This Article contains spoilers for Stephen King’s Dark Tower novels
Mike Flanaganis determined to be the person who finally adapts Stephen King’sThe Dark Towerin a way that fans have demanded for decades, and his latest comments suggest a long and faithful adaptation is on the cards.
Flanagan, who became widely known for Netflix series such asThe Haunting at Hill HouseandThe Fall of the House of Usher, has already found his feet in the world of King with adaptations ofGerald’s Game, Doctor Sleepandthe upcomingThe Life of Chuck. However, taking on the world’s most prolific horror writer’s magnum opus is no small feat. Covering eight novels, several novellas and short stories, and drawing on elements of King’s entire catalog,The Dark Toweris a sprawling horror-western-adventure that will take a lot of time, money and commitment to see through to its conclusion.
Stephen King Supports Mike Flanagan Rebooting The Dark Tower
Mike Flanagan rebooting The Dark Tower as a series has the support of Stephen King.
Flanagan recently addressed the ambitious project while speaking toPopverse, revealing whichDark Towerscene he is most looking forward to filming. In doing so, he made it clear that his intention is both to stick close to the source material and push to make it all the way to the titular tower. He said:
Very late in the story, there’s a scene that takes place in a forest where a character is being buried. And there’s a eulogy being given that made me cry the first time that I read it. That one speech just kills me, and I can’t wait for that.
The Dark Tower Pays Off For Long-Term Stephen King Fans
Long before Marvel Studios embarked on their ambitious shared universe on the big screen,Stephen Kinghad already established a remarkable and unparalleled set of connections between the stories of Roland of Gilead’s quest for the Dark Tower and novels such as Salem’s Lot, Insomnia, It, Hearts in Atlantis, andThe Standto name a few. The final novels in the saga even feature a key appearance by King himself, and this is the point Flanagan’s key scene comes in.
In the final book, titledThe Dark Tower, Roland is forced to bury the body of one of his most loyal companions, Jake. The young boy, who has the strongest connection with Roland, ends up sacrificing himself to save the life of the fictional version of King, and the heartbreaking moment is one that remains with readers long after the story ends. In choosing this as the moment he wants to put on film, Flanagan has proven that he is in this for the long haul, and intends to do justice to the story thatthe 2017 Idris Elbamovie could not.
The Dark Tower
With fantasy epics withThe Lord of the Rings: The Rings of PowerandThe Wheel of Timealready delivering big viewing figures, fans of King’s works may finally get the adaptation ofThe Dark Towerthat has been promised in the past but failed to materialize. Flanagan’s plan for the project currently involves five seasons and two movies, but only time will tell if this comes to fruition.
Mike Flanagan’s next movie,The Life of Chuck, is set to be released sometime in 2024.
