Mike Flanagan's upcoming adaptation of Stephen King's The Dark Tower promises unwavering faithfulness to the source material. Flanagan's proven track record of adapting King's work, evident in films like Doctor Sleep and Gerald's Game, already instilled confidence. Now, IGN exclusively reveals a significant development: Stephen King himself is collaborating on the project.
In an interview promoting The Monkey, King confirmed his involvement, stating, "All I can say is it's happening. I am writing stuff now and I think that's all I want to say because the next thing you know, I'll stir up a bunch of stuff I don't necessarily want to stir up yet. I'm in process right now, and to say too much feels like a jinx."
The Essentials: Stephen King's Dark Tower Multiverse
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The Dark Tower, a cornerstone of King's oeuvre (with The Gunslinger initially penned in 1970), lends itself to significant expansion. King's previous contribution of an epilogue to Paramount+'s The Stand series demonstrates his willingness to enhance existing narratives. The vast mythology of The Dark Tower, encompassing much of King's fictional universe, presents countless opportunities for enrichment.
King's contributions align perfectly with Flanagan's commitment to fidelity. Flanagan previously stated in a 2022 IGN interview that his adaptation would "look like the books," rejecting the temptation to reshape it into something like Star Wars or Lord of the Rings. He emphasized the inherent power of the original story: "It is what it is, what it is is perfect. It's just as exciting as all of those things and just as immersive. It's a story about a tiny group of people, all the odds in the whole world are against them, and they come together. As long as it's that, it'll be fine and there won't be a dry eye in the house."
This approach stands in stark contrast to the 2017 film adaptation starring Idris Elba and Matthew McConaughey, which loosely combined elements from across the seven novels.
While the release date and format of Flanagan's Dark Tower adaptation remain unclear, Flanagan has a busy schedule adapting King's works. His adaptation of King's short story, The Life of Chuck, is slated for a May release, and he's also developing a Carrie series for Amazon, based on King's 1974 novel.
