Stephen King's The Dark Tower - (2017, D: Arcel) S: Elba, McConaughey
07-18-11, 10:01 PM
#151
07-19-11, 07:20 AM
#152
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Re: The Dark Tower... a Ron Howard film (dear god, no)
Yeah. The people running the studios at the moment are really dopey. Their time can't last when HBO and Showtime are consistently producing TV shows that are 10 times better than the best recent movies.
That said, I'm kinda glad. This is not the right time for Hollywood to make The Dark Tower. They would wreck it because it's such a huge budget that they'd be trying to make it fit the marketplace which (they believe anyway) is ruled by the tweeniverse. If you've read the books then you know that this project cannot work as a 3D PG homogenized slapstick-fest aimed at 11 year olds.
While I have respect for all involved, this project has the wrong director, the wrong screenwriter, and the wrong star. I'm rooting for it to be put into turnaround until Hollywood enters a more civilized age.
That said, I'm kinda glad. This is not the right time for Hollywood to make The Dark Tower. They would wreck it because it's such a huge budget that they'd be trying to make it fit the marketplace which (they believe anyway) is ruled by the tweeniverse. If you've read the books then you know that this project cannot work as a 3D PG homogenized slapstick-fest aimed at 11 year olds.
While I have respect for all involved, this project has the wrong director, the wrong screenwriter, and the wrong star. I'm rooting for it to be put into turnaround until Hollywood enters a more civilized age.
07-19-11, 07:35 AM
#153
Re: The Dark Tower... a Ron Howard film (dear god, no)
I think their plan for this project was too grandiose. I can't blame Universal for turning it down.
As for giving an OK to Battleship, yikes. What's next, Operation?
As for giving an OK to Battleship, yikes. What's next, Operation?
07-19-11, 08:04 AM
#154
DVD Talk Hero
07-19-11, 10:34 AM
#155
DVD Talk Legend
Re: The Dark Tower... a Ron Howard film (dear god, no)
I could see Operation as a Coen brothers project, with George Clooney as the doctor and Tim Blake Nelson as the patient.
07-19-11, 10:41 AM
#156
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Re: The Dark Tower... a Ron Howard film (dear god, no)
Universal needs to take more risk. First they drop del Toro's dream project, now this gets derailed. Not that I was happy seeing Howard do it or anything, but they don't seem to value creativity as much as some studios.
07-19-11, 08:02 PM
#157
DVD Talk Hall of Fame
Re: The Dark Tower... a Ron Howard film (dear god, no)
While I thought the scope of the project was impressive, I also thought it was too ambitious for a studio nowadays. It'll be interesting to see if any place else picks it up in its current form. I kinda doubt it, though.
Stephen King has responded to the news:
http://insidemovies.ew.com/2011/07/1...wer-universal/
Stephen King has responded to the news:
Stephen King 'not really surprised' about 'Dark Tower' roadblock -- EXCLUSIVE
by Kristen Baldwin
With the news that Universal has canceled its planned film-and-TV adaptation of Stephen King’s The Dark Tower book series, the author tells EW.com that he’s still optimistic that director Ron Howard will find a home for Roland the Gunslinger on the big (and/or small) screen. “I’m sorry Universal passed, but not really surprised,” he writes in an email. “As a rule, they’ve been about smaller and less risky pix; maybe they feel it would be better to stick with those fast and furious racing boys. I bear them no ill will, and trust Ron Howard to get Roland and his friends before the camera somewhere else. He’s very committed to the project.”
by Kristen Baldwin
With the news that Universal has canceled its planned film-and-TV adaptation of Stephen King’s The Dark Tower book series, the author tells EW.com that he’s still optimistic that director Ron Howard will find a home for Roland the Gunslinger on the big (and/or small) screen. “I’m sorry Universal passed, but not really surprised,” he writes in an email. “As a rule, they’ve been about smaller and less risky pix; maybe they feel it would be better to stick with those fast and furious racing boys. I bear them no ill will, and trust Ron Howard to get Roland and his friends before the camera somewhere else. He’s very committed to the project.”
07-19-11, 08:45 PM
#158
Re: The Dark Tower... a Ron Howard film (dear god, no)
Yeah I mentioned this in the Del Toro thread, they and Sony are one/two in awful studio management. They also canceled a Colombian Cartel movie with Josh Brolin, rejected Ridley Scott's idea for Monopoly, and they passed on setting up Dreamworks as a partner.
07-19-11, 09:27 PM
#159
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Re: The Dark Tower... a Ron Howard film (dear god, no)
I'd rather see the series get made as an HBO series than a movie ... it could be smaller, but still have production values, good writing, attention to detail, and adult themes. Perhaps post Game of Thrones? 
07-19-11, 09:31 PM
#160
Banned
Re: The Dark Tower... a Ron Howard film (dear god, no)
If HBO does take on Dark Tower they should animate it, ala the great Spawn series they did in the 90's. I could see Peter Chung taking this series on.
07-19-11, 10:16 PM
#161
DVD Talk Legend
07-19-11, 11:31 PM
#162
Banned
07-20-11, 06:52 AM
#163
DVD Talk Legend
07-20-11, 09:19 AM
#164
DVD Talk Godfather
Re: The Dark Tower... a Ron Howard film (dear god, no)
Kinda disappointing, but not unexpected. It was a helluva ambitious project.
I'm still down for an HBO/Showtime all CGI treatment.
I'm still down for an HBO/Showtime all CGI treatment.
07-20-11, 09:44 AM
#165
DVD Talk Hero
Re: The Dark Tower... a Ron Howard film (dear god, no)
Wonder if they can shop it to Warner Bros, they probably want a new series now that Harry Potter is completed and Lord of the Rings will be completely finished come 2013. I'm sure Golden Compass hasn't turned them off of franchises completely.
07-20-11, 03:00 PM
#166
DVD Talk Legend
Re: The Dark Tower... a Ron Howard film (dear god, no)
Oh dear God, NO.
I find it hard to believe that Universal couldn't do this but HBO could. I'm sure it'll find a home though.
And Universal, thanks for passing on aggressive projects that the public would enjoy for February and September fodder like Battleship and any other board game to movies crap you can dream up.
I find it hard to believe that Universal couldn't do this but HBO could. I'm sure it'll find a home though.
And Universal, thanks for passing on aggressive projects that the public would enjoy for February and September fodder like Battleship and any other board game to movies crap you can dream up.
07-22-11, 10:25 AM
#167
DVD Talk Ultimate Edition
Re: The Dark Tower... a Ron Howard film (dear god, no)
I'm not sure we'll ever see it get done. And I think I'm okay with that.
03-13-12, 08:22 PM
#168
DVD Talk Hall of Fame
Re: The Dark Tower... a Ron Howard film (dear god, no)
Back on?
http://www.avclub.com/articles/warne...k-tower,70827/
Warner Bros. may pick up The Dark Tower
by Sean O'Neal March 13, 2012
Ron Howard’s sprawling, mega-budget, multiplatform adaptation of Stephen King’s The Dark Tower proved too rich for Universal’s blood over the summer, but it may have found a new home at Warner Bros., where it can have a way bigger room and swim in a pool filled with Harry Potter and Batman money. Deadline reports that the studio has already hired Akiva Goldsman to put a second coat of polish on his script, and it’s currently working to secure a deal with Ron Howard to direct at least the first of the planned three feature films by 2013, with the two TV miniseries that will run in between presumed to land at Warner Bros.’ sister studio HBO. Javier Bardem, previously a lock for the lead when the project was at Universal, is ostensibly also still attached, depending on how the timing works out. It’s something of a surprise turnaround for the ambitious, expensive undertaking (particularly one with Ron Howard and Akiva Goldsman as its undertakers), but probably not too surprising that the franchise-hungry, franchise-wealthy Warner Bros. would pick it up—especially given that it thinks Ben Affleck can even turn King’s The Stand into a franchise. At least Howard’s The Dark Tower already has its sequels and spinoffs mapped out.
by Sean O'Neal March 13, 2012
Ron Howard’s sprawling, mega-budget, multiplatform adaptation of Stephen King’s The Dark Tower proved too rich for Universal’s blood over the summer, but it may have found a new home at Warner Bros., where it can have a way bigger room and swim in a pool filled with Harry Potter and Batman money. Deadline reports that the studio has already hired Akiva Goldsman to put a second coat of polish on his script, and it’s currently working to secure a deal with Ron Howard to direct at least the first of the planned three feature films by 2013, with the two TV miniseries that will run in between presumed to land at Warner Bros.’ sister studio HBO. Javier Bardem, previously a lock for the lead when the project was at Universal, is ostensibly also still attached, depending on how the timing works out. It’s something of a surprise turnaround for the ambitious, expensive undertaking (particularly one with Ron Howard and Akiva Goldsman as its undertakers), but probably not too surprising that the franchise-hungry, franchise-wealthy Warner Bros. would pick it up—especially given that it thinks Ben Affleck can even turn King’s The Stand into a franchise. At least Howard’s The Dark Tower already has its sequels and spinoffs mapped out.
03-14-12, 08:59 AM
#170
DVD Talk Ultimate Edition
Re: The Dark Tower... a Ron Howard film (dear god, no)
Hmm. I still don't think Javier Bardem is the right fit, but HBO definitely IS a good fit for the TV series. Still not convinced this will actually happen. We'll see.
03-14-12, 09:13 AM
#171
DVD Talk Special Edition
Re: The Dark Tower... a Ron Howard film (dear god, no)
This is great news. Sure its not a given yet, but Ill take anything moving in the right direction. With the tallent currently involved I hope they are able to go through with it.
03-14-12, 09:14 AM
#172
DVD Talk Legend
Re: The Dark Tower... a Ron Howard film (dear god, no)
Javier Bardem is an interesting choice, but I would have preferred Viggo Mortenson. It's Ron Howard as the director that really worries me.
03-14-12, 09:41 AM
#173
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Re: The Dark Tower... a Ron Howard film (dear god, no)
This would definitely be in better hands with Warner/HBO than it was with Universal. But yeah... I'm not sure it'll actually happen yet.
03-17-12, 05:56 AM
#175
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Re: The Dark Tower... a Ron Howard film (dear god, no)
This is a great arrangment for the film/series. The problem is the writer and director. Akiva Goldsman is the genius who wrote "Batman and Robin" and Ron Howard is a great family-friendly director but not a good choice for the decidedly adult Dark Tower. Hope this dies again until Hollywood's current obsession with kiddy 3D movies wanes. For what it's worth, I also believe that Javier Bardem, as good an actor as he is, is very miscast in this. Roland is not a Castilian who th's his S's.