Further to my recent speculation about the nature of adapting Stephen King’s writing to the screen, I’ve recently learned that he has finally sold movie rights to his Dark Tower series. The Dark Tower is what many, including King himself, consider to be the author’s magnum opus. Or his rambling, self-indulgent Frankenstein, depending on your point of view. He began the work at the age of 22 and has infrequently released further instalments ever since.
Book 1 of The Dark Tower series
The series is up to seven books now and there is considerable debate about how engaging it really is. Many die-hard Stephen King fans simply can’t get into it and others are almost rabid in their praise of it. Regardless, the concept of making such a deep and complicated story into a movie is rather daunting. King has been refusing offers in the past, dubious himself as to how good a job anyone could make of it.
But now he’s found some people that he’s a fan of himself – J J Abrams and Damon Lindelof, makers of the TV behemoth Lost. King is a fan of Lost and the Lost-makers are a fan of the Dark Tower books. So it’s possible something good could come of the venture. King sold the rights to these guys for just $19, which will be a poignant amount to any fans of the books.
Josh Greenwald, administrator of the fansite www.thedarktower.net, had this to say about the potential movie: “I can speak for thousands of Stephen King fans by saying that we are very nervous about this; hopeful, but very nervous. Stephen King needs to make sure this is done right; this is his magnum opus.”
And he needs to get an ending right too. At least once.
