Sam Strike cast as Roland the Gunslinger for The Dark Tower TV pilot

Last Updated on August 2, 2021

As Amazon plans to load their six-shooter for a series adaptation of Stephen King's The Dark Tower, it's been announced that MINDHUNTERS alum Sam Strike has been cast as the Gunslinger, Roland Deschain, for the soon-to-be-ordered pilot episode. Co-starring alongside Strike for the pilot will be Jasper Pääkkönen, who recently starred as the white power-hungry Felix Kendrickson for Spike Lee's Oscar-nominated BLACKKKLANSMAN. While no official word has been given, it's to be suspected that Pääkkönen will star as Walter Padick aka The Man in Black, a demonic sorcerer and an emissary of the Crimson King who goes by many names including Randall Flagg, Walter O'Dim, Rudin Filaro, Raymond Fiegler, Richard Fannin, Walter Hodji, Walter Farden, The Walkin' Dude, The Covenant Man and Marten Broadcloak. (via DarkTowerFandom.com)

Details about the upcoming series are scarce at this time, though numerous reports have revealed that the show will take place several years before the events of director Nikolaj Arcel's 2017 feature adaptation THE DARK TOWER. Previously, executive producer/showrunner Glen Mazzara has come forward in saying that the series will be a more faithful adaptation of King's classic saga, though it will also feature a look at Roland Deschain's origin story. In other words, we'll learn about how Roland became the gunslinger in addition to how he acquired his remarkable guns. The show will also explore Roland's first encounter with The Man in Black, his first love and inaugural mission as the lone wanderer of legend.

Over the years, King has published eight books for The Dark Tower series, each pulling from a variety of genres, such as high fantasy, sci-fi action, horror, and of course, Western.

Back in 2017, Arcel's version of THE DARK TOWER starring Idris Elba and Matthew McConaughey earned $113.2 million at the worldwide box office. While scores of King fans had been eagerly anticipating the film's release for some time, THE DARK TOWER ultimately disappointed, with several moviegoers and critics stating that the project had failed to include several of the story's most captivating elements. Here's hoping that Amazon's TV series can make good on a much beloved contribution to fantasy fiction literature.