J.J. Abrams May Not Adapt Dark Tower

J.J. Abrams May Not Adapt Dark Tower

The co-creator of Lost and director of Star Trek said that he is not "looking at" adapting Stephen King's epic tale of The Gunslinger.

News
By bsprecher - Nov 11, 2009 08:11 AM EST
Filed Under: Sci-Fi
Source: MTV









Considering the hit-or-miss quality of the numerous Stephen King properties to be adapted for TV and film, fans were justifiably excited when it was announced this past summer that J.J. Abrams and Damon Lindelof, co-creators of Lost, had purchased the rights--for only $19.00!--to produce a film based on King's epic masterpiece The Dark Tower.

Unfortunately, it doesn't look like the man who resurrected the languishing Star Trek franchise will be bringing The Gunslinger to the silver screen after all.

In a recent interview with MTV News, Abrams said:

"The Dark Tower thing is tricky. It's such an important piece of writing. The truth is that Damon and I are not looking at that right now."
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CorndogBurglar
CorndogBurglar - 11/11/2009, 8:39 AM
viggo mortensen IS Roland. its sad to hear that they aren't looking at making this right now. i have full faith that JJ could have done this justice. especially since he himself is a big fan!
cartercw15
cartercw15 - 11/11/2009, 8:39 AM
I only hope JJ changes his mind
bsprecher
bsprecher - 11/11/2009, 8:42 AM
I hope J.J. is just busy and plans to get to it eventually. This is one Stephen King story that I had been looking forward to seeing adapted for the screen.

LEEE777
LEEE777 - 11/11/2009, 8:43 AM
Damn, thats a shame if it comes true, still cant wait to see it though!!

bsprecher
bsprecher - 11/11/2009, 8:44 AM
@teabag: Why not? Did you not like Star Trek? Are you hoping for someone darker? I was thinking David Fincher (Seven, Fight Club) could make a mean cowboy apocalypse movie?
bsprecher
bsprecher - 11/11/2009, 8:45 AM
@tea: Yeah, Clint is the man, but since we can't de-age him, who else would you like?
bsprecher
bsprecher - 11/11/2009, 8:53 AM
@tea: Oh, that's not a weird choice. Darabont is an excellent choice! I was surprised how good The Mist was. What an ending!
bsprecher
bsprecher - 11/11/2009, 8:56 AM
@tea/Poni: Even though it looks like the film is scrapped--or, at least--waaaay down the road, what were your thoughts on the rumor that was going around a couple months ago about Josh Hartnett in talks for Roland?
bsprecher
bsprecher - 11/11/2009, 9:00 AM
@Poni: Hmm, no doubt Aronofsky is a brilliant filmmaker, but I don't know about him doing Dark Tower. Requiem for a Dream was visually engaging, but hard to watch (for me, anyway). The Foutain was also visually stunning (with no computer effects!), with a great cast, but confusing and, ultimately, disappointing for me. The Wrestler was all blood, sweat and tears and a great return vehicle for Mickey Rourke, but I wouldn't want to go through that again. So...I don't know, I guess. Maaaaybe?
bsprecher
bsprecher - 11/11/2009, 9:04 AM
@Poni: As a soldier, I'm sure you're a little more critical of actors who play soldiers than others, but remember that Hartnett was still really young (23) when he made that movie. Both of the movies you liked him in were later, so at least he's improving. I think he can play "quiet tough" and both of your choices are good examples of this. He was also good in that brief scene in Sin City and in The Black Dahlia.

@tea: Really? Hartnett was perfect in Sin City! That scene is what sold Frank Miller on the idea of going ahead with a feature.
JoshWilding
JoshWilding - 11/11/2009, 9:07 AM
J.J. Abrams is my top choice to direct The Avengersso if this news clears himup for that then I'm happy, lol!

I've read a pile of Stephen King books but this one I have'nt gotten around to yet...I think I'll pick it up after reading this though!
bsprecher
bsprecher - 11/11/2009, 9:27 AM
@Poni: Hey, what's wrong with squinting? I look like a C.C. Beck Captain Marvel in most of my pictures!

@tea: Yeah, I guess so. I prefer to think his performances are subtle, but to each his own!
BillyBlack
BillyBlack - 11/11/2009, 9:42 AM
Yeah, all he said was not right now. So I'm sure they are still gonna do something with it. After the love letters I've read back and forth in the hollywood rags between JJ, Damon, and King, there's no way they're gonna pass on this. JJ has a ton on his plate and Damon has the last season of LOST to deal with. 2011-12 could be a different story though.
BillyBlack
BillyBlack - 11/11/2009, 9:45 AM
Poni

Was that the I Cummin Pi fraternity? What's that secret handshake like?

Upupandaway
Upupandaway - 11/11/2009, 10:00 AM
This one needs some love. So, I'm OK with putting this on the back burner. No rushing please. It needs to have an old school feel, so Abrams may not be the right person. (He's good though.) I like him for Ender's Game.

@CDB: I like your pick of Mortenson.
@Multi: I like your pick of Aronofsky. He's shown that he can do realistic, weird, sci-fi, and emotional stuff. He's, also, good with complex plots.
Rolanddeschain19
Rolanddeschain19 - 11/11/2009, 10:26 AM
well, i am extreemly pissed of, i was seriously hoping the wheels would be in motion by now................screw it, im gonna go get drunk before i get depressed!

i liked jj, but would like peter jackson,

as for roland , josh harnet, christian bale or viggo mortenson.

but i think christopher walken would make a great "man in black" or randall flagg if you are not sure whom im mean.
Betty
Betty - 11/11/2009, 10:48 AM
BillyB--lol
CorndogBurglar
CorndogBurglar - 11/11/2009, 11:02 AM
@ upandaway, and everyone

yeah, viggo lives on a ranch and actually owns horses that he rides a lot. he's more a cowboy than ANYONE else in hollywood actually, lol. but he's got the look and he's a great actor!

@ josh

you NEED to read dark tower series of novels. all the other stephen kings books will make a LOT more sense if you do. you'll notice a lot of little things that link all his other books with the DT series. if you don't read DT, then stephen king doesn't really come off as such a brilliant writer. but after DT, you'll realize that he's created a rich world that rivals ieven tolkien's middle earth. and thats saying something!
thwhtGuardian
thwhtGuardian - 11/11/2009, 12:22 PM
The dark tower series is amazing, I hope someone picks it up.
When I originally heard JJ was picking it up, I thought it was going to be a tv show to replace lost. I still think that would be a killer idea.
MarkCassidy
MarkCassidy - 11/11/2009, 12:22 PM
Ok, Im ashamed to say that I still have not read these books. I just never seem to think of em when Im library bound. But by all accounts they are amazing and Im a King fan anyway(mostly). Shame this movie may not happen under Abrahms..although Im glad he is focusing on making the final season of Lost the best it can be..and since the last season was the best so far I have high hopes.

Aronofsky is one of my favorite directors. I agree that sometimes his movies are a hard watch..but sometimes thats a good thing. Too many safe directors out there for my liking. The Fountain was a masterpiece. I really think Jackman should have at least been nominated for everything going for his performance...and so should Rachel Weise(spl?).
BillyBlack
BillyBlack - 11/11/2009, 2:09 PM
Ror - LOST gets a hearty Fkn A... that's the butter that I put on my bread.

And I'm totally with you on The Fountain. A brilliant piece of film making that, regrettably, went largely unnoticed. The Wrestler didn't really knock my socks off. Mickey was awesome in it, but something was missing for me.

CorndogBurglar
CorndogBurglar - 11/11/2009, 5:32 PM
@ ror and anyone who hasn't read the DT novels

go do it...like yesterday. i promise you won't be disappointed. and once you read the DT series, you'll want to start reading his other non-dark tower books to find connections. It, Insomnia, Salem's Lot, Talisman and Black House, The Stand, all his classics all take place on a different level of the Dark Tower. each level is a different reality. every book is connected, but you would never know it unless you read the DT! very cool!
supermarioworldE
supermarioworldE - 11/11/2009, 8:41 PM
Yeah, the dark tower books are awesome. It's a shame that Abrams is backing out. Hopefully, upcoming movies like jonah hex, will show hollywood that western films are in fact popular. I've been waiting for too many years to see a dark tower movie.
CorndogBurglar
CorndogBurglar - 11/11/2009, 8:55 PM
@ supermario

thats the thing though, yeah roland is a cowboy, but DT is way more fantasy/sci-fi than western. its so far in the future that the world has been ravaged, so its post-apocalyptic too. but then again thats really only part of what you see.
supermarioworldE
supermarioworldE - 11/11/2009, 10:35 PM
@corndog

I thought someone might mention the sci-fi aspect, and you're right. Generally, these movies would be advertised as westerns though, so that people, who are not familiar with the dark tower, wont get unnerved by the many different aspects of it. I'm just waiting on the next big western, that could push producers and directors forward, to make these damn movies already. I love the dark tower series (and everything else written by Stephen King), and would like to see them on screen, once and for all.
CorndogBurglar
CorndogBurglar - 11/11/2009, 11:05 PM
@ supermario

i agree! but this would be a VERY tricky series to pull off. especially the last 2 books.
Rolanddeschain19
Rolanddeschain19 - 11/12/2009, 5:38 AM
i would just love to see 7 films

but also have two film s that run along next to them

waste lands could stick to the jounrey of roland and co but just before thats released have another film that runs along side it. which could be about jake and the haunted house.

and have a film just about pere cahalam story and have that made before wolves of calla.

so 9 films

wish full thinking i know
Bijous
Bijous - 11/12/2009, 8:58 PM
Man, I gotta read those books already!!!
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