The Dark Tower (movie news)

[Sunstroke]

My love for all things Stephen King is showing here, but apparently what I consider to be the greatest "story" ever written by the "greatest storyteller" of our generation...is now going to be made into a major motion picture.

The Dark Tower...

First, just a quick "Hallelujah, Thank you Lord" for finally making this happen. I've waited a long time to hear this news. I know, I know...it's still at least a year or so away from release, but that doesn't stop me from getting fired up over it.

Now come the interesting bits...

Apparently there is a two-way fight for who will be playing the lead role of Roland "The Gunslinger" Deschain (I'd call him the greatest character ever created, but you already know where I'm sitting). I love both actors as well... Christian Bale and Javier Bardem.

Ron Howard is rumored to be producing...directing...or both.

"Did-a-chuk, Did-a-chum"...I am 100% stoked about this. "The world may have moved on," but I wasn't ready to. I remember that Honor goes by the name of Roland Deschain. The day this film hits the theater, I will "follow the beam" and be there on opening night for sure.

And if I didn't mix in enough Dark Tower quotes there, Ill close with Roland's mantra...

"I do not aim with my hand;
He who aims with his hand has forgotten the face of his father.
I aim with my eye.

I do not shoot with my hand;
He who shoots with his hand has forgotten the face of his father.
I shoot with my mind.

I do not kill with my gun;
He who kills with his gun has forgotten the face of his father.
I kill with my heart."

Any other Dark Tower junkies salivating over this one? Who do you think would make a better Roland, Bardem or Bale? Who will play the villain, the "Man in Black."

Oh boy, oh boy, oh boy...I wish it was coming out NOW!

[Buddhagirl]

I think Bardem would make a great Roland. Not sure on the Man in Black. I'll have to sit and ponder that one.

[Sunstroke]

^^^ Yeah, my problem is that I can see either one doing an amazing job as Roland.  I might go with Bale though, just because I still have Bardem too firmly labeled as "psychopathic assassin" in my head from the "No Country For Old Men" movie (which I loved). Bale has at least been playing the hero characters quite a bit in his career, and has even shown with his recent Batman portrayals, that he can straddle the line between being an honorable hero and having the darker tortured side of his persona. Lord knows, Roland definitely had that going on...in spades.

[Househead]

Love that series.   After George RR Martin's a "Song of Fire and Ice" (coming to HBO in April!), probably my most favorite fantasy series.  Absolutely spellbinding.

Do they plan on making a trilogy or more (i.e., a book for each film)?  My greatest fear is that they dilute the story by trying to pack more than one/two books per movie....the story is too deep and compelling to bundle into one book. So much would get lost.

[Househead]

just saw this....you might find this interesting Stroke (but if you are big Dark Tower fan, you probably already know)

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

In an interview in March 2009, King stated, describing an idea for a new short story he recently had: "And then I thought, 'Well, why don't I find three more like this and do a book that would be almost like modern fairy tales?' Then this thing started to add on bits and pieces so I guess it will be a novel." According to King, the idea is a new Dark Tower novel. King said, regarding the Dark Tower series, "It's not really done yet. Those seven books are really sections of one long über-novel."[1]

Stephen King confirmed this during his TimesTalk event at The TimesCenter in New York City on November 10, 2009, and the next day King's official site posted the information that King will begin working on this novel in about eight months, with a tentative title being The Wind Through the Keyhole.[2] King noted that this novel should be set between the fourth and the fifth books of the series.

[Sunstroke]

^^^ Yeah, I had heard that, and even caught a little bit of "which parts of the other non-Dark Tower stories" he was going to tie into the new story.

I swear, Flo...you're the third person who has vigorously recommended the "Song of Fire and Ice" series. Guess I have to get off my lazy butt and go read those.

Feeling like the redheaded stepsister in all this: One of my "other" favorite fantasy book series is supposedly going to be made into a movie (or series of movies) soon... The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant, The Unbeliever by Stephen R. Donaldson.

[Frimp]

I still have the last  book to read. Guess I'd better get on it. Are they going to do a series like Harry Potter or just condense everything I wonder.

[Sunstroke]

I really hope they break it down... There are 7 books, and I think you could make three really damned good movies out of them.

I'm already picturing the Lobstrosities and Shardik the cyborg bear... Damn, they better do this right.

[Frimp]

3 movies would probably work...I hope they are released in the theater rather than TV movies. They screwed up Desperation big time, and while The Stand was really good, it could have been much better.

You know, I'd really like to see a movie made of Eyes of the Dragon.

[Sunstroke]

^^^ Can you say "thread spin-off?"

[Frimp]

Yep. lol I'm a King Junkie too.

[Buddhagirl]

I hope they do a trilogy. I don't really see how they can do the entire series in one movie. Too much happens.

[Frimp]

According to Wikipedia, The Gunslinger is set to be released in 2013. Looks like they are doing a series.