Marina Antunes [Celluloid 04.30.10] news scifi horror drama fantasy mystery western



Seriously. No news could be worse than these news. At the push from a King devotee, I started into this King series knowing that I’m not a fan of his writing (with few exceptions) and though I could tell, after two books, that it was moving somewhere interesting, I wasn’t taken enough with the material to warrant the devotion of weeks of reading to find out where it was headed. I opted for the cheap way out: wait for the movie.

King’s story is epic. For those who aren’t familiar with it, it traces Roland Deschain, the last of an order of gunslingers, as he ventures through the world on a quest to save it. It’s a strange world, sort of old west meets magic, and it has more than enough drama, action and adventure to spread over more than one film. So here’s the good news: it’s going to be more than one film. According to sources the story will be developed into three films to be followed up by a television series. The bad news: Ron Howard is set to direct.


No offence to Howard, I’m sure he’s a great guy and all but really? Is inflicting this amount of pain on King fans really necessary? I don’t even know what to expect besides disappointment.

Let the tirade begin.

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agentorange (3 years ago) Reply

Well, speaking AS a fan of his writing, I agree that this new development in the slowly unfolding Dark Tower film saga feels... odd.

1. Why would Ron Howard even want to touch these books? Nothing he has done in the past suggests he would have a clue about how best to approach the material.

2. If the deal goes through, Akiva Goldsman is attached to write. For those of you who don't know, he's the douche who wrote "Lost in Space," "Batman and Robin" and butchered Richard Matheson's "I am Legend." Can anyone handle this material? Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens, maybe.

3. These books are NOT mainstream friendly. They may be King's response to LOTR, but they are not easily digestible. Even JJ Abrams, Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse decided they couldn't do these books justice and backed down. That shows real integrity and they're HUGE King fans.

This shows me that Goldsman is a mercenary. He's got a talent for making a product that's palatable to a mass audience. He's doing it for a fistful of dollars, nothing more.

Don't get me wrong, I'd love to see these books made into movies and then spun off on TV to tell the whole story, but these new players don't give me much confidence in the final product.

Anonymous (3 years ago) Reply

Yeah I'm not sure about Ron Howard at all. Frank Darabont would make a much better choice, as he's familiar with King's work, and has directed two stellar adaptations of it (The Green Mile & The Shawshank Redemption).

That being said, this announcement says that there are currently "discussions" being held. Nothing is in development, and nothing has even been signed yet. This could very well just be another chapter in TDT's epic journey through Development Hell.

agentorange (3 years ago) Reply

I think you're right anon. Big talk, no action as of yet.

Anonymous (3 years ago) Reply

Ron Howard did Willow enough said!

donc48 (3 years ago) Reply

So this is just in discussions right now so there is a chance this may not get made. MMMM my views on Stephen King are complex I like his early works I’m not big on anything he’s written over the last ten years. He’s going to go down as one of great writers of the late 20th century and there nothing I can do about that, The Stand and his early stuff earned him that.
I read The Dark Tower Series got as far as book 4 and lost interest, anything like a big screen adaptation is doomed to failure. The Dark Tower is not a main steam work as Agent Orange has said it’s simply too long to work as an hour and a half movie it would work as a mini series, or split out like Lord of the Rings or horrors (Please for give me) Harry Potter.
Anybody pondering reading The Dark Tower start at book one and work your way forward characters pop in and out it’s a linier work. Anything with a fantasy bent is not my cup of tea if you are into fantasy give the Dark Tower a look it’s an interesting spin on the genre. If this gets made I hope they do get Stephen involved movies with his input seem to work better, SK has enough bad movies out there.

brett (3 years ago) Reply

I wouldn't mind seeing it be done for HBO or AMC. I would recommend having Daniel Knauf of Carnivale fame attached. He is pretty much the only person I would trust with this.

Loxen (3 years ago) Reply

Ahh well, we all knew it was inevitable. Everything you love will turn to dust or a horrible movie adaptation.

Jezizup (3 years ago) Reply

I get the sense of doom...like watching a car accident in slow motion. I hope Ron Howard doesn't butcher it by turning it into some sappy family movie shit! As for people who say he's gone downhill, I see your point but he's a good writer. Duma Key was a REALLY good book, and that was written recently. Who's gonna play Roland?? Clint Eastwood is too old.

geoduck (3 years ago) Reply

The later books in the series were written after King almost died in a car accident, and, sadly, he wrote himself and the accident into the storyline, not for the better. I shudder to think what the movie version will be like..

ToeCutter (3 years ago) Reply

This film is doomed no matter who takes a stab at it. the story simply isn't conducive to film. These books are very fragmented, having been written over the course of twenty some years. I think the series peaked early, but began to sputter with "The Wolves of the Calla". For those who didn't finish the series, all of those I've chatted with agree: We've all been left wanting, without any explanation as to WTF Roland's been doing for the last 7 books. I mean, seriously, he was leaving clues for Roland and Susan in Book 7 as the *author* of the book. Say what?

That said, it would require a monumental undertaking to do these books justice. We're talking similar to Jackson's LOTR as far as budget, shooting multiple films simultaneously, etc.

I am totally relived that JJ Abrams is OUT, especially after the dog that was Cloverfield, the butchering of Star Trek and him abandoning Lost. Who knows? Perhaps Ron Howard is a fan of the series? He at least brings some credibility to the project.

After so many Hollywood disappointments, keeping expectations low is probably the best way to approach these pre-production projects.

BTW, my vote for casting Roland goes to Guy Pearce. Go and watch "The Proposition" to catch a glimpse of the possibilities.

(Ironically, "The Proposition" was done by Aussie director John Hillcoat, who also directed "The Road", another post-apocolyptic flick)

Anonymous (3 years ago) Reply

If one has read all of the books, as I have...mind you I was off of work with Hodgkins Limphoma at the time...better now folks, why in the hell...why watch such a long drawn out story? When, Just like 90% of King's stories he does not know how to end them. Tell me I am wrong.

Lotus Eater (3 years ago) Reply

Imagine if Stephen King directed it. Ask yourself, wasn't the film maximum overdrive a slice of awesome.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_jvqPvDUEW8

Lotus Eater (3 years ago) Reply

Guy with hodgkins Limphoma.

Ayahuasca
psilocybin mushrooms
kava kava
amanita muscaria mushrooms
san pedro cactus
cannabis
coca leaf
iboga

May you be healed.

Anonymous (3 years ago) Reply

So, all of that at the same time may have done the trick...not like all the toxic sludge, I mean chemotheropy, that ws pumped into my body? Granted, I have tried kava kava, psilocybin mushrooms, cannabis, and amanita mushrooms -- mind you not all at the same time, I thank you for your wishes, but still contend that Stephen King Can't end a story to save his life. Whare is my pen? I have a list to write down, Lotus Eater. Thank's.

Sol (3 years ago) Reply

Oh come on - granted things do get a little out there in the last few books, but you gotta love the epic nature of the tale, the interweaving of the medieval and post-apocalyptic, and Gunslingers as the equivalent of low-tech Jedi. Great fun, and I'm inclined to hold out hope for a decent adaptation, in spite of the names being thrown around at this EARLY stage in the game.

Anonymous (3 years ago) Reply

It's true...I was drawn to the books; because, I liked the idea of the post-apocalypic meets the old west " vibe " that was the premice -- gunslingers being the new 'knights' of a waste land...I'd buy that in a heart beat; however, when the 1st book was what 300 something...an the last was over 800 pages long...King just goes on for reasons I can't imagine. The fist 2-3 books seemed fine in content and pacing. The rest seemed like " masterbation," with the last book being a " FUCK YOU!" To the reader, with all that," stop reading now..." knowing we could not. Please, do tell me I'm wrong about that. I'd like to know how. Mabye, if I'm going to keep this up I may have to come up w/ a clever name...what o you think Toe Cutter has been taken...Bubba would seem trite. I'll think on it. Papagallo, Mad Martagan, Sandman, Runner, Fuck it I've got to get some sleep, night folks...

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