costanza

http://www.comicbookmovie.com/fansit...a=24592#int119


May 17, 2013 for the first film.

JesseCuster

The bottom line is this series utterly requires a bold, creative, horror-leaning outside of the box director to lead this thing. Let me tell you about Ron Howard's films. He's very competent. Apollo 13 was a most solid film. He's made some other movies that ranged from less than solid to garbage heep. Ron Howard, God bless him, has no comprehension of how to make this film in a way that will please anyone but people who have never read a Stephen King novel. If he makes this film, this won't destroy this franchise. Stevo will throw it off and give it to JJ Abrams (who should have made it if Star Trek weren't his focus), or Frank Darabont (if The Walking Dead weren't his focus), etc. But it will destroy Ron Howards directing career. This will be the Howard the Duck of post 2010 films. This is a personal plea: RON HOWARD FOR THE SAKE OF YOUR CAREER DON'T ATTEMPT THIS FILM IT WILL ONLY BRING YOU SHAME AND FAILURE AND DIMINISH A ...KINDA MORE THAN AVERAGE DIRECTING CAREER. THIS IS A MOST SERIOUS PLEA!

lamphorn

I agree with you about Ron Howard being the wrong choice for this project for all of those reasons, but I don't think it will mess up his career, nor do I think Stephen King would have the sense to find the right director for this. I love Stephen King as a writer, but his film aesthetic is really really not good.

Anyway, Ron Howard will make this into a mildly enjoyable fantasy tale aimed at teenagers (think Narnia or Harry Potter) and it'll work, as far as that goes. I'll be disappointed that the dark magic of King's novels won't be captured, but the masses (and their kids) will enjoy it.

As for who'd be a better choice, I would be okay with Spielberg having it if only because he at least creates memorable images. You can remember specific shots from his movies because he's a natural. But with Ron Howard, it's all so mediocre that it's hard to remember any specific visual image from his movies. After seen Black Swan, I'd be pretty thrilled if this were in Aaronofsky's hands.

I don't agree with you about JJ Abrams. He's a decent action director, but his stuff is so plastic-brite and popcornriffic that I don't see his aesthetic complimenting the Dark Tower.

Here's the dark horse stalking all of this discussion: what if Ron Howard rises to the occasion? I know it's a long shot, but what if he's just passionate about it enough to do something awesome with it? I heard him on Howard Stern and he sounded very pumped about it and was throwing in little clues that he knows this universe, like when he randomly said to Stern, "there are other worlds than these". He said he and Akiva (god help us, the guy who wrote Batman and Robin) are totally immersing themselves into the Dark Tower and want to do it justice. To me, that means this fucker has to be rated R. Sorry. No 3D. No PG. This should be a movie that parents wouldn't dream of letting their kids see. I mean for god's sake you've got fucking succubi and shit in there raping the gunslinger. How could you make that shit kid-friendly and four-quadrant? I hope he knocks it out of the park... but again, I'm skeptical. There's no way a studio will allow a project of this size to be anything but aimed at 12-year-olds. Not in this current climate, where movies are tamer than TV.

Rob V

Ron Howard was on Howard Stern last week talking about taking on this project. They didn't discuss much... I hope it turns out well.

Drop

I think the film/TV series should be treated

With what we know about the King's story an adaptation allows for a lot of wiggle room.

Liver&Onions

^Nice idea.

This could be the first frame of the movie.

Rob V

I wonder how they'll handle the proprietary subjects like "Wizard of Oz", "Sneetches from Harry Potter" and the villain from Spider Man (I may be wrong about that, but it's some villain from a comic)? All those things play integral roles in the story.

Michael Corvin

^ Dr. Doom and there were also lightsabers. I think we discussed it earlier in the thread. Also none of that shows up until book 5, so we have a long way to go to worry about that.

What wasn't mentioned (like above, getting way ahead of ourselves here) was Father Callahan. Can different studios use the same character, or is this a non-issue since Salem's Lot was eons ago? Same goes for Randall Flag and the Stand.

Jay G.

It wasn't discussed in this thread, but in the previous thread when JJ Abrams was attached:
http://forum.dvdtalk.com/movie-talk/...ark-tower.html

In regards to Wizard of Oz, that book is in public domain. So as long as they don't borrow too much from the movie version, they should be in the clear.

It depends largely on how the film rights were granted; whether those studios were granted just the rights to those stories, or whether they were granted exclusive rights to the characters.

As I pointed out in the Abrams thread, James Bond the character appeared in films made by three different studios due to the way film rights to the novels were split up.

Xander

Since they are King's intellectual property, I would think he would have the right to use them for this.

majorjoe23

But Spider-Man is Marvel's intellectual property, but that doesn't mean Marvel Studios can stick him in the Avengers movie.

If Salem's Lot rights are still tied up by whoever made the TV mini-series a few years back, the character might not be able to be used.

Rob V

Would THIS sway anyone's decision about how kick ass it would be with or w/out Ron Howard? I love Bale's work and this is awesome news if it pans out.

http://movies.ign.com/articles/114/1146182p1.html

EDIT: UGH -- saw an update at the bottom that Javier Bardem has now been officially offered the role of Roland Deschain.

pinata242

But at the end it says Bardem was offered the role.

I think it's a big commitment for any actor. I would actually be surprised to see someone as hot as Bale take on the contract for movies and TV up-front like that. Bardem too, really.

Groucho

I'm sure that Christian Bale is very flattered that you find him "hot".

pinata242

When he was in The Machinist, sure. But not as the cow he is now.

Supermallet

Javier Bardem would kick ass, imo.

TheNightFlier

Likewise, I think he would be great as Roland.

lamphorn

I think Javier Bardem is not a good choice for Roland. He's a great actor, but I can't imagine Roland the gunslinger thpeaking in that inthufferable Catalan acthent.

Rob V

I always pictured Roland as Clint Eastwood. So Bardem doesn't seem like a 2010 Eastwood to me. I would have much preferred Bale but think Viggo Mortensen might have been an even better choice.

Supermallet

I can't think of anyone who's a 2010 Clint Eastwood, so I say go with someone who is awesome on their own. Like Javier Bardem.

JesseCuster

Javier Bardem is a step in the right direction. I don't think he's physically right for the role (Stevo has said a young Clint Eastwood was the prototype in his head...ie tall and skinny) but he's a truly superb actor so I'm in for him. I pray that something happens and Ronnie gets busy with something else, brings in another director and produces. He has the technical chops for this put it's going to require a somewhat perverse vision and man, that isn't Ron. Ron is a terrific guy that makes upstanding noble stuff that you can watch with your kids and the bottom line is the Gunslinger himself is a matricidal, using, serial killing, maniacly driven SOB. Does that sound like a character that Ron can do justice to?

Groucho

Maybe they can have Tracy Morgan dub his voice?

Drop

Bardem did a good job with an accent in No Country For Old Men. He can certainly pull badass off.

mwbmis

I doubt it would happen b/c he's just not famous enough, but I think Mads Mikkelsen would be a good choice for the Gunslinger.

georgec

Debating whether or not to read the books...people seem to love the first 3/4 and not enjoy the last 3/4.