The first Dark Tower movie finally has a release date!

Sony says Jan13, 2017! I'm sure it will be later than that, what with productions issues and such, but Wow! I never thought we would actually get to this point!

It will be 'The Gunslinger.' Honestly, that in itself makes me a wee bit nervous. I think after a short bit of background on who Roland is, they should start with the drawing of Eddie and Susannah. The first book is a little slow and I think that part of the story would do better to draw in and keep a new, movie-going crowd. The story of Jake and the desert could be told in flashback, especially since Jake is already dead (again) by the time Roland pulls Eddie to Mid-World.

From what I have read, they are going to do three movies with a television series between each one. That sounds just wonderful, especially if HBO, Showtime or Netflix does the TV part. Of course, I am worried they will mess it up, especially on the casting. They always seem to mess up Stephen King stories. But Ron Howard is attached to the project and he is supposedly a big fan of the series. I've read that his insistence on telling the story correctly is part of the reason why it has been so hard to reach a deal with a studio.

I'm so excited, in case you cannot tell! Any other fans out there? Any thoughts on casting? Supposedly, Matthew McConaughey is playing Flagg in the new Stand movie. I can totally see that and hope he'll do the Dark Tower, too.

I am so not a Dark Tower fan (sorry). I read all the books, slogged my way through all of it. And had our pool not been frozen over when I finally got to the end of that monstrosity, I would have thrown every single book in the water.

I read every Stephen King book, except for the dark tower series. I got halfway through the first book and I gave up.
I always prefer book to movies though.

BBDOLL22 said:

I read every Stephen King book, except for the dark tower series. I got halfway through the first book and I gave up.
I always prefer book to movies though.

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OMG! You too!?  I just couldn't suffer to finish it, and I didn't read any of the others and in fact that was the last time I picked up a Stephen King book.  The writing sucked big time, as did the story. I swore he was on drugs when he was writing that series!

However, Stephen King thinks this series is the greatest work. He refers to it as his magnum opus.

That's why I think they shouldn't start the movies with the Gunslinger! The first book is very different from the others and he wrote it when he was 18. It has been re-edited, but it is definitely my least favorite of the series. Honestly, it is boring. Wizard and Glass and The Wolves of the Calla are great.