It’s happening: Ron Howard directs The Dark Tower film and television series

Double your pleasure! Double your fun!

Deadline is confirming not only the fact that Ron Howard will be helming THE DARK TOWER film, but they are also confirming that Howard will direct the first season of THE DARK TOWER television series.

Holy shite, that’s a lot of tower.

Akiva Goldsman will write for both the series and film as well. The series will follow in close proximity to the film. They are doing something that’s never been attempted as of yet: using the film and the series to simultaneously tell the story.

Howard compares it to the back to back filming of the three installments of Peter Jackson’s LORD OF THE RINGS three year filming, “What Peter did was a feat, cinematic history. The approach we’re taking also stands on its own, but it’s driven by the material. I love both, and like what’s going on in TV. With this story, if you dedicated to one medium or another, there’s the horrible risk of cheating material. The scope and scale call for a big screen budget. But if you committed only to films, you’d deny the audience the intimacy and nuance of some of these characters and a lot of cool twists and turns that make for jaw-dropping, compelling television. We’ve put some real time and deep thought into this, and a lot of conversations and analysis from a business standpoint, to get people to believe in this and take this leap with us. I hope audiences respond to it in a way that compels us to keep going after the first year or two of work. It’s fresh territory for me, as a filmmaker.”

Goldsman adds, “We will certainly be looking to maximize both creative and fiscal opportunities by creating one enterprise that encompasses TV and movies. Some of the shooting will likely encompass both platforms, and that has never been done before. It’s thrilling, we feel like kids in a candy story.”

Howard, Goldsman, and producer Brian Grazer are looking to get started rather soon. The director has to finish up his current project before moving onto this one, “I’m finishing The Dilemma, and then I don’t have anything scheduled and I plan to work hard on this with Akiva and Brian. We will refine our take on the feature and TV shows. We have a clear view of what we want to do, and we’re lucky to have a company with the nerve to back us up on this venture.”