The Dark Tower movie will serve as a sequel of sorts to Stephen King's novels as it tells the tale of Roland Deschain's (Idris Elba) final journey to the titular structure the series is named after. That's something which should help the movie appeal to die-hard fans and franchise newcomers alike, but Entertainment Weekly now confirms that a TV series is in the works and set to premiere in 2018.
MRC has committed to making a full run of 10 - 13 episodes which will begin shooting in 2017. There's no distibutor yet, but a cable or online streaming service is desired due to the adult nature of the material. Elba has signed on to appear alongside Tom Taylor (who will play Jake Chambers in the movie) as a framing device of sorts due to this show adapting Wizard and Glass, the book exploring Roland's early years. As a result, a younger actor likely in his teens will be cast to play the budding Gunslinger.
There's no word on Matthew McConaughey's involvement, but given the Man in Black's habit of taking on different forms, that may not be an issue. Should the series prove to be a success, future seasons would likely adapt some of the events not depicted in the books like the Battle of Jericho Hill. This is a bold move considering the fact that there's nothing to say the movie will be a hit next year, but it's still exciting news for fans and a good sign that there are very big plans for this franchise moving forward.
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