The Dark Tower series filmed adaptation

[Ari_Racing]

According to LILJA:

Bardem signed the contract! He IS ROLAND!

[beam*seeker]

I think Bardem is a solid choice. He has the dark hero thang working and he was believable for me as a killer in No Country for Old Men. A little bit creepy too. I could see him cold bloodedly dropping Jake into the chasm in order to catch Walter. BTW, I hope my comments on Bale were not meant to be a critique of his over all work, because I loved him as the Dark Knight and in The Machinist. I just didn't like him as John Connor.

Do we know who is Walter yet?

And I am of the dissenting opinion that they keep the Wolves of the Calla IN. I liked that book. I liked the story and it was a good linkage to all the stuff with Algul Siento. Also it was really of coming of age for Jake. So I think it should stay in.

[mae]

http://www.nypost.com/p/pagesix/bard...iVIZcnZgr0JGmL

Javier Bardem has officially signed an epic deal to star in the movie and TV adaptations of Stephen King's "Dark Tower" book series. The Oscar-winning actor will play Roland Deschain in the eagerly awaited Ron Howard and Brian Grazer adaptation of King's beloved seven-novel saga. It's a momentous deal because each of the three movies in the series is to be followed by a TV miniseries. A well-placed source confirmed to Page Six, "Bardem has signed on to the first movie and the miniseries, but the intention is that he will star in all three movies and each of the TV series. It's an enormous deal for any actor, but Bardem was always the first choice." The story follows "Gunslinger" Deschain as he travels through an Old West-like landscape in search of the mythical Dark Tower to save civilization. The first movie is expected to go into production in September with Howard directing.

[hwvw23]

yep, found that on the net too.
Interesting choice, I'd have never thought of him as Roland, but its okay I guess. Would have liked someone with real blue eyes somehow, but I guess you can't make everyone happy.

(PS: Ron Howard, in case you read this, I got red hair, so if you look for someone who plays Brown, I got some free time DDDD)

[Iwritecode]

It's gonna be weird to finally be able to put a "real" face with all these characters after all these years.

Once I watch a movie based on a book I can't help but see the actors in my mind that played those characters when I go back and read the book again. Even when the description in the book doesn't match what the actor looked like. Like Morgan Freeman playing Red in Shawshank.

[CaptHowdy]

I agree that they should keep the Calla part, but I think they should shorten it, for example Callahans story.
I think Bardem will be great, hope they find good actors for the rest of the tet too.

[Merlin1958]

I agree that they should keep the Calla part, but I think they should shorten it, for example Callahans story.
I think Bardem will be great, hope they find good actors for the rest of the tet too.

I agree. The Pere story could be dropped altogether or relegated to TV easily. They would have to cover the wolves and the Calla in somefashion to maintain continuity.

[pixiedark76]

http://www.nypost.com/p/pagesix/bard...iVIZcnZgr0JGmL

Javier Bardem has officially signed an epic deal to star in the movie and TV adaptations of Stephen King's "Dark Tower" book series. The Oscar-winning actor will play Roland Deschain in the eagerly awaited Ron Howard and Brian Grazer adaptation of King's beloved seven-novel saga. It's a momentous deal because each of the three movies in the series is to be followed by a TV miniseries. A well-placed source confirmed to Page Six, "Bardem has signed on to the first movie and the miniseries, but the intention is that he will star in all three movies and each of the TV series. It's an enormous deal for any actor, but Bardem was always the first choice." The story follows "Gunslinger" Deschain as he travels through an Old West-like landscape in search of the mythical Dark Tower to save civilization. The first movie is expected to go into production in September with Howard directing.

I am happy, plus I am a little scared. I think Javier Bardem will play a very dark hero; a very dark scary Roland.

[lordmerchant]

I just watched No Country for old men again a few nights ago (very good) Javier Bardem is great in that movie - very creepy and a stone cold killer, very much like Roland in the beginning of the series. I still can't picture JAvier as Roland though....

[mae]

No one picked up the tidbit that they'll start production in September already? Awesome.

[Slender]

I'm very happy that Javier Bardem has signed, but I'm hoping the rumoured casting of Idris Elba as Walter doesn't come to pass. He has neither the look nor the 'feel' of the man in black. I watched Inglourious Basterds the other night, and Christoph Waltz has now supplanted Peter Stormare as my first choice for the part. An amazing actor and a perfect fit.

[Brainslinger]

I just watched No Country for old men again a few nights ago (very good) Javier Bardem is great in that movie - very creepy and a stone cold killer, very much like Roland in the beginning of the series.

I saw it recently too, (although I didn't take it all in, unfortunately. It seemed like the story had a way to go... then just stopped, and i realised I must have missed a bit.) I agree that Bardem was great in it though. He was even able to pull off a fairly good American accent. I say 'fairly good' as there was a bit of his own Spanish in there but just enough that wouldn't be out of place with Roland's style of speech anyway.

Ari-Racing:

According to LILJA:

Bardem signed the contract! He IS ROLAND!

Just to counter-balance that (not meaning to be a kill-joy!), the moderator on the Stephen King official forum stated the following:

Some of you may have seen on fan sites or other sources that Javier Bardem has signed on for the part of Roland. When I asked Steve about this yesterday afternoon, he had not been informed by anyone from the production company that that had happened and it was his opinion that until he did, we should still consider it a rumor. I've emailed the publicist at Universal to get confirmation and will report back as soon as I hear from her. Remember that the reason you may not see it here first is because we don't report rumors--we like to have the facts substantiated first especially for projects such as this.

Source.

That's not to say it hasn't happened. I suspect it even has, but best to just take it with a pinch of salt for now.

[Ari_Racing]

By Marsha, one hour ago:

I have received confirmation that Javier Bardem has signed on in principle pending final negotiations for the terms of the contract.

[Ari_Racing]

BY the way...I don't quite understand what that means

[Mr. Rabbit Trick]

BY the way...I don't quite understand what that means

"Show me the Money!"

[WeDealInLead]

[I saw it recently too, (although I didn't take it all in, unfortunately. It seemed like the story had a way to go... then just stopped, and i realised I must have missed a bit.) I agree that Bardem was great in it though. He was even able to pull off a fairly good American accent. I say 'fairly good' as there was a bit of his own Spanish in there but just enough that wouldn't be out of place with Roland's style of speech anyway.

.

Yeah but he had how many lines in the movie? 2.5?

I won't watch this anymore. Call me a self-loathing Euro but the book is in English, written by an English speaking writter, when the characters travel to Keystone Earth they travel to North America and I think the main actor (who will have to do a lot of talking) should be fluent in English.

[pathoftheturtle]

Right; Spanish obviously has no place in North America. Obviously.

[Iwritecode]

I won't watch this anymore. Call me a self-loathing Euro but the book is in English, written by an English speaking writter, when the characters travel to Keystone Earth they travel to North America and I think the main actor (who will have to do a lot of talking) should be fluent in English.

Roland isn't exactly fluent in English either. He can't even say "tuna fish" or "asprin".

[Randall Flagg]

BY the way...I don't quite understand what that means

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grain_of_salt

[WeDealInLead]

Right; Spanish obviously has no place in North America. Obviously.

Because I said that. Obviously.

[Cixelsyd]

I won't watch this anymore. Call me a self-loathing Euro but the book is in English, written by an English speaking writter, when the characters travel to Keystone Earth they travel to North America and I think the main actor (who will have to do a lot of talking) should be fluent in English.

Roland isn't exactly fluent in English either. He can't even say "tuna fish" or "asprin".

This is exactly right. Kings goes to great lengths in the book to remind us that Roland is not from our world. He can't read English completely, he can't say certain words, etc. It's not out of line at all to have Roland speak with some sort of accent in the movie. And, considering the Spanish influences of Mejis, a Spanish accent would be pretty appropriate.

[pathoftheturtle]

If Stephen King is in favor if Bardem, that's good enough for me.

[fernandito]

Well said, Path. Javier Bardem wasn't my first choice, but there's no denying that he is an incredible actor. Will the whole blue-eyed bombardier thing have to be excluded ? Yes. Can the series move on anyway ? Yes, I think it can.

[velcro_fly]

If Stephen King is in favor if Bardem, that's good enough for me.

My thoughts exactly.

[blavigne]

Why can't Javier have blue eyes? Any color blue they want to make them? Somehow I think turning brown eyes blue is not really a problem.