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Dark Tower Series - The Movie(s) / Series (1 Viewer)

'AcerFC said:
'mlball77 said:
Seeing some blogs/news sources saying this movie project may now be on hold. :angry:
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The more I think about it, the more I think that they can really screw it up if not thought out right. Let them take their time
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Oh, I definitely agree that this, if not handled properly, could be botched. That said, the story is just so great that I'd love to see an attempt at putting it on the big screen and/or TV.
 
The ambitious plan by Universal, Imagine Entertainment and NBC to turn Stephen King’s The Dark Tower opus into a film trilogy with a television supplement has hit a major snag.

Word leaked Thursday that Universal and its new owners at Comcast had serious budget issues with the massive project. Spearheaded by Imagine’s Ron Howard and Brian Grazer as well as writer-producer Akiva Goldsman, Dark Tower was to have been a film trilogy with a TV component in between the movies. Javier Bardem was in negotiations to star in the Howard-directed first movie and the first TV component, with options for the other two movies; in April, Mark Verheiden came aboard to co-write the TV component with Goldsman.

But multiple sources told THR Thursday that the project was in trouble and on the verge of being put in turnaround.

Imagine president Michael Rosenberg, however, vehemently denies that the project has been shelved.

"Dark Tower is not in turnaround," Rosenberg tells THR, adding "there are issues and on-going budget discussions with almost every film in development."

A Universal spokesperson declined to comment.

Two sources close to the project say that Comcast executives have heavily scrutinized the plan, mainly due to budgetary concerns. The sources also say that the final portion of the project has been found creatively lacking.

A final decision is said to be expected soon on whether to move forward, seek additional financing partners or cancel the project entirely. But cast and crew have been told to stop prepping the project.

If Dark Tower does become available to other studios, it won’t be a cheap project to take on. Insiders say that Universal paid $5 million for the rights. That doesn’t include the hefty fees for Howard, Grazer and Goldsman, not to mention Oscar-winner Bardem’s fees for not only the movie but the TV show (he’d be paid more than the average TV star).

Warner Bros. is one potential home for the project. The studio vied for Dark Tower rights last year and is already developing The Stand, King’s post-apocalyptic mega-novel. Insiders say Warners would at least kick the tires on Dark Tower.

Another potential home is Sony, for whom Imagine and Goldman made The Da Vinci Code and its sequel, Angels & Demons.

This isn't the first time a pricey Universal project has been stopped in its tracks by the Comcast regime. At the Mountains of Madness, Guillermo del Toro's $150 million horror project with Tom Cruise attached, was put into turnaround earlier this year.

Sources said that if Universal were to put Dark Tower into turnaround, it would incur a $10 million penalty.

 
'Evilgrin 72 said:
Warner Bros. is one potential home for the project. The studio vied for Dark Tower rights last year and is already developing The Stand, King’s post-apocalyptic mega-novel. Insiders say Warners would at least kick the tires on Dark Tower.
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Really? I thought the miniseries was not bad, but I guess everything's getting rebooted these days. Since it's a feature film(s), I'd guess it could be quite a bit darker than the TV series was.I'm starting to think that these huge stories are a better fit for limited series runs on HBO, SHO, etc... than theatrical releases which have to truncate so much of the story.

 
'Uruk-Hai said:
'Evilgrin 72 said:
Warner Bros. is one potential home for the project. The studio vied for Dark Tower rights last year and is already developing The Stand, King’s post-apocalyptic mega-novel. Insiders say Warners would at least kick the tires on Dark Tower.
Click to expand...
Really? I thought the miniseries was not bad, but I guess everything's getting rebooted these days. Since it's a feature film(s), I'd guess it could be quite a bit darker than the TV series was.I'm starting to think that these huge stories are a better fit for limited series runs on HBO, SHO, etc... than theatrical releases which have to truncate so much of the story.
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Couldn't agree more. I guess there's not as much $ in it. Could you imagine if HBO did the Dark Tower and also developed the other novels surrounding it (Hearts in Atlantis, Eyes of the Dragon, etc..) and made it one massive project? If they did as good a job with it as they've done with The Wire, The Sopranos, Boardwalk Empire, Game of Thrones, etc... it would be phenomenal.
 
'Evilgrin 72 said:
'Uruk-Hai said:
'Evilgrin 72 said:
Warner Bros. is one potential home for the project. The studio vied for Dark Tower rights last year and is already developing The Stand, King’s post-apocalyptic mega-novel. Insiders say Warners would at least kick the tires on Dark Tower.
Click to expand...
Really? I thought the miniseries was not bad, but I guess everything's getting rebooted these days. Since it's a feature film(s), I'd guess it could be quite a bit darker than the TV series was.I'm starting to think that these huge stories are a better fit for limited series runs on HBO, SHO, etc... than theatrical releases which have to truncate so much of the story.
Click to expand...
Couldn't agree more. I guess there's not as much $ in it. Could you imagine if HBO did the Dark Tower and also developed the other novels surrounding it (Hearts in Atlantis, Eyes of the Dragon, etc..) and made it one massive project? If they did as good a job with it as they've done with The Wire, The Sopranos, Boardwalk Empire, Game of Thrones, etc... it would be phenomenal.
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This makes way more sense.

Of course, I'm not sure that numerous elements of the story wouldn't look ridiculous when set to the big or small screen.

 
'bigbottom said:
'Evilgrin 72 said:
'Uruk-Hai said:
'Evilgrin 72 said:
Warner Bros. is one potential home for the project. The studio vied for Dark Tower rights last year and is already developing The Stand, King’s post-apocalyptic mega-novel. Insiders say Warners would at least kick the tires on Dark Tower.
Click to expand...
Really? I thought the miniseries was not bad, but I guess everything's getting rebooted these days. Since it's a feature film(s), I'd guess it could be quite a bit darker than the TV series was.I'm starting to think that these huge stories are a better fit for limited series runs on HBO, SHO, etc... than theatrical releases which have to truncate so much of the story.
Click to expand...
Couldn't agree more. I guess there's not as much $ in it. Could you imagine if HBO did the Dark Tower and also developed the other novels surrounding it (Hearts in Atlantis, Eyes of the Dragon, etc..) and made it one massive project? If they did as good a job with it as they've done with The Wire, The Sopranos, Boardwalk Empire, Game of Thrones, etc... it would be phenomenal.
Click to expand...
This makes way more sense.

Of course, I'm not sure that numerous elements of the story wouldn't look ridiculous when set to the big or small screen.
Click to expand...
They'd have to be REALLY careful with a few things I can think of off the top of my head. It's akin to what George Lucas once said about Yoda and how the entire Star Wars franchise rested on whether or not the puppet came off on celluloid as a real being and not a cartoon. He was totally right, and he pulled it off.Then, inexplicably, he created Jar-Jar Binks. It was as if as a young lad, he looked at a hot grate on the electric stove and, even though he wasn't tall enough to reach it, he could SENSE it was hot and was not to be touched. Then, 10 years later, when he was old enough and tall enough to tower over the stove, he walked over and jammed his face onto it.

 
'Evilgrin 72 said:
'bigbottom said:
'Evilgrin 72 said:
'Uruk-Hai said:
'Evilgrin 72 said:
Warner Bros. is one potential home for the project. The studio vied for Dark Tower rights last year and is already developing The Stand, King’s post-apocalyptic mega-novel. Insiders say Warners would at least kick the tires on Dark Tower.
Click to expand...
Really? I thought the miniseries was not bad, but I guess everything's getting rebooted these days. Since it's a feature film(s), I'd guess it could be quite a bit darker than the TV series was.I'm starting to think that these huge stories are a better fit for limited series runs on HBO, SHO, etc... than theatrical releases which have to truncate so much of the story.
Click to expand...
Couldn't agree more. I guess there's not as much $ in it. Could you imagine if HBO did the Dark Tower and also developed the other novels surrounding it (Hearts in Atlantis, Eyes of the Dragon, etc..) and made it one massive project? If they did as good a job with it as they've done with The Wire, The Sopranos, Boardwalk Empire, Game of Thrones, etc... it would be phenomenal.
Click to expand...
This makes way more sense.

Of course, I'm not sure that numerous elements of the story wouldn't look ridiculous when set to the big or small screen.
Click to expand...
They'd have to be REALLY careful with a few things I can think of off the top of my head. It's akin to what George Lucas once said about Yoda and how the entire Star Wars franchise rested on whether or not the puppet came off on celluloid as a real being and not a cartoon. He was totally right, and he pulled it off.Then, inexplicably, he created Jar-Jar Binks. It was as if as a young lad, he looked at a hot grate on the electric stove and, even though he wasn't tall enough to reach it, he could SENSE it was hot and was not to be touched. Then, 10 years later, when he was old enough and tall enough to tower over the stove, he walked over and jammed his face onto it.
Click to expand...
:lmao:

 
'bigbottom said:
'Evilgrin 72 said:
'bigbottom said:
'Evilgrin 72 said:
'Uruk-Hai said:
'Evilgrin 72 said:
Warner Bros. is one potential home for the project. The studio vied for Dark Tower rights last year and is already developing The Stand, King’s post-apocalyptic mega-novel. Insiders say Warners would at least kick the tires on Dark Tower.
Click to expand...
Really? I thought the miniseries was not bad, but I guess everything's getting rebooted these days. Since it's a feature film(s), I'd guess it could be quite a bit darker than the TV series was.I'm starting to think that these huge stories are a better fit for limited series runs on HBO, SHO, etc... than theatrical releases which have to truncate so much of the story.
Click to expand...
Couldn't agree more. I guess there's not as much $ in it. Could you imagine if HBO did the Dark Tower and also developed the other novels surrounding it (Hearts in Atlantis, Eyes of the Dragon, etc..) and made it one massive project? If they did as good a job with it as they've done with The Wire, The Sopranos, Boardwalk Empire, Game of Thrones, etc... it would be phenomenal.
Click to expand...
This makes way more sense.

Of course, I'm not sure that numerous elements of the story wouldn't look ridiculous when set to the big or small screen.
Click to expand...
They'd have to be REALLY careful with a few things I can think of off the top of my head. It's akin to what George Lucas once said about Yoda and how the entire Star Wars franchise rested on whether or not the puppet came off on celluloid as a real being and not a cartoon. He was totally right, and he pulled it off.Then, inexplicably, he created Jar-Jar Binks. It was as if as a young lad, he looked at a hot grate on the electric stove and, even though he wasn't tall enough to reach it, he could SENSE it was hot and was not to be touched. Then, 10 years later, when he was old enough and tall enough to tower over the stove, he walked over and jammed his face onto it.
Click to expand...
:lmao:
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:lmao: It would be brutal if someone like Oy or Mordred got the Jar Jar treatment.

 
'mlball77 said:
'bigbottom said:
'Evilgrin 72 said:
'bigbottom said:
'Evilgrin 72 said:
'Uruk-Hai said:
'Evilgrin 72 said:
Warner Bros. is one potential home for the project. The studio vied for Dark Tower rights last year and is already developing The Stand, King’s post-apocalyptic mega-novel. Insiders say Warners would at least kick the tires on Dark Tower.
Click to expand...
Really? I thought the miniseries was not bad, but I guess everything's getting rebooted these days. Since it's a feature film(s), I'd guess it could be quite a bit darker than the TV series was.I'm starting to think that these huge stories are a better fit for limited series runs on HBO, SHO, etc... than theatrical releases which have to truncate so much of the story.
Click to expand...
Couldn't agree more. I guess there's not as much $ in it. Could you imagine if HBO did the Dark Tower and also developed the other novels surrounding it (Hearts in Atlantis, Eyes of the Dragon, etc..) and made it one massive project? If they did as good a job with it as they've done with The Wire, The Sopranos, Boardwalk Empire, Game of Thrones, etc... it would be phenomenal.
Click to expand...
This makes way more sense.

Of course, I'm not sure that numerous elements of the story wouldn't look ridiculous when set to the big or small screen.
Click to expand...
They'd have to be REALLY careful with a few things I can think of off the top of my head. It's akin to what George Lucas once said about Yoda and how the entire Star Wars franchise rested on whether or not the puppet came off on celluloid as a real being and not a cartoon. He was totally right, and he pulled it off.Then, inexplicably, he created Jar-Jar Binks. It was as if as a young lad, he looked at a hot grate on the electric stove and, even though he wasn't tall enough to reach it, he could SENSE it was hot and was not to be touched. Then, 10 years later, when he was old enough and tall enough to tower over the stove, he walked over and jammed his face onto it.
Click to expand...
:lmao:
Click to expand...
:lmao: It would be brutal if someone like Oy or Mordred got the Jar Jar treatment.
Click to expand...
First two things that popped into my head.They also need to be careful casting Eddie and Detta/Odetta/Susannah. The wrong choices could make either of these characters excruciatingly annoying, particularly in the early-going.

 
'Evilgrin 72 said:
The sources also say that the final portion of the project has been found creatively lacking.
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If they mean the plot resolutions (Flagg, Mordred, CK), I agree.I liked the Coda though, only way it could have ended.Of course they'll probably hollywood the thing up. :wall:
 
'AcerFC said:
'Evilgrin 72 said:
They also need to be careful casting Eddie and Detta/Odetta/Susannah. The wrong choices could make either of these characters excruciatingly annoying, particularly in the early-going.
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What did you think of my ideas for those two
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Just went back and re-read it, and I wouldn't have a major issue with either. The only thing is that Eddie Cibrian would have to look younger and more naive to match my mental picture of Eddie.
 
'Evilgrin 72 said:
'AcerFC said:
'Evilgrin 72 said:
They also need to be careful casting Eddie and Detta/Odetta/Susannah. The wrong choices could make either of these characters excruciatingly annoying, particularly in the early-going.
Click to expand...
What did you think of my ideas for those two
Click to expand...
Just went back and re-read it, and I wouldn't have a major issue with either. The only thing is that Eddie Cibrian would have to look younger and more naive to match my mental picture of Eddie.
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Yeah, Cibrian doesn't quite fit my mental picture for Eddie and that might be mostly due to age (not saying Cibrian would be bad necessarily). They need a fairly young actor for him, but someone that can pull off his wit and sarcastic nature.
 
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:lmao: at Shuke. That guy would probably work. I like what he did in the Walking Dead. Only thing I know him from.
 
Looks like there is some buzz on the innerwebs now that the scripts are being rewritten and Ron Howard might possibly be stepping away from the project.

ETA: Hope this is just all rumors and not factual.

 
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'mlball77 said:
Looks like there is some buzz on the innerwebs now that the scripts are being rewritten and Ron Howard might possibly be stepping away from the project.ETA: Hope this is just all rumors and not factual.
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Pretty relieved actually.
 
It's (probably) dead. All of it. :cry:

Universal Won't Scale Stephen King's 'The Dark Tower;'

Studio Declines To Make Ambitious Trilogy And TV Series

By MIKE FLEMING | Monday July 18, 2011 @ 7:09pm EDT

EXCLUSIVE: The moment has come for Universal Pictures to fish or cut bait on The Dark Tower, the ultra-ambitious adaptation of the Stephen King 7-novel series that was going to encompass a trilogy of feature films and two limited run TV series. The studio has said, No Thanks. Universal has passed on going forward with the project, dealing a huge blow in the plan for Ron Howard to direct Akiva Goldsman's script, with Brian Grazer, Goldsman and the autor producing and Javier Bardem starring as gunslinger Roland Deschain. Now, the filmmakers will have to find a new backer of what might well be the most ambitious movie project since Bob Shaye allowed Peter Jackson to shoot three installments of The Lord of the Rings back to back.

This stunning development comes after Universal in May pushed plans to start production this summer on the first film. The studio claimed to be on track for a February, postponing to reduce the budget. This temporarily dispelled rumors that Universal was putting the project in turnaround, rumors that cropped up when the studio put workers on hiatus. But it was only a temporary respite. I'm told that this time, the studio reviewed Goldsman's script for the first film and the first leg of the TV series, and would only commit to the single film. That wasn't good enough for the filmmakers, who had already hired comic book and Heroes and Battlestar Galactica writer/producer Mark Verheiden to co-write the TV component with Goldsman, which was to be made for NBC Universal Television (studio insiders deny that the studio was only willing to make the movie and not the series). I know the filmmakers planned to make it all part of the first shoot while they had the cast in place and the sets erected. I'd heard back in May that Warner Bros--where Goldsman's Weed Road is based and which is fully financing two installments of Peter Jackson's The Hobbit--was a possible landing place for the adaptation of King's 7-novel epic that is that author's answer to Tolkien's LOTR novels. The Dark Tower is about the last living member of a knightly order of gunslingers, with Deschains becoming humanity’s last hope to save civilization as he hits the road to find the Dark Tower. Along the way, he encounters characters, good and bad, in a world that has an old West feel.

Why did Universal chairman Adam Fogelson and co-chairman Donna Langley decide not to go forward? They weren't saying, at this point. Nor were the filmmakers. Universal has put big chips on the table for several tent pole films and maybe that has something to do with it. The big bets include the Peter Berg-directed Battleship with Taylor Kitsch starring, as well as the Keanu Reeves-starrer 47 Ronin with Carl Rinsch directing. If you listen to word on the street, both of these are $200 million realm with huge marketing budgets. Universal recently passed on green lighting At The Mountains of Madness, which Guillermo del Toro was to direct with Tom Cruise starring, based on HP Lovecraft horror tale. That time, the studio balked at funding a $150 million film that gave del Toro the latitude to deliver his cut with an R-rating.

Insiders said that Universal brass loved the filmmakers and the project, but couldn't make it work with the current budget in its business model.
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Yes, it got killed so Universal could have the cash to make Battleship: The Movie

 
'NCCommish said:
'playin4beer said:
Great... I am re-reading the series now and was looking forward to the movie/mini-series.
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I think it will still get done by someone. Too many people with clout and cash want it to happen for it not to.
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I hope so... one of the main factors in re-reading it again (for the third time) was to refresh my memory in anticipation of the movie. On a side note, it's amazing how many new things I pick up each time I read it. I'm on book 5 (Wolves of the Calla) right now.
 
I guess it's easier to remake "Total Recall" with Colin Farrell in the Schwarzenegger role than it is to do something new. I blame the unwashed masses.

 
Just came across King's response while looking for more news on it....

"I'm sorry Universal passed, but not really surprised," he told EW. "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."
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'playin4beer said:
Just came across King's response while looking for more news on it....

"I'm sorry Universal passed, but not really surprised," he told EW. "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."
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As long as Ron Howard wants to do it it's got a chance IMO.
 
'NCCommish said:
'playin4beer said:
Just came across King's response while looking for more news on it....

"I'm sorry Universal passed, but not really surprised," he told EW. "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."
Click to expand...
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As long as Ron Howard wants to do it it's got a chance IMO.
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Agreed.And while I undertand the sentiment of some in this thread that the movies/mini-series has a high risk of being butchered, I think it is a risk well worth taking. This project has the potential to be great and I was excited about it. Hopefully Mr. Howard can get it rolling elsewhere.
 
'Evilgrin 72 said:
I guess it's easier to remake "Total Recall" with Colin Farrell in the Schwarzenegger role than it is to do something new. I blame the unwashed masses.
Click to expand...
To be fair, a movie based on a book isn't exactly "new"... someone posted a video recently that broke down how many films, other than 'Inception', were totally original ideas--not based on other movies, sequels, prequels, books, comic books, theme park rides, board games, TV shows, fairy tales, etc. Suffice it to say, Hollywood has almost no original ideas.
 
'Sarnoff said:
'Evilgrin 72 said:
I guess it's easier to remake "Total Recall" with Colin Farrell in the Schwarzenegger role than it is to do something new. I blame the unwashed masses.
Click to expand...
To be fair, a movie based on a book isn't exactly "new"... someone posted a video recently that broke down how many films, other than 'Inception', were totally original ideas--not based on other movies, sequels, prequels, books, comic books, theme park rides, board games, TV shows, fairy tales, etc. Suffice it to say, Hollywood has almost no original ideas.
Click to expand...
True, but I've accepted adaptation to the point where anything that hasn't already been a motion picture, I'd consider new.Also, I'd be willing to bet that there are a ton of original ideas but as long as Joe Public is content to plunk his $12 down to see a remake of a remake of a remake because the special effects looked cool in the preview, where's the impetus for the studios to take a chance on providing quality over bankability? They're in the business of making money, nothing more.
 
'Evilgrin 72 said:
'Sarnoff said:
'Evilgrin 72 said:
I guess it's easier to remake "Total Recall" with Colin Farrell in the Schwarzenegger role than it is to do something new. I blame the unwashed masses.
Click to expand...
To be fair, a movie based on a book isn't exactly "new"... someone posted a video recently that broke down how many films, other than 'Inception', were totally original ideas--not based on other movies, sequels, prequels, books, comic books, theme park rides, board games, TV shows, fairy tales, etc. Suffice it to say, Hollywood has almost no original ideas.
Click to expand...
True, but I've accepted adaptation to the point where anything that hasn't already been a motion picture, I'd consider new.Also, I'd be willing to bet that there are a ton of original ideas but as long as Joe Public is content to plunk his $12 down to see a remake of a remake of a remake because the special effects looked cool in the preview, where's the impetus for the studios to take a chance on providing quality over bankability? They're in the business of making money, nothing more.
Click to expand...
Yeah dozens of original scripts get passed over every year. They even have an award for the best one each year that doesn't get made.
 
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