Fantasy Mike Flanagan's Adaptation of Stephen King's 'The Dark Tower'

[Deck Rickard]

Nice, yeah Mads would be great in that role. It would make up for how Marvel wasted him in a pathetic villain role in Dr. Strange.

 

[Man in the Suit]

 

[Marvolo]

It had way more wrong with it than its genre. The only thing it did right was the cast.

 

[Finarfiniel]

It had way more wrong with it than its genre. The only thing it did right was the cast.

Yeah, the genre was probably least of that thing's worries. And I disagree about the cast, Elba and McConaughey are both great actors (well, McConaughey is when he feels like it at least) but they were both woefully miscast. Same with the kid that played Jake, and well... everyone else tbh. All totally miscast and played versions of the characters that were nothing like their book counterparts whatsoever except on the most shallow of levels.

Good to hear that Mazzara is including the horror elements of the books in the show though, the guy is certainly saying all the right things so far.

 

[Marvolo]

Yeah, the genre was probably least of that thing's worries. And I disagree about the cast, Elba and McConaughey are both great actors (well, McConaughey is when he feels like it at least) but they were both woefully miscast. Same with the kid that played Jake, and well... everyone else tbh. All totally miscast and played versions of the characters that were nothing like their book counterparts whatsoever except on the most shallow of levels.

Good to hear that Mazzara is including the horror elements of the books in the show though, the guy is certainly saying all the right things so far.

That was a fault with the writing. Not the actors. McConaughey's physical traits are perfect for Flagg. Elba is black but it doesnt detract from the character in any meaningful way. As for Jake, he just needed to be a male child actor with acting ability. Not sure what else could be expected from the casting of Jake.

 

[Persona]

I have to agree. I think Elba could have been a good Roland and McConaughey could have been a great Walter, but the script and direction really let them down. The boy that plays Jake is fine and doesn't really have time to register as anything more than fine.

Time is the major issue. The movie tries to condense and remix an immense story that spans thousands of pages into a 90-minute flick. It was never going to capture what people love about The Dark Tower because it had to be way too reductive of the ideas, narrative, and characters that King created.

TV series was always the way to go and I'm just grateful that Amazon is taking this chance on the pilot, at least, even though it's only a couple years after the movie flopped hard.

 

[Finarfiniel]

That was a fault with the writing. Not the actors. McConaughey's physical traits are perfect for Flagg. Elba is black but it doesnt detract from the character in any meaningful way. As for Jake, he just needed to be a male child actor with acting ability. Not sure what else could be expected from the casting of Jake.

I don't entirely disagree with you, I certainly agree that the writing and direction were much much bigger issues, but I still think the roles were miscast. Just because Elba and McConaughey are both good actors, it doesn't necessarily mean they're right for these characters. My problem with Elba had absolutely nothing to do with him being black (I have no issue with a black actor playing Roland, or an Asian actor for that matter, the colour of Roland's skin has no baring on the plot or his personality after all), it was more that, for me, he doesn't match the character in the books in any way. Elba is too young, he's much too conventionally muscled and good-looking (Roland should look much older and much more lean, mean, wiry and grizzled - the guy has been walking the wastes of Mid-World and crossing deserts and mountains with very little food or rest for decades), and he should be much more stoic, gruff and enigmatic. Roland just came off all wrong for me, not just in personality but in all aspects.

And Walter... ugh. I can't blame McConaughey's terrible performance solely on the writing and direction, I'm sorry. Physically, he makes a good Walter but everything else beyond that was wrong. His line delivery was cheesy and cringe-inducing and for some reason he played Walter like a greasy corporate type with zero flair or personality. Walter should be super creepy and disquieting, he should speak in riddles and have an oddly malevolent laugh and smile, he should be overly friendly and affable in temperament, but in a totally creepy, false way. He's pretty much a sociopath with magical powers and a god complex, which is why he's so frightening, unpredictable and such a great villain. I'm sorry, but I saw none of that through McConaughey's performance whatsoever and that's on him as much as the writers and directors, he has to take some of the blame.

I think the kid actor who played Jake was okay, he was a little too old but otherwise I think he could have done a serviceable job if the writers hadn't made the bizarre decision to make him the focal character rather than Roland, and also if the writers had written him to actually resemble the book character in any way.

These are just my opinions as an avid fan of the books and of King, I'm not asking you to agree with me.

Anyway, to cut a long post short, that horrible movie sucks monkey balls and I hate literally everything about it, except for the Tet Corporation logo at the beginning which was it's sole saving grace.

 

[Persona]

man, DC killing off Swamp Thing almost immediately makes me scared for The Dark Tower. really hope Amazon gives this thing a fair chance.

 

[Persona]

anyways, IMDB has Ana Padrao confirmed as Cordelia Delgado.

Do you guys think the pilot has Roland and his ka-tet arriving in the Mejis and then in flashbacks it shows the stuff in Gilead with Roland, his mom and dad, and Marten?

 

[:eek:]

Michael Rooker Cast In The Dark Tower
Posted: June 10, 2019, 14:12:18
Section: TV » The Dark Tower

Michael Rooker confirms that he has been cast in Amazon's adaptation of The Dark Tower, currently filming the pilot episode in Croatia. Rooker’s role is still being kept under wraps though.

Source: Michel Rooker Online



Copied from Lilja's Library: Lilja's Library - The World of Stephen King [1996 - 2019]

 

[Deck Rickard]

Cort! Cort! My kingdom for a Cort!

Seriously, that has to be the role he's playing. He's perfect for it.

 

[Finarfiniel]

Holy ****! Yondu in the Dark Tower! This is awesome news, I love Michael Rooker!

I'd could definitely see him as Cort @Deck Rickard , but I actually think he'd be way better as Eldred Jonas, he's got that steely aging badass vibe about him that would be absolutely perfect for Jonas. Just imagine him in wannabe gunslinger getup and a long, grey wig.

Besides, I have a feeling that Ivan Kaye (Ivan Kaye - IMDb) who has been cast in an undisclosed role may be Cort, he certainly looks the part. Cort is supposed to be a big brute of a man.

 

[squeekness]

Great news. Rooker's one of my favorites as well.

 

[JimThompson]

I have been following The Dark Tower since it started. I love the novels and all the associated references in other King novels.

This HBO series is not something I am interested in. Hollywood has only showed me they suck at translating this story.

 

[Finarfiniel]

I have been following The Dark Tower since it started. I love the novels and all the associated references in other King novels.

This HBO series is not something I am interested in. Hollywood has only showed me they suck at translating this story.

This is an Amazon series, not HBO. Amazon seem to be going all out to try and produce the next Game of Thrones level 'event' fantasy TV show, what them doing this and the Lord of the Rings series.

I understand being hesitant, but this series has no relation to that gutter trash movie adaptation at all other than having Akiva Goldsman as an Executive Producer (which seems to be nothing more than a holdover mandatory credit at this stage because Goldsman was mostly responsible for the movie turd that was originally tied to this series), this is a complete reboot with a new cast, new writers, new directors, e.t.c. The showrunner is Glen Mazzara who has more than proven himself on shows such as The Shield and S1-S3 of The Walking Dead among others, and going by his twitter he seems to be a massive fan of the books so I'm quietly optimistic at the moment. That may come back to bite me on the ass, but we'll see.

 

[Deck Rickard]

Holy ****! Yondu in the Dark Tower! This is awesome news, I love Michael Rooker!

I'd could definitely see him as Cort @Deck Rickard , but I actually think he'd be way better as Eldred Jonas, he's got that steely aging badass vibe about him that would be absolutely perfect for Jonas. Just imagine him in wannabe gunslinger getup and a long, grey wig.

Besides, I have a feeling that Ivan Kaye (Ivan Kaye - IMDb) who has been cast in an undisclosed role may be Cort, he certainly looks the part. Cort is supposed to be a big brute of a man.

Yeah, I could see Rooker as Jonas too. I've always pictured Jonas as a more slender guy buy Rooker could probably pull off the look if he had a gray beard. And he's the right age for it.

 

[Man in the Suit]

Rooker and Mazzara working together again is great news!

 

[Persona]

I agree I think it is Kaye for Cort and Rooker for Jonas, and I think Rooker as Jonas is an absolute home run.

 

[Neno_Kos]

Since when is Dark Tower filming in Croatia Didnt know that.

 

[JimThompson]

This is an Amazon series, not HBO. Amazon seem to be going all out to try and produce the next Game of Thrones level 'event' fantasy TV show, what them doing this and the Lord of the Rings series.

I understand being hesitant, but this series has no relation to that gutter trash movie adaptation at all other than having Akiva Goldsman as an Executive Producer (which seems to be nothing more than a holdover mandatory credit at this stage because Goldsman was mostly responsible for the movie turd that was originally tied to this series), this is a complete reboot with a new cast, new writers, new directors, e.t.c. The showrunner is Glen Mazzara who has more than proven himself on shows such as The Shield and S1-S3 of The Walking Dead among others, and going by his twitter he seems to be a massive fan of the books so I'm quietly optimistic at the moment. That may come back to bite me on the ass, but we'll see.

Amazon, Netflix, HBO, whatever, I personally do not care (though thank you for the correction.) At their root they remain Hollywood based entertainment, and that does not inspire me with faith, confidence or interest in this series. People seem more interested in how they can change elements of the story rather than how they can tell it.

 

[Marvolo]

Amazon, Netflix, HBO, whatever, I personally do not care (though thank you for the correction.) At their root they remain Hollywood based entertainment, and that does not inspire me with faith, confidence or interest in this series. People seem more interested in how they can change elements of the story rather than how they can tell it.

Showtime, Starz, HBO, Amazon, Netflix, etc have been putting out lots of content that surpasses most Hollywood films for years. Television shows have become the premiere venue for quality character focused storytelling.

 

[Silvermoth]

I’m currently playing Witcher 3. Maybe that would have been the better medium for the dark tower series?

 

[Deck Rickard]

Rooker and Mazzara working together again is great news!

Ah... the days when Walking Dead was actually good.

Speaking of which, if we eventually do get an older Roland in this series, may I suggest David Morrissey (The Governor)? I think he’s got that crazy eyed intensity that could suit Roland. I remember a line in the books where one of Roland’s ka-tet (can’t remember which member) remarks how Roland looks slightly mad when he smiles. Morrissey definitely has that.

 

[Deck Rickard]

I’m currently playing Witcher 3. Maybe that would have been the better medium for the dark tower series?

Why not both? But yeah, I think you could make a great video game out of The Dark Tower. I was thinking that while playing Shadow of Mordor the other day.

 

[JimThompson]

Showtime, Starz, HBO, Amazon, Netflix, etc have been putting out lots of content that surpasses most Hollywood films for years. Television shows have become the premiere venue for quality character focused storytelling.

Certainly, though going in depth doesn't address this concern in my quote: People seem more interested in how they can change elements of the story rather than how they can tell it.

Hopefully you enjoy this version of The Dark Tower. I just have no interest in Hollywood taking a crack at it.