‘The Dark Tower’ film continues the Stephen King story, series
Longtime fans of Stephen King’s lengthy seven-book saga The Dark Tower weren’t exactly thrilled with the film adaptation’s first trailer.
It was very clear that this was not a straightforward retelling of The Gunslinger, the first story in King’s saga, and now fans learn that director Nikolaj Arcel’s adaptation is in fact, a continuation of the story that began in King’s novels.
King posted this on Twitter in May: “The Dark Tower is close, now. The Crimson King awaits. Soon Roland will raise the Horn of Eld. And blow.”
Fans speculated that this meant the movie plays out after the events of the seventh and final book in the series, and Arcel has now confirmed that’s definitely the case in an interview with IGN.
“It is, in fact, a continuation. It is actually a canon continuation. That’s exactly what we intended and what Stephen King signed off on. What really got me excited was when he tweeted ‘last time around.’ It was just so cool.”
Slash Film summarized: “So here’s how this whole thing will work. In the seventh and final book in the saga, Roland the Gunslinger faces off against the villainous Crimson King, climbs the titular Dark Tower, and realizes that he’s gone on this long journey multiple times before. It always ends with his memory being erased and him getting thrown back in time to start over again on his quest, but at the end of the book, something has changed: this time, he’s carrying the magical Horn of Eld, a family heirloom that has major significance in the story.”
Star Idris Elba can be seen carrying the Horn in the movie, and will Arcel’s confirmation, fans now know for certain that the movie will serve as the new version of Roland’s path to the Tower, complete with the Horn.
The Man in Black will be played by Matthew McConaughey and also stars Tom Taylor, Abbey Lee (Mad Max: Fury Road, The Neon Demon) as Tirana; Fran Kranz (The Cabin in the Woods) as Pimli, the right hand man of Randall Flagg; Jackie Earle Haley (Watchmen, A Nightmare on Elm Street); Katheryn Winnick (Vikings) and Claudia Kim (Avengers: Age of Ultron).
The Dark Tower arrives in theaters on August 4, 2017.