I just started reading Stephen King's "The Dark Tower" series about a year ago. It takes inspiration from a number of sources, including Tolkien, Lewis, and Lucas. I've enjoyed reading the adventures of gunslinger Roland Deschain, but the idea of fully realizing it on screen, large or small, is a daunting one indeed.
There have been a few tries to get it done, and partners Ron Howard and Brian Grazer ("A Beautiful Mind," The Da Vinci Code") seem determined to make it happen. The idea would be to make three movies out of the series of seven (soon to be eight) books, with a miniseries linking them together.
It sounds like a cool idea, especially when you consider Javier Bardem is attached to play Roland (although part of me always envisioned Viggo Mortensen in that role).
Originally, NBC Universal had signed on for this massive project, which was kind of a bummer. Can you imagine this series airing on NBC or USA?
Fortunately, that studio chickened out. Now Grazer says HBO is ready to step in to produce the miniseries - provided they cut the budget.
This would allow "The Dark Tower" to be produced with all the edgy content King intended, fit for an R-rated movie or HBO series.
The only problem I foresee is the screenwriter for the first movie is a guy named Akiva Goldsman. He's written some good dramatic material ("Beautiful Mind," "Cinderella Man," "I Am Legend") but he also excreted "Batman and Robin" and "Lost in Space."
So really, it could go either way there.
Other than Bardem, there hasn't been any casting news. But the message boards are lit up with suggestions. My favorites: Aaron Paul from "Breaking Bad" as Eddie, and Halle Berry as Susannah.
What say you, "Dark Tower" fans? Do you like the way this project is headed? Who would you like to see cast?
