J.J. Abrams Directing The Dark Tower Adaptation

[Chucklez]

J.J. Abrams Directing The Dark Tower Adaptation
Posted By: InsaneWriters
Feb 13 2007, 11:13 PM
Stax from IGN just e-mailed me directing me to his latest article. As a huge Lost fan, I hope it's true.

February 13, 2007 - IGN has exclusively learned that J.J. Abrams is poised to direct The Dark Tower, based on the Stephen King literary series.

Sources advised us that an official announcement is forthcoming. We have been unable to determine whether Dark Tower will be a film project or a TV miniseries, although the latter is a more likely prospect given the complex nature of King's seven-book series. Given Abrams' success on the small screen -- and King's well known love for the Abrams-produced TV series Lost -- the tube seems a better fit for The Dark Tower.

Sources also added that Abrams is indeed only producing Star Trek XI. It was recently reported that Abrams would not direct Trek XI, as many had assumed, but would instead turn his attention to a secret Paramount project titled Cloverfield. Might Cloverfield be a codename for The Dark Tower? Or a completely separate project?

(Interestingly enough, Entertainment Weekly did an interview last year with King, Abrams and his Lost producing partner Damon Lindelof, who reportedly brought a rare first edition of The Gunslinger to the meeting.)

Often described as King's magnum opus, The Dark Tower, as Wikipedia reminds us, "tells the tale of lead character Roland Deschain's quest for the 'Dark Tower.' The Dark Tower is often described in the novels as a real structure, and also as a metaphor. Part of Roland's fictional quest lies in discovering the true nature of the Tower. The series incorporates themes from multiple genres, including fantasy fiction, science fantasy, horror, and western elements."

"In the story, Roland is the last living member of a knightly order known as gunslingers. The world he lives in is quite different from our own, yet it bears striking similarities to it. Politically organized along the lines of a feudal society, it shares technological and social characteristics with the American Old West, as well as bearing magical powers and the relics of a highly advanced, but long vanished, society. Roland's quest is to find the Dark Tower, a fabled building said to either be, or be located at, the nexus of all universes. Roland's world is said to have 'moved on,' and indeed it appears to be coming apart at the seams — mighty nations are being torn apart by war, entire cities and regions vanish from the face of the earth without a trace, time does not flow in an orderly fashion; even the sun sometimes rises in the north and sets in the east. As the series opens, Roland's motives, goals, and even his age are unclear, though later installments shed light on these mysteries."

This news about J.J. Abrams comes on the heels of Marvel's recent launch of the limited comic book series The Dark Tower: The Gunslinger Born.
- http://www.thedarktower.net/

[therealjohng]

Ehh, I fart in his general direction.

[Danger^Cart]

Originally posted by therealjohng
Ehh, I fart in his general direction.

Yeah, citing J.J. Abrams as the sole reason Lost is what it is is kinda silly. The many writers, who are more likely than not crammed into a small office for most of the week, are responsible for the shows success. He just slapped his name on it.

Anyway, pertaining to the topic at hand, I always invisioned Terry Gilliam directing a Dark Tower adaptation, and I still think he'd do it best. It could be a return to form for him, so I'm disappointed with this news.

Fuck you J.J. Abrams. Anyone who uses two initials as their first name is a douche.

[ilovemovies]

JJ Abrams rocks!

I will forever be greatful for him for bringing Jennifer Garner and Alias to my life! Seriously, one of the greatest tv shows ever.

And Lost is great too. As was M:I-3. And plus wasn't a screenwriter and/or producer on both Joy Ride and Armeggedon? Yeah, I'll see ANYTHING he does. He rocks.

[Danger^Cart]

Originally posted by ilovemovies
And plus wasn't a screenwriter and/or producer on both Joy Ride and Armeggedon?

Wait...that was in his defense?

[ilovemovies]

I won't apologize for loving those two movies though I suppose the writing in Armageddon wasn't exactly great. I think it's a HUGELY enjoyable movie but, okay, maybe not exactly the best writing.

Still, JJ Abrams rocks!

[The Young Son]

There is no way they can do The Dark Tower as films. It would mean making seven films, or failing that, narrowing the number down. But by doing that they cut a considerable amount of things out. But then again, Song Of Susannah was hardly necessary. King could have summed it up in a couple of chapters instead of an entire book. That said, it could easily be done as a TV Series.

Personally I found the Dark Tower to be rather boring for the most part. However I thoroughly enjoyed Wolves of the Calla, even if it is a complete ripoff of The Magnificent Seven.

I will say this, though. Book 7 has THE greatest ending to any book or series I have ever read. I tip my hat the King for that stroke of genius.

[cocksmokinclerk]

i've only read the first 3 dark tower books, but i've loved everybit of them so far and the new comic was pretty badass, i'm for this and i dont have any grief with abrams other than lost is annoying as hell IMO but i guess you can say i'm looking forward to this while i finish the boks

[chinton]

Nobody seems to be mentioning the rather large problem. There is a very very small minority that includes me that loves the last three books including the ending. 95% of the world despises the ending. They're either going to have create a new second half of the series or the movies will fail.

[DrJellyfingers]

I never realized these guys were such big Dark Tower fans. My friend pointed out to me that Locke was in a wheelchair like Susannah, Charlie was addicted to heroin like Eddie, Walt is a boy with special powers like Jake, etc. I guess there's a ton more. Is there a web site listing more?

Anyway, I'll state the ovious and say nobody should touch DT in movie or TV form.

[SheLizard]

I don't know if I see Abrams as being the right kind of director for this material. I certainly like him less than I used to, so I would probably prefer it if someone else did it.

However, I am excited to see that they're actually serious about making it into something. (I could maybe really see a TV series with it - though then I think Abrams would *really* be the wrong person to be invovled with it for more than a season.)

[Cobretti]

The Dark Crystal sequel > The Dark Tower....

I base this theory on nothing.

[cocksmokinclerk]

if this happens, it HAS to be a mini-series or nothing

[yorrick brown]

poor joss must be sitting in his office dreaming off the days when he was the king off tv.

slowly plotting his revenge on jj .

[Raul Duke]

Originally posted by yorrick brown
poor joss must be sitting in his office dreaming off the days when he was the king off tv.

slowly plotting his revenge on jj .

when the hell was that? lol guy made Buffy and Angel....I didnt even know anyone who watched those shows and they were hardly one of the biggest shows on tv. Why exactly is this guy so hyped? B/c of the "misunderstood" Firefly? I dont get the love for him, and how the hell do you say his first name? is it pronounced like it's spelled or is it "Josh?"

[The Young Son]

Originally posted by Raul Duke
when the hell was that? lol guy made Buffy and Angel....I didnt even know anyone who watched those shows and they were hardly one of the biggest shows on tv. Why exactly is this guy so hyped? B/c of the "misunderstood" Firefly? I dont get the love for him, and how the hell do you say his first name? is it pronounced like it's spelled or is it "Josh?"
I agree. I never got into Firefly and I found Buffy and Angel corny as all fuck. I don't know where the love comes from either. Serenity was OK, but it still had a bit of corniness to it.

[Tuukka]

Originally posted by Danger^Cart
Yeah, citing J.J. Abrams as the sole reason Lost is what it is is kinda silly. The many writers, who are more likely than not crammed into a small office for most of the week, are responsible for the shows success. He just slapped his name on it.

That's one of the most irrational arguments I've heard recently.

Yeah... Abrams didn't have anything to do with the show, EXCEPT that:

1. He created the concept and premise of the series.

2. He created all the major characters.

3. He planned and created the tone, mood and visual language of the series. This includes everything from locations to set design, from cinematograpy to editing.

4. He planned the general structure of the series, and of individual episodes. He is the main person responsible for the larger storylines within the series.

5. He create the guidelines and internal rules of what the series is, and what it is not.

6. He casted the series. He chose all the actors.

7. He chose the crew. He chose the directors, the composer, the cinematographers, the editors, and all other key members of the crew. He also chose the several writers, and he tells them what to write.

8. He wrote and directed the pilot episode, which was the basis of the series, and several key episodes since then.

9. He got the series off the ground and greenlighted.

10. The writers who according to you are the "real" creators of the series only write what the exec producers (=Abrams, and a couple of others) tell them to write. In serialized TV screenwriters are not allowed to write what they want, they write what producers (and in some cases, the stars) tell them to write.

11. Now, Abrams didn't do all that alone, since there were several other important players in the game, but he is the most powerful of the bunch.

...So yeah, Abrams didn't have anything to do with the success of the series, except that he is the SINGLE MOST POWERFUL ARTISTIC CONTRIBUTOR TO THE SERIES, FROM THE ORIGINAL CONCEPT TO THE FINAL PRODUCT.

[yorrick brown]

as long as stephen king ain`t writting this.

he`s great at writting novels but when it comes to movies ,for lack of a better word ..shit.

sleepwalkers,maximum overdrive and so and so on.

[Silverload]

I’m not a fan a Abrams at all so the is pretty disheartening news for me. I love the Dark Tower series and I was hoping someone with a little more talent would take it all on. Oh well, just slip this to into the ever growing pile of my favorite stories being turned into poo.