.

[Bev Vincent]

‘Dark Tower’ Taps Newcomer Tom Taylor for Jake Chambers Role

Sources tell Variety that Taylor won the role after a worldwide search to find the young actor who would serve as Roland Deschain’s (Elba) protege in the upcoming films.

The role would mark Taylor’s largest to date, having previously appeared in the British television series “Doctor Foster” in a recurring role.

[wolfehr]

‘Dark Tower’ Taps Newcomer Tom Taylor for Jake Chambers Role

Sources tell Variety that Taylor won the role after a worldwide search to find the young actor who would serve as Roland Deschain’s (Elba) protege in the upcoming films.

The role would mark Taylor’s largest to date, having previously appeared in the British television series “Doctor Foster” in a recurring role.

This is supposedly his audition tape... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D4mqZnnSi0g

He doesn't really look like the pictures I can find of Tom Taylor, so probably not real.

[Johnny Alien]

That doesn't look like the same kid. I sure hope not because that kid is awful.

[Sai Sheb]

Woeful!

[fernandito]

I'm worried about the possible casting of Abbey Lee as "Tirana".

Multiple sources classify it as either a Major or Lead role... could they possible be thinking about turning Odetta into Tirana?

[Iwritecode]

I'm worried about the possible casting of Abbey Lee as "Tirana".

Multiple sources classify it as either a Major or Lead role... could they possible be thinking about turning Odetta into Tirana?

I can only imagine that she'll have a much more expanded role than she did in the book and that they'll possibly introduce Blue Heaven in the first movie in order to explain the back story of the tower, the beams and the breakers.

[Steve]

I suspect that Abbey Lee is playing the Allie character from Tull with a different, more unique name.

Also, keep in mind that it's likely this is going to be

Spoiler:

a different cycle than the novels, so there can be liberties taken.

That's actually what I'd prefer. Rather than swearing 100% fealty to the source material, I'd like to see them play around with convention. Hell, if they can come up with a better resolution for the Man in Black than what the books did, I'm all for it.

[T-Dogz_AK47]

Finally, if anyone actually thinks that movie studios set their release dates without regards to when other movies come out, they are kidding themselves. If the studio wants TDT to be a big movie and make lots of $$, they would be morons to release it at the same time as the Rogue One movie in December, regardless to 'Oscar considerations' (Lol). Ep VII destroyed the box office last December. If you don't think that affected other movies, ask Quentin Tarintino what that movie did to H8 and his box office. He couldn't get his movie into theaters because of Ep VII. January and February are traditional dead months for movies. Releasing TDT during those months, before the big summer comic book movies and blockbusters come out, and after Star Wars has had its holiday run, is a great strategy. It will have no competition and should be able to make $$, if it isn't a piece of garbage.

20th Century Fox didn't have any qualms with releasing The Revenant on 25th December 2015, only 1 week after Disney released The Force Awakens, and it certainly didn't damage its ability to make $$$ either. The Revenant made $431.9 million at the box office, was nominated for 12 Oscars and won 3. That's because as I said before, it's all a matter of demographics. The audience targeted with The Force Awakens is completely different to that of The Revenant, which is why the two films could be released so close to each other.

As far as The Hateful Eight is concerned, Tarantino did not have trouble getting the movie into theaters - he had trouble getting the movie into a specific theater, The Cinerama Dome in Los Angeles, which was already allocated to The Force Awakens.

http://deadline.com/2015/12/the-hateful-eight-star-wars-force-awakens-arclight-theater-fight-1201668018/

In the UK, three cinema chains refused to screen The Hateful Eight because of a disagreement with the film distributor and the movie's 70mm presentation. This had nothing to do with The Force Awakens.

http://www.theguardian.com/film/2016/jan/05/the-hateful-eight-quentin-tarantino-not-showing-cineworld-picturehouse

January and February are dead months for movies for one simple reason. People don't go to the cinema. Expendable income is at an all time low for the majority of cinemagoers after the Christmas holiday period and kids are back at school. If a studio is aiming to make mega $$$, they release blockbuster movies during holiday periods and when kids are off school: Easter, Summer, Christmas. If a studio wants to make an artistic and 'Oscar worthy' film they traditionally will aim for a November/December release so that it's fresh in the minds of those making the Oscar nominations in January.

Studios release movies in dead months like January, February and September simply to act as space fillers between big films. The fact that The Gunslinger has been allocated a January release does not bode well for it's overall quality as either a blockbuster or an artistic 'Oscar worthy' film.

If the studio has little faith in it's own creation then what faith should we have in it? Personally, I smell a turkey cooking....

[Lookwhoitis]

. could they possible be thinking about turning Odetta into Tirana?

If that happens that is the worst possible outcome...

[Rahfa]

Studios release movies in dead months like January, February and September simply to act as space fillers between big films. The fact that The Gunslinger has been allocated a January release does not bode well for it's overall quality as either a blockbuster or an artistic 'Oscar worthy' film.

If the studio has little faith in it's own creation then what faith should we have in it? Personally, I smell a turkey cooking....

As much as I wish I could argue this point, you're not wrong.

It's not that movies in Jan-Feb are stiffs but you're right that they avoid the biggest competition that way...which is not a sign of confidence.

[mtdman]

9 months is not very long to film a movie and turn it around to get it in theaters. That leaves little time for cgi and post production work. I'm not sure what that means.

I would not be surprised to see it bumped further back again.

[Isamu Dyson]

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hea...ds-jake-874233

Edit: Whoops. The news was broken further up thread. Feel free to disregard the hyperlink I posted.

[fernandito]

I haven't seen any of his work but he looks very much like the way I pictured Jake in my mind.

I would not be surprised to see it bumped further back again.

Me either..

[Sai Sheb]

Looks like him but it ain't him.... But with how much they
Are changing the story I don't think I know jake 'john' chambers myself!

[mattgreenbean]

I have seen that the remake of The Magnificent Seven is supposed to come out Jan as well. With lots of big names. Wonder if that's still happening and how it will impact TDT?

[Merlin1958]

Interesting stuff here......

http://www.aintitcool.com/node/74563

[fernandito]

So, what of The Gunslinger book does make it? The showdown in Tull takes up most of the first act and Roland's reluctant bonding with Jake is most of the second act, but is done is a much different way than the book.

Interesting, so they are planning on keeping in there.