It looks likeThe Dark TowerTV series has found a home onAmazon. The idea for the series has been kicking around for years and was envisioned to be a companion piece for the movies, which were to kick off with last year’s big screen adaptation of Stephen King’s beloved series of novels. However, the movie tanked and that means a sequel is unlikely, but the series is still happening and now, after months of hearing nothing, we have word that Amazon will be home to this small screen adaptation ofThe Dark Tower.
The news was buried in an unrelated story published by Deadline. Amazon has also picked up the rights to develop a series based on Iain M Banks’Culturenovels as part of a push by the company to branch out into more “big scope” genre. While discussing this shift in the report, they mention, somewhat casually, thatThe Dark TowerTV series will be happening over at Amazon as well. Here’s what Deadline had to say about it.
“Consider Phlebas is part of Amazon’s push into big scope genre series, science fiction, action, fantasy and horror, an area Tal Yguado had been tapped to oversee early last year before becoming Amazon’s head of scripted in the fall, following the exit of the studio’s top executives. As part of the effort, Amazon made a mega deal for a Lord Of the Rings TV series and is developing a slew of high-profile titles, including The Dark Tower, Wheel of Time, Ringworld, Lazarus and Snow Crash.”
If this is indeed true, it sounds like Amazon may have quietly scooped up what could be a potentially huge show. Granted, the movie bombed at the box office and didn’t do much for critics, butThe Dark Towercould really benefit from aTV adaptation. Part of the movie’s problem is that it was trying to cram too much into a very small window of time. With a TV series, those ideas and the massive, sprawlingworld that Stephen King createdcan be more fully explored and developed.
As for whatThe Dark Towershow winding up at Amazon means? It’s tough to say at this point. We know that Ron Howard and his long time producing partner Brian Grazer are likely still involved. Last we heard, formerThe Walking Deadshowrunner Glen Mazzara had been hired as showrunner and executive producer forThe Dark Towerseries. Beyond that, a lot is up in the air. Though, Idris Elba did express his desire to return as Roland the Gunslinger in the TV series. How realistic that is at this point is quite difficult to say, especially since Amazon may want to distance themselves fromThe Dark Towermovie.
This is likely to be a high-dollar deal for Amazon, but they’re not afraid tospend money on premium content. TheirLord of the RingsTV series is said to possibly cost as much as $1 billion, when all’s said and done. In September of 2016, it was reported thatThe Dark TowerTV series would be adapting King’s novelThe Wizard and the Glassfrom the series of books, but there’s no word on whether or not that’s still going to be the case. This news was first reported byDeadline.
