The Dark Tower series filmed adaptation

[Cixelsyd]

By my calculations the clock will reach zero on 9/19 at midnight.

This is correct. 9/19 by my count too. Very appropriate.

[EvaH]

Brian Grazer and Ron Howard talk a bit about the Dark Tower

DEADLINE: You’ll soon know their capacity for risk taking when you find out if Universal will make The Dark Tower, whose trilogy and TV components make it the most ambitious project a studio has attempted since The Lord of the Rings. How important is it for a couple of guys who’ve been together for 25 years to take big swings?

HOWARD: If you’re not out there taking some risks, if you’re just coasting along with your wins, then you’re not really trying. But we never take risk for risk’s sake. The Dark Tower seemed like such a good idea to both of us that it became impossible not to try it. It’s impossible to live with ourselves if we don’t take the swing.

DEADLINE: Why does Dark Tower warrant three movies and two TV series in between?

HOWARD: The universe Steve King created is so dimensional and creative. It blends scope, sweep, and adventure with some very personal compelling stories. We could have tried to force all of it into one or two or three movies. It became clear to me that the medium of TV has become so bold and cool, we could use it to our advantage creatively and really fulfill the possibilities of this universe of characters King gave us to work with. We can use the intimacy of television when that’s appropriate, and the scope and scale of the big screen with the bigger fantasy ideas. We discovered elements that would probably never have a home either on the big screen or on TV, but would make fantastic narrative gaming opportunities that won’t rehash the movies or TV, but have its own material borne out of the books and graphic novels. We’ve got gaming designers and there is enthusiasm for that. It’s a way to use all the mediums at our disposal to try to fulfill what’s possible. Universal sees this as an asset that can benefit the company in a lot of different ways.

DEADLINE: Still, there were rumors last month that Universal might let The Dark Tower go. That hasn’t happened but they did push the start date to early next year. Why has it been so hard to get underway?

HOWARD: The first version represented a bold attempt to fast track, because of weather concerns. It was a little more dramatic to people on the outside than to us. We’d have liked to move forward on that fast track, but it was always Phase One. There was an understanding that if we couldn’t answer all the questions in a way that made sense to all the partners involved, then we would operate on a slightly more traditional timetable. Even if we go in March, that’s still moving quickly for something of this scale.

DEADLINE: You’ve been asked to bring down the budget. By how much?

GRAZER: I’m producing it with Akiva Goldsman, who wrote it to be sensitive to cost and is rewriting it to be more so. Without putting a number on it, the cuts aren’t that deep or that radical.

DEADLINE: Is Javier Bardem set to play the main gunslinger Roland Deschains?

HOWARD: Nobody is pay or play but he has said he wants to do it. We’ve spent a lot of time together. He’s fascinated by the character and has great instincts for Roland. I’m hoping when we go, he’s available and will join us.

http://www.deadline.com/2011/06/qa-i...ears-together/

[mae]

http://insidemovies.ew.com/2011/06/2...sh-dark-tower/

Ron Howard is in talks to direct a true-life Formula 1 racing drama by screenwriter Peter Morgan (Frost/Nixon, The Queen), casting further doubt on his planned trilogy and TV series adaptation of Stephen King’s gunslinging fantasy novels The Dark Tower.

But fear not King fans — so says Howard’s rep Missy Davy at CAA. She insists The Dark Tower is still on track for a start early next year.

The racing film, titled Rush, would focus on the rivalry between 1970s-era drivers James Hunt and Niki Lauda, who survived a horrific, fiery crash that left him seriously burned but did not slow down (so to speak) his competitiveness.

If the deal with Howard is finalized, it would likely shoot in the fall.

The film is being financed by Cross Creek Pictures, which helped produce Black Swan and George Clooney’s upcoming The Ides of March.

Plans for The Dark Tower series of films began to hit trouble recently over Universal Picture’s concerns about the budget. Both Howard and the studio have stressed that they are trying to reach an accord, but the emergence of new projects such as Rush naturally would make fans fear his attention has begun to shift elsewhere.

With luck, one quest won’t divert the other.

[Slender]

Am I the only one who's kind of hoping that Ron Howard will get side-tracked into directing other projects like this, and someone a bit quirkier and more vibrant (Terry Gilliam, Guillermo del Toro, etc) will end up taking over the Dark Tower series?

[Ben Staad]

Better be careful what you wish for Slender....We all might end up with a Tim Burton DT. LOL and J/K

P.S. I actually like Tim Burton but not for DT.

[mae]

Even more on Howard's plate?

http://www.deadline.com/2011/06/ron-...or-spy-vs-spy/

Remember Spy vs. Spy, the running comic strip of one-ups-manship between rival spooks from Mad Magazine? A live-action bigscreen version is moving forward at Warner Bros for Ron Howard to direct. David Koepp will produce with Howard and his Imagine Entertainment partner Brian Grazer. Right now, Koepp will oversee a script that will be written by John Kamps. Kamps just teamed with Koepp to write Premium Rush, the Sony Pictures movie directed by Koepp, who also just rewrote the Jack Ryan film for Paramount Pictures. The film will be a physical and highly visual action comedy with two spies going mano a mano in ruthless fashion.

Spy Vs. Spy will be down the line for Howard, who always has a busy dance card. As Howard and Grazer and Akiva Goldsman prepare to turn in the rewrite of The Dark Tower over the next couple of weeks to see if Universal Pictures will fund the ambitious adaptation of the Stephen King novel series planned to span three films and two TV series runs, Howard has been eyeing projects he might be able to squeeze in before. He met on the film that'll have Tom Hanks playing Captain Richard Phillips, who gave himself up to be a hostage to Somali pirates, that Paul Greengrass has wound up directing. He's been rumored for a Frankenstein project at 20th Century Fox that Max Landis is writing for producer John Davis. And he is getting serious about Rush, the Peter Morgan-scripted film about Formula one racer Niki Lauda. The latter project seems to have the strongest chance of happening, but only if it can start in the fall. In an interview I did with Howard and Grazer to commemorate Imagine's 25th anniversary, they told me in no uncertain terms they are determined to make The Dark Tower early next year, whether at Universal or elsewhere. I believe them.

[Slender]

I actually think Tim Burton would be the better choice at this point. He has made some terrific films, and while the same can be said of Ron Howard, Burton's dark and gothic style seems like a much better fit for the Dark Tower than Howard's family-friendly biopic sensibilities. I'd rather a Dark Tower in the style of Edward Scissorhands or Beetlejuice than one in the style of A Beautiful Mind or Apollo 13. That said, I respect Howard for doing so much to bring these books to the screen, and particularly for the inspired casting of Javier Bardem as Roland. If he does end up directing these films, I wish him the best of luck.

[Blaine Is A Pain]

I just would not want it to be a "Tim Burton" film. The only thing I don't like about his films is that all the sets look fake to me. They sometimes take me straight out of his films. You can bet he would push for Johnny Depp to be Roland. Which I would not mind but with a limited budget supposedly being placed upon Ron Howard it's doubtful that would happen anyway.

[Garrell]

Love Ron Howard, but did anyone see "The Dilemma"? Sux worst than the best toilet in the world.

[Rahfa]

It's over:

http://www.deadline.com/2011/07/univ...ries/#comments

This is good news....this 'three-movie-plus-tv-series' plan always seemed too ambitious, and Howard was always going to screw it up...hopefully they scale back to the HBO series that we're all on board with. If 'Game of Thrones' proves anything, it's that this is the venue for storytelling like this.

[Roland of Gilead 33]

actually i think it's bad news. but the way they wanted to do it is fucked up. since there's just so much damn material & what with the next DT novel coming out next year. i think they should try a different deal. even if the tv series opens up the film & by that i just mean maybe the 1st book should be the tv series just to start out with? i dunno it's just a suggestion.

[Jethro]

Ugh.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/busine...,3464229.story

[Jean]

shit

I never expected much of the project, but I know how many of my friends here looked forward to it, and now it fucking breaks my heart to see that all their dreams came to nothing.

[DoctorDodge]

I shouldn't really say I'm surprised. It's a little dissapointing, but I think Universal have been more reluctant to take risks recently. Put it this way: last year, they adapted little-known comic series Scott Pilgrim into a 2 hour feature film. Now I loved it, but that doesn't change the fact that box office revenue was little over half of what it actually cost to make it, possibly making it one of the biggest flops in recent years. I can't say I was surprised that they backed out of adapting a slightly unknown book series (whether written by one of the world's most famous writers or not, the fact remains that The Dark Tower isn't as well known or headline grabbing as some of his "horror" titles) into a tv and film franchise whose success would entirely depend on its first film. Oh well. To be honest, whilst in the beginning I was excited for it, I must admit that Ron Howard never really persuaded me as being the right director for this film. Frank Darabont, or the Coen Brothers, now I'd think they'd be far more appropriate at handling something like this, but Howard? No, notsomuch.

Still, a shame to cancel it now after so much buildup, all the same.

[Bev Vincent]

It's not canceled -- it just won't be funded by Universal.

[Rahfa]

Eh...true, it's not cancelled, but most of the primary figures have already moved on.

At minimum, it's 2-3 years away now...and that assumes they make a deal with another studio right away....and that a TV network is still on board with the split series aspect.

Hopefully, somebody with a clue sees what HBO did with "Games of Thrones." For crying out loud, they just gave everyone a blueprint for exactly how DT would work on a cable series!

[Bev Vincent]

With the news that Universal has canceled its planned film-and-TV adaptation of Stephen King’s The Dark Tower book series, the author tells EW.com that he’s still optimistic that director Ron Howard will find a home for Roland the Gunslinger on the big (and/or small) screen. “I’m sorry Universal passed, but not really surprised,” he writes in an email. “As a rule, they’ve been about smaller and less risky pix; maybe they feel it would be better to stick with those fast and furious racing boys. I bear them no ill will, and trust Ron Howard to get Roland and his friends before the camera somewhere else. He’s very committed to the project.”

>>> Entertainment Weekly

[pixiedark76]

Woe Discordia

[Crimson Canada]

HI all

I am new to the forum, not new to the wonder of TDT though lol

You can count me as one of the crowd DYING to see this get done. WHile i am disappointed, there are a few things taht i always was happy about in this attempt, and those that i was not, but was willing to let go, in order to see it done.
Not happy:

Ron Howard. He is NOt the man for the job, though i truly repect the passion he showed for this in trying to get it done.

Happy:
Javier Bardem. The pyshical "look" of an actor pales wildly in comparison to their ability to bring life to one of the greatest characters in a long time. Bardem was a great choice. I hope he manages to stay on

Also, Part of me is EXTREMELY happy that Universal walked on this!!. They are a crappy, small minded, risk adverse studio whoe will left behind just like the network attached to them. It is better off out of their hands

BUt this news of Warner Bros. picking it up? That could be teh BEST news of all. Think about it!!! Warner Bros; this is the studio that has directors like Peter Jackson, F. Darabont and CHRISTOPHER NOLAN tied very tightly with them. They will green light the riskiest of projects and back to the most eclectic small production companies and their creative ideas.
But above all else (and most important in this case) this is the studio that committed a decade of theri time and a PILE of their resources to Harry Potter. Love or hate the little english douche and his sexy friend (lol) but it s a cinematic achievement and a testament to Warner Bros. place at the top of this industry.

Think of the possibilites!!!!!! Worried about where to put what book in the 3 movie/2 tv series idea from universal??? F THAT!!! "we're warner bros, we'll jsut make 8 films and an HBO special out of the graphic novels!!!!!!!!!!!

If Warner pics this up, it could and will be the best thing that happened to this franchise. who knows? maybe they can convince nolan or jackson to do a few of the films LOL

[Bama71]

With the news that Universal has canceled its planned film-and-TV adaptation of Stephen King’s The Dark Tower book series, the author tells EW.com that he’s still optimistic that director Ron Howard will find a home for Roland the Gunslinger on the big (and/or small) screen. “I’m sorry Universal passed, but not really surprised,” he writes in an email. “As a rule, they’ve been about smaller and less risky pix; maybe they feel it would be better to stick with those fast and furious racing boys. I bear them no ill will, and trust Ron Howard to get Roland and his friends before the camera somewhere else. He’s very committed to the project.”

>>> Entertainment Weekly

Christ. I really hate to say this about King, but this sounds very hypocritical. I read an article just after he sold the rights to the DT cycle stating that if it gets made, that's fine. And if it flops, it can sit in the 99 cent rental shelf as far as he's concerned. It could have been his mood at the time that made him say this, maybe. But I still think this could be a multiple theatrical release deal. With Harry Potter finally over, Warner Brothers might be looking for their next project just to keep the success going. Maybe they'll pick it up and let the story be told in its' entirety on the big screen like I always thought it should be. With the right set of circumstances (studio, director, cast & script) it could be made into enough movies to tell the whole tale, with the 7th split into two parts. I believe it needs to be told in its' entire length to be successful. The perfect script is the novels themselves. I'll be happy if it gets made at all, but I'd love to see it all on the big screen. It's too broad of a scope to be on a television screen.

[blavigne]

I am very sad about this. I really wanted this to happen.

[JRoss]

Hi, I just registered here to post something I've been thinking about for a long time, but I will definitely be back to get my Dark Tower fix .

I just read that Universal scrapped plans to make a Dark Tower movie. I don't blame them. Making a movie out of these books would be a very daunting task and getting it wrong would be a tragedy. In fact, I don't really know if I want to see the series put to film. That being said, I truly believe that Wizard and Glass would make an amazing movie or miniseries for a few reasons.

Dark Tower IV is chronologically the beginning of the series so it could almost stand alone. Start the movie as Roland walks into Tull or somthing, introduce Walter, portray how the world has moved on, and flashback to New Canaan. That would be all the background needed in my opinion.

The western setting would have mainstream appeal. Add some lightning quick gunslingers, Rhea, and a love story... there is no reason it couldn't be a hit.

No book has ever captured my imagination like this one. I can see the story so vividly that I feel I can write the script myself, but I can't so I really hope somebody in the industry is discussing this. It's almost like the book is so good that you can't screw it up if that makes any sense.

Anyone else think this would be a good idea?

[Merlin1958]

I agree, HBO is the way to go. Kind of amazing that no one has approached it before given the success of "Lost", GOT, "True Blood", "Carnivale" and a host of other similar themed shows. Maybe "Cowboys & Aliens" will be the final straw?

[Merlin1958]

I am very sad about this. I really wanted this to happen.

Personally, I think it will, eventually. There's too many "good" elements associated with it. Especially, given the trends lately. The written material is just too good to pass up. Hopefully, this turns out to be a good thing!!!

[Randall Flagg]

This will be merged, and soon.