I am a huge Stephen King fan, so the news that his fantasy novel THE EYES OF THE DRAGON would be adapted as a cable television series made me leap for joy. I was then brought crashing back to the ground when I learned that it would be developed at SyFy.
According to Entertainment Weekly, the novel is being adapted as a “longform project,” which could mean mini-series or traditional series. With the huge success of GAME OF THRONES, SyFy would be foolish to not try and convert this novel into a longer series.
THE EYES OF THE DRAGON was originally written as more of a children’s story. The plot takes place in the fictional realm of Delain and follows a teenage prince who is falsely accused of murdering his father, the king. Imprisoned in a high tower, the prince must figure out a way to escape, clear his name, and confront the devious and powerful wizard who is responsible for his father’s death.
The biggest appeal for King fans is the direct connection between THE EYES OF THE DRAGON and THE DARK TOWER. Both tales take place in the overall realm of In-World and feature the recurring villain of Flagg, who also appears in THE STAND.
With the glut of rumors circling Ron Howard’s adaptation of THE DARK TOWER, this could neatly capitalize on being related to that series to draw in viewers.
The biggest issue, however, is budget. SyFy is known for their microbudget films and series which rely heavily on cheap CGI. THE EYES OF THE DRAGON would need to have a quality akin to GAME OF THRONES if it is going to work as a sustained project. It remains to be seen if SyFy can put in that kind of commitment.
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