Reports are surfacing tonight that right now Warner Bros. is taking a good hard look at the Akiva Goldsman-scripted adaptation of Stephen King’s The Dark Tower. This project has been in the works for over a year, and this would appear to be the moment of truth as a big studio is going to opt in or out of the Ron Howard-directed franchise.
If it goes forward, it would most likely star Russell Crowe who is currently wrapped up in Darren Aronofsky’s biblical epic Noah. This would not only be a reunion of sorts for A Beautiful Mind’s director and star, but it would also serve as Crowe’s first major big budget franchise. The actor notably attempted and failed at such a series a few years ago with Ridley Scott’s Robin Hood which audiences found far too romantic and slow for their tastes.
For those unfamiliar with The Dark Tower, it is about the last living member of the knightly order of gunslingers. Crowe’s character Deschain is humanity’s last hope to save civilization as he hits the road to the Dark Tower. It is about this point in time you should now see why much of the industry is calling this the next Lord of the Rings. The difference of course is the setting which will have a more Old West feel than one of complete desolation and despair.
Deadline reminds us just how ambitious this whole project is. Basically, there is a desire to spin these films together with limited television runs which Warner Bros. can do through HBO. This is one of the reasons why the original studio Universal dropped out, leading Howard and Grazer to find a new home for The Dark Tower.
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