Mike Flanagan announced plans for a TV show based on Stephen King’s ‘The Dark Tower’ books in 2022. The director didn’t share much about the project since then though he’s been active in other productions. Universal last hired him to direct a new ‘The Exorcist’ film.
Flanagan explained if his upcoming horror gig would affect ‘The Dark Tower’ schedule in a chat with the ‘Talking Scared’ podcast:
“Oh, it’s not in the way. They coexist very well. I think the trick with ‘The Dark Tower’ is just it’s still just takes an enormous amount of time to get going. But we’re further along than the last time we spoke.”
He continued:
“It seems to be moving on its own momentum. There’s so much logistical, boring, legal stuff that we have to kind of machete our way through to get that thing moving. But yeah, it has not at all stalled and none of the other work that’s kind of emerged has in any way taken away from it.”
It Will Be At Least Five Seasons
Stephen King’s eight-book series followed mid-world’s last gunslinger, Roland Deschain, in his quest for the Dark Tower. The author described the searched location as a crucial point in the time-space continuum.
Mike Flanagan said he had a multi-season TV adaptation in mind to cover the whole story. His words to Deadline read:
“I wrote a pilot; we view it as a series that’s going at least five seasons. And having lived with this project as long as I have, I have an enormous amount of it worked out in my brain. But I have a pilot script I’m thrilled with and a very detailed outline for the first season and a broader outline for the subsequent seasons.”
He added:
“The pilot script is one of my favorite things I’ve ever gotten to work on. It’s been surreal working on that. So, we’ve been floored and grateful that Stephen King trusts us with such an undertaking, something so precious to him, and we hope to find the right partners to realize it.”
The director previously adapted King’s ‘Gerald’s Game’ and ‘Doctor Sleep’ for film.
