Ron Howard has had quite a career as a journeyman filmmaker, having directed Dan Brown's Robert Langdon novels and the Star Wars spinoff
Solo, the director has become known for his longevity and range in the industry. But when it comes to 2017's Stephen King adaptation of
The Dark Tower, even he can admit to its faults.
Speaking to Collider, the active producer confessed to having mistakes made along the way, especially when it came to the tone and approach of the film:
I think it should’ve been horror. I think that it landed in a place—both in our minds and the studio’s—that it could be PG-13 and sort of a boy’s adventure… I really think we made a mistake not—I mean I’m not sure we could’ve made this movie, but I think if we could’ve made a darker, more hard-boiled look and make it The Gunslinger’s character study more than Jake. I think in retrospect that would’ve been more exciting. We always felt like we were kind of holding back something, and I think at the end of the day it was that.
From the first marketing materials released surrounding the film, fans were outright confused by its direction and how it fit within the series' tone and canon. Hopefully when the next iteration is made, it will be more faithful to its source material.