Are you ready for the interconnected “Stephen King” cinematic universe? Sony Pictures is certainly hoping so, and accordingly, here is the latest preview for the western/sci-fi mash-up “The Dark Tower,” establishing the epic conflict between noble gunslinger Roland Deschain (Idris Elba) and his mortal enemy Walter Padick, the “Man in Black” (Matthew McConaughey).
Representing both an adaptation of King’s eight-volume novel series of the same name, and a sequel continuation to that series, the film has the momentous task of condensing the sprawling narrative for novice filmgoers, pleasing King’s legion of faithful fans who see the book series as the horror author’s magnum opus, and serving as a launchpad for a franchise that Sony envisages as spanning several films and a TV series.
After inheriting the directing gig from J.J. Abrams and Ron Howard, both of whom had spent years in development hell trying to condense the fantasy epic into a cohesive film, Danish director Nikolaj Arcel (previously known for the period romance, “A Royal Affair”) believes he has found a way into King’s material. Arcel revealed to EW recently that, “The hardcore fans of ‘The Dark Tower’ series will know that this is actually a sequel to the books in a way… It has a lot of the same elements, a lot of the same characters, but it is a different journey.”
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In this first film adaptation, elements are borrowed from the first and third books in the series. Here’s the official synopsis:
There are other worlds than these. Stephen King’s The Dark Tower, the ambitious and expansive story from one of the world’s most celebrated authors, makes its launch to the big screen. The last Gunslinger, Roland Deschain (Idris Elba), has been locked in an eternal battle with Walter O’Dim, also known as the Man in Black (Matthew McConaughey), determined to prevent him from toppling the Dark Tower, which holds the universe together. With the fate of the worlds at stake, good and evil will collide in the ultimate battle as only Roland can defend the Tower from the Man in Black.
Joining Elba and McConaughey on the quest are Tom Taylor, Katheryn Winnick, Fran Kranz, Abbey Lee Kershaw and Jackie Earle Haley. “The Dark Tower” is directed by Nikolaj Arcel from a script by Arcel, Akiva Goldsman, Jeff Pinkner and Anders Thomas Jensen and opens on August 4th.