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The Dark Tower TV series and sequel still moving ahead despite poor reception

August 5th, 2017 by Marc 2 Comments

So, because we’re mainly Ireland/UK based, we still have a couple of weeks to wait for The Dark Tower movie, but devastatingly (I’ve been reading the books for almost 30 years) we’re hearing it’s a total mess.

Given that the eight book series seems to have mostly been condensed into a 95 minute movie (imagine the whole Game of Thrones series so far being remade as a 95 minute movie – see?), and also that – despite having some of the most horrific events in Stephen King books – it comes in at a PG-13, we’re lost for words as to how it could ever really work.

And, despite the reviews appearing to agree with our worst fears (I still can’t wait to see it and, yes, I’ll be reviewing it), it seems that the plans for the spin-off series and potential sequel are still pretty strong.

So, let’s start, the TV series, which we’ve known about for some time, is definitely still being developed at MRC and Sony Pictures Television.

Not only that, but it’s now got a showrunner in the form of The Walking Dead’s Glen Mazzara. The  series “is being eyed for a short-order (between 10 and 13 episodes) and a home on cable or streaming outlets by producers Media Rights Capital and Sony Pictures Television. Production is eyed to begin in 2018, though nothing is locked in given all the variables.”

Mazzara had this to say: “I’ve been a Stephen King fan for decades, and the opportunity to adapt The Dark Tower as a TV series is a great honor.

“The events of The Gunslinger, Wizard and Glass, The Wind Through the Keyhole and other tales need a long format to capture the complexity of Roland’s coming of age — how he became the Gunslinger, how Walter became the Man in Black, and how their rivalry cost Roland everything and everyone he ever loved. I could not be more excited to tell this story. It feels like being given the key to a treasure chest. And oh yeah, we’ll have billy-bumblers!”

From an interview with IGN (watch it below), it seems that both stars, Idris Elba and Matthew McConaughey are set to appear in the series which will possibly be bookended with Roland telling the stories to his friends (his Ka-tet). The Man in Black also briefly appears at the end of Wizard And Glass, so it’s not unthinkable that McConaughey will also fit in well.

But, forgetting about the series, what about the sequel? After all, director Nikolaj Arcel has said on many occasions that this movie is merely an opening chapter and an introduction to the world/universe of The Dark tower.

Well, Stephen King, creator of The Dark tower, has this to say:  “I would love to see Roland [Idris Elba] on the beach with those lobster monstrosities, and I understand the rationale behind the movie, that it’s PG-13, I totally signed off on that. I think it’s the right thing to do. I want as many people as possible to attend for all kinds of reasons; part of it having to do with the dynamic between the gunslinger and the boy because I think that’s a father-son relationship, but I would love to see the next picture be R.”

While it’s entirely possible that part of the issue of the movie’s poor reception is that, given the rating, there’s only so far they could have went, but it’s unlikely it’s the only issue.

However, King continues:  “For a long time, PG-13 was the safe spot to go and when pictures were R, studio executives would say ‘Well, we know that this movie is going to make 20 to 30 percent less money because we’re going to exclude a market, a prime … part of the movie-going public. I think movies like Deadpool and Logan to some degree …”

So, Sony and co are still very much focused on the TV series and sequels… the next few weeks will be very, very important to the fate of The Dark Tower….

Thoughts?

 

Source: THR & Collider

Marc is a self-confessed nerd. Ever since seeing Star Wars for the first time around 1979 he’s been an unapologetic fan of the Wars and still believes, with Clone Wars and now Underworld, we are yet to see the best Star Wars. He’s a dad of two who now doesn’t have the time (or money) to collect the amount of toys, comics, movies and books he once did, much to the relief of his long-suffering wife. In the real world he’s a graphic designer. He started Following the Nerd because he was tired of searching a million sites every day for all the best news that he loves and decided to create one place where you can go to get the whole lot. Secretly he longs to be sitting in the cockpit of his YT-1300 Corellian Transport ship with his co-pilot Chewie, roaming the universe, waiting for his next big adventure, but feels just at home watching cartoons with his kids….