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Akiva Goldsman + Stephen King's THE DARK TOWER?!? Nooooooooooooooooooo!
Ahoy, squirts! Quint here.
No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, n, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no.
No.
Really? The writer of BATMAN & ROBIN and LOST IN SPACE, Akiva Goldsman, to write THE GUNSLINGER film? Really?
This news scares the shit out of me. I hope to all the Gods that have ever existed and will ever exist that either the reliable Borys Kit is wrong on this one or that this proposed deal falls apart.
Here's what the Heat Vision Blog is reporting. Akiva Goldsman, Brian Grazer and Ron Howard are circling Stephen King's epic horror/fantasy/sci-fi/action-adventure/western THE DARK TOWER.
Now, their approach is actually a very good one... They want to make THE GUNSLINGER into a motion picture (most likely at Universal) and then continue the series as a long-form TV series. Not a bad idea at all, especially if that means they can go to HBO or some other cable channel that will let them go a little crazy.
But who am I kidding? Akiva Goldsman writing this means it'll more than likely be homogenized and stripped of what makes the book series so special. I love those books because they bend genre, they get a bit trippy, they're violent and unpredictable.
You might remember JJ Abrams, Carlton Cuse and Damon Lindelof had the rights for a while and it was going to be their big post-LOST project until they decided they couldn't do the world justice and let the rights revert back to King.
I know King is very protective of this series, so I only have to hope that he's something in Howard, Grazer and Goldsman that I don't. I think this is a horrible move... and I say this as someone not on the Ron Howard hate-train.
It's not just me, right? Or am I just a knee-jerk fanboy on this one?
PS For the record, I'm sure Goldsman is a totally nice dude, so I don't mean this as a personal attack on him. I am a Dark Tower junkie and have been dreaming of this series adapted to the big screen in some form since I was 13 years old. I just don't have the faith in him to adapt it and bring that unmolested vision to the screen.
-Quint
quint@aintitcool.com
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Readers Talkback
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Seriously, this is the worst idea in the long sad history of bad ideas. If the people that made Lost say it can't be done, it can't fucking be done. LEAVE IT BE.
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Just sayin'.
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I would regard the Dark Tower series as virtually unfilmable anyway. And I say this as a fan. I've read every single book, and they're great, but there is no way you can shoe-horn them into a three-act, "hero's journey" Hollywood film, not without destroying and/or homogenizing them. And whether you're Akiva Goldsman or William Goldman, I say, just let the Dark Tower stay as just books.
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I'm not really too worried about Akiva Goldsmith writing. The story is right there, he's just gotta translate it into movie script form. Ron Howard directing is what I'm worried about. He's the cinematic equivalent of beige wallpaper.
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April 30, 2010, 3:26 a.m. CST
I've said it before, but I should say again..
by chronicallydepressedlemming
Should have been an adult anime series.
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Those are two really good movies. Cinderella Man is such a wrongly overlooked movie. Looking at his resume (thanks wikipedia) I'd say he's batting around .400 in terms of quality (of course, that's in the context that I really liked Deep Blue Sea - and I don't care who knows it!) As for Howard, I'd give him about a 75% record. He's been weak lately (thanks Dan Brown), and that's getting quite a bit of fanboy backlash, but in reality, he done some very solid work. Could be worse. Could be much, much worse. Platinum Dunes is running out of 80s horror movies to remake. The next move could have been 80s horror literature.
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get terry gilliam involved for sure
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Akiva Goldsman? it's like Hollywood is intentionally trying to fuck with me, I would love a Dark Tower so fucking much, but NOT written by Akiva Goldsman
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the only way to adapt King is to be uncompromising, when you try to water it down it's always a failure, take the made for tv IT movie for example
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As others have said, the books are unfilmable anyway (especially the last three books). They'll HAVE to undergo significant changes to be filmed. It will be something much different. So whatever. As a fan of the books, I've never expected a satisfying movie to be made out of them. That's just asking the impossible.
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Frank Darabont would've been nice. But he's probably smart enough to know it can't be done.
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I do think you can probably film the Dark Tower books as movies. Yeah, it'll be a lot of movies and they'll all be long. The problem is that the first book isn't that great. I mean it sets up some stuff, but for people who don't know the whole story, might not go see the first film. And if the first film isn't a hit, they won't make the rest of the movies. And that's a shame cause I love the season book.
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King stopped being anywhere near a decent writer many many years ago and even when revisited some of his "classics" don't stand up to scrutiny, nor have they aged well. He is, at heart a hack who hammers away with little thought for anything other than to get the damn thing out there. People bemoan the movie adaptations but seldom look critically at the source material. Dreamcatcher anyone? IT? The guy didn't know how to finish the damn things himself and they floundered into metaphysical bollocks. JUST LIKE THE DARK TOWER. I like him regardless, but I do feel he wasted great chunks of my life I'll never get back with Roland and his cliched meanderings to the dark tower. So..who cares what happens to it? If you are apprenhensive, don't watch it. If you don't like it, forget it and read the books again as you seem to hold them in very high esteem. Everything is fair game...get used to it.
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Last time I read the series, about a year ago, I imagined everything in my head as an anime. Regardless, if it must be live action they need to get it done while Sam Elliot can still play Stephen Deschain. Read his dialog in Wizard and Glass and tell me you don't hear that voice!
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I read some of the Gunslinger, read about half of it in a day once. Not sure what the huge deal is about it. It had a Lost-ish vibe with the idea of the *SPOILERS*********** kid dying in NYC and waking up in the desert. It was cool that the Beatles songs were playing at the saloon too. I dunno, it was interesting but nothing spectacular.
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Akiva Goldsman has spent some time working on the sadly-cancelled Kings & Fringe, & his work has been really good. Maybe not Batman-&-Robin-negating levels yet, but the first Fringe episode he wrote and directed was excellent. Really creepy, pushed the mythology forward, & had some pretty shocking moments in it. It might not be a complete disaster.
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i don't see why Abrams and the LOST guys can't pull it off.
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They don't want to commit to another extremely complex "genre" piece like the Dark Tower after just finishing Lost.
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who cares, it's not adaptable. will suck no matter who creates it.
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He laughs from his mountain.
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Please don't even try.
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April 30, 2010, 4:50 a.m. CST
don´t hate, the important thing is I SAW MJØLNIR!!!!!!
by theDannerDaliel
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there would have to be significant changes yes, but I think the right writer could cherry pick elements from the entire series and give a series of awesome movies, the world of The Dark Tower is so rich and interesting that it would be amazing to simply see it brought to life
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another GOOD big budget Stephen King movie, the last big budget one was Dreamcatcher which was crap, 1408 and The Mist were good, but low budget
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I doubt we will see this anytime soon.
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...be able to get a workable trilogy out of the first three books. But after that forget it.
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April 30, 2010, 5:01 a.m. CST
I'm Totally Baffled By The Love Of The Dark Tower Series
by LaserPants
I read the first one and it was terrible. I mean, really embarrassingly terrible. Like something a 10 year old would write. Still, people swear up and down that it's great. At which point does this greatness occur? It was all but missing from the first book.
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April 30, 2010, 5:03 a.m. CST
They really should Start with THE DRAWING OF THE THREE
by thatfilmlover
because I can't see THE GUNSLINGER as a commercial movie, AT ALL. A Western? With One Character and a Kid for the majority of the movie? I just don't see it making bank. Make the Drawing of the Three First, and then The TV series can be a flashback to the events in GUNSLINGER.
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This is the worst news I've heard in a long, long time. PLEASE let it not be true!
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but he's a completely untalented hack. Haha nice way to sugar the pill.
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the second and third books, ESPECIALLY the third, which is by far my favorite of the series
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...that must be a mighty big tower.
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Akiva couldn't screw that boring ass book up if he tried, it's already a horrible story. That's the ONLY bad book of the series, though. As long as when the good shit starts with book two they've brought on some decent talent and can tell the story on HBO/Showtime there's some hope.
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yes it may be simple and mostly an introduction for the rest of the series, but it has some haunting atmosphere
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The Tower is not on that world. It's big. It's transdimensional. It's supernatural.
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I always thought the Dark Tower series would work better on a premium channel. Like a shorter, 4-6 hour first season for the first book, then each following book could encompass a regular length season. If the Gunslinger ends up with nipples on his jacket, I'm going to roundhouse kick the planet.
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Leaving aside the contentious fan debate whether or not Kings near death experience forever ruined the series by making him Mary Sue himself into it, it should be pointed out that sometimes a book is supposed to be a book. The ideas and themes in the book, the style in which its written, are not meant to appeal to the viewers of movies and tv shows. There is an unconscious assumption in the minds of most Americans that the movie is the ultimate artistic expression of a story. And frankly, that's just not true. Any movie of the Dark Tower, (doesn't matter who writes or directs) will be less than the books. And these stories shouldn't be available for mass consumption through the glowing screen of the idiot box. If you can't read it, it's not for you. Thankee sai.
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....I am Legend, Davinci Code, Angels and Demons, and A Beautiful Mind. <p> I agree, he's totally wrong for this. I think because of his track record of book adaptations, they assume he's right, since all those projects made a lot of money, and A Beautiful Mind is actually a good film, but I don't see him having what it takes to do justice to the Dark Tower series. <p> If he does it, I can see it having some good stuff in it, but on the whole, the biggest sin is that it will be mediocre, and it will be glaringly obvious where the failed notes are to those who like the books, and it will always seem like a missed opportunity and lost potential right from the beginning based on who they choose to adapt the series.
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a lesbian trucker roland
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he did BATMAN & ROBIN and LOST IN SPACE, two of the biggest cinematic abortions i've ever seen.<p> but he and Howard also did A BEAUTIFUL MIND which, although it probably didn't deserve its oscar, was certainly a step above his previous work.<p> most of all and most recently, he's been an executive producer on FRINGE and you know what? his work there definitely hasn't sucked. and I certainly think the FRINGE crew would be capable of doing a decent DARK TOWER series...
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There were some decent parts in the series but I had to read a lot of self indulgent drivel to get there.
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It's not even Goldsman at this point, it's the fact that everything Howard has touched recently has been bland and souless, such as his Dan Brown movies. Dark Tower needs a surreal/fantasy look, and that's now what Howard and company do.
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Easy. Yeah, Haley will need to be shot from a low angle a lot to look "big," but don't tell me he can't do the voice and the cold Eastwood glare. Halloway has just got to play Flagg, he's overdue to star in non-Lost stuff.
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please someone with the abilities and the right skills make an awesome motionpicturetvserieswhatever out of the fuckingtastic tad williams-books!!! pleeeeeaaaaase!!!
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Roland .... Hugh Jackman, id like him to loose ALOT of his bulk to play him mind. Eddie Dean... Casey Affleck Susannah Dean... Thandie Newton Jake Chambers... honestly who cares? As long as the kid can act. Cuthbert Allgood .... Joseph Gordon-Levitt and that's me done for now, Hollywood if you need some more advice on how to adapt the series, I'm always available...
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while it would never in a million years happen, my dream Randall Flagg is George Clooney.
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The Toxic Avenger, Fantastic Four, Robotech, Sgt. Rock, Lobo, Jonah Hex It's all going to turn to shit.
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would have made a good Eddie. But that's just me.
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So you'd suggest continuing? Summer's coming up, guess I'll give it another go... Most of my friends who read it, love it. Like obsessive love.
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but you CANNOT possibly make this movie the way it needs to be. it's not that you aren't good at what you do... but what you do is NOT the dark tower. understand? leave it to the jacksons and del toros and snyders of the world to provide epic fantastical filmmaking to the masses. seriously... you need to rethink this before you commit heresy against a HUGE population of king/tower fans.
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This is about the worst Tower-related news I can imagine. This is, without question, the most important of literary series even penned to me, and I can't believe they're going to fuck it up this way. Great idea (Movie/TV), but the absolute wrong people. Sure, they might not be King's most popular books, but they are his most important, and the people they've assembled to bring the pages to life have absolutely no idea how to handle it.
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Great idea! But people knock the first book? It isn't action packed but him moving down an entire town of people was pretty sweet. And isn't it the book where he discovers Jake and stuff? Good stuff ~ but filmlover's idea makes sense. Start with Drawing of the Three and somewhere in the series have a nice big flashback showing Jake's origin...
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Well I guess we all know who the lead will be played by. But dear god I hope this never see's the light of day.
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I'm torn. I'd be much more upset if this was The Drawing of the Three or The Wastelands because those books are so iconic. However The Gunslinger is small and really not all that great to begin with. Even King's later reworking of it still couldn't elevate above mediocre. It was one of the first things he wrote and it shows. Akiva however has done some good things, for example I love Fringe. And with his connection to JJ I suspect thats how this whole thing came about. I kinda think in some ways that it would be best as a anime from one of the major japanese studios. While The Gunslinger could be done easily with a fairly small budget, I can't even fathom trying to do later books justice.
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I am done with Stephen King..that includes any future Novels or Film adaptations of his works. I mean the guy was once considered cutting edge and could do NO wrong when it came to writing books that were really good summertime/take to the beach or on a camping trip type stuff..he was SO freaking popular that mass amounts of his books sold out quickly and as a kid I remember having to wait months to get a copy from the reserved list at my local Library because everyone wanted to read his works. Everything he wrote? It was like he had the Midas touch (Carrie, Salems Lot, Cujo, IT, The Stand, Christine, Pet Cemetary)...I even liked his collaborative work "The Talisman he did with Peter Straub... Hell, the guy even had a couple of non-horror stories made into good films!! (Stand By Me and Shawshank Redemption) Nowadays the guy is just...I think sad to say..past his prime and needs to retire to his mansion he bought from the gajillions of dollars he has made over the years as a writer and having his stuff turned into crappy..no..make that shitty Movies and TV adaptations. Anyone remember a little ole film from the early 90ies that was adapted from a Stephen King short story...it starred Arnold Schwartzeneggar..remember "Running Man"? (Which is pure Arnold campiness and is such a bad movie it is good! If you know what I mean) Sure, I went to go see "The Mist" when it came out in the Theater, I mean it was directed by Frank Darabont and this site really gave it good rating and I liked the behind the scene stuff written about here too...and I even checked it out on DVD...but was it a great film? Nope, it also just left me feeling...meh... His Novel "The Cell" made me want to gather up the "Villagers" and have an old fashion mass book burning because it was such a HUGE disappointment and made me feel ripped off and his most recent Mega-Novel "Under The Dome"? If you have trouble sleeping just check out this over sized Paper paperweight! It's just pure boring shit!! Basically I guess what I am saying here is...King should just go away and people who are fans of the "Gunslinger" series shouldn't get their hopes up that it is going to be made into a decent, good or even great movie...
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Any adaptation would be a disappointment. <p> But at least Abrams hasn't got his greasy paws on it anymore.
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After complaining and bitching and whining about JJ Abrams and Damon Lindelof doing the series... Look at who the FUCK we have now how: the same dude who did the worst Batmans.
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You know it, I know it, if the Hollywood Overlords have a single brain cell left in their collective mindbrains, they too will know it.
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when the fuck can we see this as a series on HBO?
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I'm not trying to jump on the Stephen King hate train here, but in 2000 in his "how to/biography" On Writing, King said there was something depressing about people telling him his best work was The Stand. He's really been inconsistent and I first noticed this after not being able to finish Insomnia, however some critics have stated that he's back with Under the Dome. Regardless, his adaptations are usually better in someone else's hands. Someone else being NOT Akiva Goldsmith. While it is true I don't think Goldsmith is a bad writer, I just find the material to be simply out of his capacity. That said, why not get Frank Darabont to do this, as he works well in adapting King and cast Thomas Jane as Roland...and yes, I have a soft spot for the Mist, but tell me that's not lightyears better than what they're doing now.
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Don't let this happen, just think of the Cock
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April 30, 2010, 8:19 a.m. CST
Now, now, shouldn't we give Akiva the benefit of the doubt
by MobileAccess
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...so ANY movie or TV series will be fucked because any kid cast in the role will age out of it but quick.
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Who here really thinks HBO would pick up a series that a mass has already figured out the end to? Off the top of my head, which i know, what im about to say will come back to haunt me after someone proves me wrong. HBO wouldnt do that. Carnivale lasted 2 seasons. It was an original story. Imagine the proverbial scale that should weigh this idea down after that show was severed at the neck. What happen to From A Buick 8 heading to the big screen. That movie alone could answer all the questionable reasons why "The Dark Tower" should not be turned into a motion picture as V'Shael noted. Now tears aside, a new story in the dark tower universe that links you and me, to the books would be a television show worth watching. It would also lead readers toward the original series, respectably.
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The news here is not Akiva Goldsman writing Dark Tower, it's Ron Howard directing Gunslinger, which is a good thing.<P> The idea to start with a movie and continue on TV is awesome, I hope it is bookended (pun in-fucking-tended) with a movie to close it out.<P> Akiva Goldsman has been doing good work on Fringe lateley and I place the majority of the blame for Batman Forever and Batman and Robin on Joel "D.C. Cab" Schumacher.
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At least the first two, which are as far as I've gotten yet. Just read those if you need a visual representation of the series.
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Goldsman's recent work on Fringe has been absolutely fantastic. I personally would be more worried about the seemingly burned-out Ron Howard directing it.
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...until "Jonah Hex" bombs at the B.O. Then you will see how studios will react to a sci-fi/fantasy/post-apocalyptic western...
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it starts to fall apart. Here's how they do it since the end of the book series basically lends itself to being told by a new medium. Make the first two books how they original are (except with the horn). Then do your own thing after that. They can eliminate Jake coming back because how would they get a kid to stay 12 for how long it would take to film this thing.
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I was just mentioning the DARK TOWER in the Abrams thread. I feel like I am in a nightmare and can't get out!
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Okay, I'll admit Batman & Robin is the worst movie I have come across (I pulled it out of the VCR twice half an hour into the film because it was so bad... could never get all the way through it).<BR><BR> BUT looking over his credits on IMDB, Akiva Goldsmith isn't THAT bad. "A Beautiful Mind," "Cinderella Man," "I, Robot," "I am Legend," and some episodes of "Fringe" are amongst his writing credits. His producing list is equally impressive.<BR><BR> I mean, if Jean-Pierre Jeunet can give us the brilliant film Amelie and the crap-fest Alien 4, I think we can maybe give some lenience.
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The man is a killjoy juggernaut!
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Hell fuck NO! I can't think of many worse people to take a crack at this thing.<p> I love The Gunslinger, it's probably my favorite book in the series.
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He would kill as Roland also
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... he's not as funny or clever as he thinks he is. As long as he remains serious, he's not a bad writer. Batman & Robin remains one of the worst movies of all time and the most painful thing about Lost in Space were the awful quips and one liners!
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The Battle of Jericho hill in the first gunslinger movie. Then nobody can complain. I also demand that Roland has the horn through this movie, so that all you "stick to the books" people can shove it up your literally interpreted asses.
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Over at Joblo. Looks good.
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Mick Garris, J.J. Abrams, Frank Darabont, Stephen Spielberg, Bryan Singer, Rob Reiner, John Carpenter, Brian DePalma, George A. Romero
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Your "defense" of Akiva is really a subtle case for his absolute mediocrity isn't it? A Beautiful Mind: dishonest melodrama. Cinderella Man: dishonest melodrama. I Robot: bland. I am Legend: bland and cowardly.
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Wizard and Glass, then go to the first - last books route. The mysterious love story fills out a more classic narrative that regular folks can get into, the flashes back give an idea of how it all started and the harbingers for the future set the stage very well. <p> This is what they'll do because then the casting allows for young version of Roland and the boys - of course the boys and Susan are 'forever young', spoiler. <p> Of course I also think they could make a musical of Wizard and Glass using songs by the Eagles and sell out Broadway, so I am, in the parlance of Mr. King, "crazier than a shithouse rat." <p> It will go to development hell and the rights will revert back to SK again.
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. . . you could chop Wizard & Glass into flashback scenes scattered throughout films 2-6. Get it done this way and it would still be hard as hell to impossible to accomplish successfully.
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They picked up Game of Thrones and True Blood.
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Just like Brannon Braga. Some people should be locked out of Hollywood.
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Daniel Day Lewis as Roland. I think there will be a knee jerk idea of casting either someone TOO handsome (jon hamm) or someone who is better suited to pla Eddy. Daniel Day Lewis would lend a weight to the project and already looks like a man who has lost everything and is capable of obsession and wreaking holy skilled terror on his enemies with occasional moments of true light ans humor shining through. Joseph Gordon Levitt for the Heroin Addled wise cracking Eddie Dean. Susannah always gives me trouble (Angela Basset always springs to mind).
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Pre-Wizard, Wizard & Glass, and then Battle of Jericho Hill, and the books haven't even really started yet. Chronological order is definitely the best way though, book order will hurt too many people's brains.
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Aaron Paul(from Breaking Bad) would make a great Eddie Dean. That being said, if you are going to do a movie why not do the more self contained young Roland parts from Book 4. Hell you can even make a nice trilogy out of it if you use the Peter David Marvel comics material. You shouldn't do anything that involves casting Jake as part of the movie.
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Worst Oscar ever given, for that screenplay.
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I can't imagine seeing people that aren't there all the time.
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Skycrapper If you saw the people and nobody told you they weren't there it probably wouldn't bother you because you wouldn't know they weren't actually there. Arby Aaron Paul is a good choice as well. What's essential for eddy is to have an actor that can go from the depths of a heroin addiction to a very capable gunslinger made of stern stuff.
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WHY THE HELL IS THIS HACK STILL WRITING! DAMN IT MY FAVORITE KING BOOKS ARE ABOUT TO BE DESTROYED! SHHHHHHHHHHHHIIIIIIIIIITTTTTTTTTTT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Go to his official message board and tell him not to have this hack write the script!!!!!!!!!!
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...I do not think the Dark Tower will have mass market appeal on any level as film and only marginally as a series on cable...and I say this as a Stephen King fan.
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I think so! Always dwelling on the negative. Goldsman is a GREAT writer. If you want someone to blame for Batman & Robin, blame Joel Schumacher.
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Shit and that book was supposed to be an adventure! Angels & Demons and DaVinci Code should have been more like National Treasure and he made them two of the slowest, most tedious drama-style movies I've seen. He doesn't have the ability to handle interwoven complex storylines and the amount of detail in a series of this magnitude. But who am I kidding? Akiva Goldsman will fuck this up LONG before it gets far enough along for Ron Howard to finish raping it. And for those bitching about the Dark Tower series...come on, Lord of the Rings has many of the same problems y'all bitch about. That series of books was fucking SLOW and irritatingly boring. Walking, walking, walking, and BOO! Then walking, walking, Mordor. But in the hands of a competent and talented director and production crew, it made for interesting viewing. That is *not* what is happening here.
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April 30, 2010, 10:28 a.m. CST
I thought we all agreed Lance Henriksen should be Roland
by 2for2true
Still my #1 choice....
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Roland for the most part is a cat in his 40's-50's you've also got to consider the length of the thing and the years of shooting this will take. I believe Lance Henriksen (who I fucking love) is about 70-71 years old. I really feel like Daniel Day Lewis and Viggo Mortensen have the combination of heavy talent and a look that work. Roland is described as a man who was once handsome but his experiences have given him a terribly worn look. I feel both of them while handsome can also look incredibly drawn and slightly frightening if need be.
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I think making a feature film first then going to series is an interesting idea. I always thought doing the whole thing on HBO in a mini-series was the best way to tell the story on screen, but this is interesting. Whatever happens, it should be on one of the above three networks or no dice. Frankly, I'm not even sure FX could do it because it needs to be graphic and raw and they'll only go so far.
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FUCK! I was telling everyone how I could never in my life see it adapted into a film. Now this little fucker wants it?! I just don't find it believable. King is so behind these books and the graphic novels that I feel this asshole wont get a shot. I know it WILL be made into a movie, sadly. But I know King wont let his baby be raped by the likes of this man. News shot down.
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April 30, 2010, 11:07 a.m. CST
He's writing for Fringe now, and doing a great job...
by DanielKurland
Not AS scared as I would have been pre-Fringe. And I support the approach being taken with this, although I would have preferred Lindelof/Cuse. Let's also not forget that without Akiva Goldsman, The West Wing would have never happened.
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Funny how you railed on the guy then "P.S, I'd let him blow a load in my mouth, but i still have every right to hate him once I swallow" or something to that effect. Must of graduated from Harry's school of ass kissing...it's a damn shame to see AICN slowly fade into obscurity...I blame X-men 3
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I didn't realize they had. I don't dislike Goldsman's work as much as I once did, but he's pretty far from my first choice.
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Justin Bieber is Oy.
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I LOVED the idea of JJ Abrams and Lindelof taking the reigns for THE DARK TOWER.They have love for it, and they crib A TON from Stephen King(although as I've read, they have a good relationship with him, so we can call it a "homage").iN FACT, LOOK at LOST....the "man in black", the struggle between LIGHT/DARK forces.Come on...can't be more "stephen king" if they tried.Hence the reason WHY they'd be so good. Only issue is...this would be EXTREMELY HARD to adapt.Although, I love the idea of 1 feature (more would be good, because the budget would be greater, and NECESSARY to bring justice to the look of the novels), and then into a TV show.Also, I gotta thank AICN and the gang...you're the ones that got me into reading those massive king books and come to love the Dark Tower.Thankee sai.
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Vigo Mortenson.obviously cast someone younger for the flashbacks with Cuthbert,Alain,etc.
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April 30, 2010, 11:51 a.m. CST
Catch-22, w/ this approach you can't have any big names...
by Somerichs
They'd need some big names to ensure good enough box office to warrant the follow-on TV series, but what big time movie star would sign on to be any of these characters for the movie, and then agree to continue playing them on TV for however many years? A: None. So they'd end up having to recast a lot of it for the TV continuation. Either that or go with unknowns/lesser knowns, which is probably the best way to do it anyway, but which would wreak havoc on box office...
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Was it really the script for Batman and Robin that sucked? Or was it everything? <p>Is it even possible to write a decent script for an intentionally cornball batman movie, the followup to the terrible Batman Forever, starring George Clooney as Batman, with Schwartzenegger as the villain? One directed by history's-greatest-monster Joel Schitmacher? Hell, if I'd been given that task, I would have delivered the worst possible script I could write and cashed the paycheck in good concience just to fuck over the studio for conceiving of such and abortion.
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Our budget is only 2 million dollars though. I play Poland.
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April 30, 2010, 12:32 p.m. CST
People who haven't even read the series should not comment.
by Raziel417
I'm sick and tired of seeing comments from people who didn't even take the time to get through the first book and really sink their teeth into this series. If you don't care about the gunslinger then we don't care to know about your "opinions." Opinions should have a basis on some knowledge ya dig?
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there hasnt been a good King movie adaptation for decades now.one more mediocre adaptation doesnt matter.
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Goldsman has written some of the Fringe episodes and he's often listed as a consultant for the series.<p> Fringe has been spectacular this season. Plus, Ron Howard has a solid track record.<p> I'm on of King's biggest fans and The Dark Tower is the series of books that I consider to be my favorite. I think I'd be nervous about a Dark Tower movie regardless of who is writing it.
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Mick Garris, anyone? Other than Darabont, King on film is a mostly awful combination. The mini-series are awful (save the written for TV "Storm of the Century") and most of the movies are terrible as well. I have zero hope in The Gunslinger being worth a damn on screen. If Lindelof and Cuse determined they couldn't do it justice I don't know what happy juice Akiva and his cronies are drinking to make them think they can pull it off. It's gonna be a trainwreck.
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So now it hurts when a hack is involved with something you like? Karma, baby!
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Get him to give it the LOTR treatment.
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Just as horrible as the ending. And yes I get the ending, still doesn't mean im fucking satisfied though. HBO series is the way to go, and someone mentioned start book 4 as the opening series, I like that idea.
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If Roland Emmerich actually gets a FOUNDATION film greenlit would you kill him or just yourself? ;^)
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One fairly large-sized budget motion picture with a cast modest enough to finish out a 6-(or so)-part TV mini-series of the books? sounds like a really good idea to me. and while I've always wanted an Alfonso Cuaron, Andrew Dominik or even Chan Wook-Park to direct the films, I'm not at all opposed to Ron Howard. as far as Akiva Goldsman goes, I'm not bending over vomiting at that notion. why? because "The Gunslinger" novel is a really dry, yawning experience and easily the weakest part of the series. I know a bunch of people who read that book and then abandoned the series because of how boring "Gunslinger" is, and thats a shame. so I can't really see Goldsman doing that much of a miscarriage to the source material. just boot his ass once the "Drawing" and everything else begins to be adapted.
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April 30, 2010, 1:46 p.m. CST
they couldn't fuck it up any worse than the KING did.
by RedHorseVector
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seriously, Kings books are mostly shit. the people that read them are not the brightest either.
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...Is to shoot them out of sequence and with different producers, directors and, yes, different actors. Just like James Bond, have self contained movies with some plot lines running through it, but don't shoot a long winded story arc which is sure to disappoint fans to no end. Wizard & the Glass? Great movie. Wolves of Callah? Another great flick.
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...was better than Kubrick's film.
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....king translated to anything but failure on the big or small screen. I've read maybe 7 or 8 of his books and they were very uninspiring and then I've seen his films and they are never very good.
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...is so clearly a tribute to Eddie Dean from this series. I wonder if they've admitted as such.
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They need to get Robin Furth to go over everything Goldsman writes to make sure it's worthy of even being filmed.
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Neither, i would shit on him.
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Angela Bassett is whats her names . . .
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... was a tribute to Larry Underwood from The Stand. They are on record as saying that.
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I agree with above I've said it before and I'll say it again, someone like Gilliam to direct,with Daniel Day Lewis as Roland,<p> have the movie break down the 4th wall if possible,<p> start with Roland having possesion of "The Horn" an awesome wink to the fans, and confirmation that this will be Rolands FINAL time, I just cannot believe that he will never get to meet Susan at The clearing at the end of the path.
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They cleaned the guys life up so much for the movie. They left out that he was a gay anti-semite racist because it would have taken away the hero they were trying to build. Quint is worried about it being cleaned up and being mainstream -he is right to be worried in the hands of this hack
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April 30, 2010, 4:31 p.m. CST
AdzonVonMelk finnally someone on here mentions OTHERLAND
by CharyouTree
Contender for my favourite series ever, yea it has to much going on at times, but the scope and story is fucking awesome.
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FLAGG...
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BY ANYONE. These are books that work as books and WILL NOT WORK on TV or as movies. They just won't. They'll be butchered. Seriously even when JJ Abrams (someone I trust) wanted to do this I said NOOOOO IT WON'T WORK. It still won't.
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When some of the most talented film makers in the industry say over and over through the years that a property is "unfilmable", they almost always are right. Watchmen proved that the best intentions can't make up for a plot that is too complex to film properly.
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SPOILER ALERT******* Mordred does not kill Flagg. Fuck that shit. Roland fucking kills Flagg. That was such a goddamned disappointing end to the best villain in any King book.
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April 30, 2010, 6:17 p.m. CST
Quint has a baised knee-jerk reaction without seeing it? NO WAY!
by Tall_Boy66
Wow, I'm shocked that Quint would pre-judge a project without anything having actually being done and him not seeing the final project at ll. Really.
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SPOILERS!!!!!! I agree with Durendal, Flagg's ending was beyond stupid. Didn't King basically apologize for it in the book? I remember him saying something about knowing the audience wouldn't like it, but to go with it anyway, doyakennit?
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<p>...I think it's unfair to say that anything is unfilmable. While I do agree that some things are easier to film than others, and that some things will get lost in translation, Jackson did a fantastic job translating Tolkien to the silver screen. It's not a perfect translation for sure, but it's a solid example of a book-to-movie adaptation working as well as anyone could have hoped.</p> <p>Although, I'm looking through Goldsman's list of work, and I'm not exactly thrilled with the track record. I mean, I loved Deep Blue Sea because it was the pinnacle of the "it's so bad it's good" movie genre, but that's not what the Dark Tower's about.</p> <p>Also, bollocks to anyone that thinks that the Gunslinger's a boring read. It's one of the most atmospheric, haunting genre mash-ups out there, and the scene between Roland and Cort is worth admission alone. I remember reading it when I was about 12, and getting shivers down my spine at the thought of things to come, with Roland's impending quest for the Tower and his battle with the Ageless Stranger.</p> <p>Of course, if I knew that the things to come involved snitch-throwing and artist-imposed deus ex machina, I probably wouldn't have anticipated future books as much as I did. Still, Gunslinger's a good book.</p>
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Unless they create an HBO series there is no venue that can handle this amazing story. You need a lot of time to let it develop. Oh, and no fucking 3d!!!!
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Although that might be a little difficult with the waystation, the kid dying, and the palaver with Roland and The Man in Black at the end. There has to be a dramatic change between the two books. The tone totally changes. flashbacks? The action in The Drawing of Three is pretty overwhelming with Eddie, the plane, the drugs, etc. This would make a way better HBO series but for it to work the subtleness of the first book might have to be condensed.
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I wanna see someone try to make that stuff into a movie or a television series. The Hero is a fucking Leper! It's an amazing Series. Anyone reading this should give it a read.
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If it went to HBO let's face it, they might get to the end of The Drawing of the Three then the project would be fucking axed, am I right? This is because the series just gets bigger and BIGGER in scale. Drawing of the Three is easy to do because it would be set in present day NYC for Eddie's time, the '70s for Susannah, and the parts in Roland's world are set on a fucking beach. After this point they would actually have to build sets and up the CGI to keep up with the insanity. i.e. it wouldn't happen. Movies won't happen because there's no way of doing them without utterly raping the series and King won't let it happen, it's his real baby (and he's not done with it yet, despite the last book).
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Gunslinger adaption with Christopher Lambert as Roland. That actually doesn't sound that bad anymore.
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The only good news here is that they're considering TV. While I'd love to sit back and watch this epic unfold on IMAX with an amazing score, I'd rather watch it done properly on a big screen TV in my living room. A theatrical release will add too much pressure to cut down the length and tone down the violence, and it needs to be violent. It needs to be dusty and terrifying and raw and dismal.It's the constant sense of foreboding that gives life to this story. As this sprawling world is revealed piece by piece, and we care about the characters more and more, it also becomes apparent just how unlikely it is that they will survive, let alone succeed. Ron Howard has made some fine films, but he just doesn't have the stomach for this. Who does? How about Alfonso Cuaron? Goldsman messed up the very slim novel I Am Legend, I'd hate to see what he does to something exponentially longer. Bring back Lindelof. The guy brought his copy of Gunslinger to meet with King. He must regret departing this project, and there's no one better suited to write this screenplay. I think about Lost constantly, and life will feel very different when it's over. This guy has the goods. As for Roland, you can't go wrong with Daniel Day-Lewis. My second choice would be Nathan Fillion with 10 more years on his face. Firefly should have made him the next Harrison Ford, and he's one perfect role away from the A-List. Timothy Olyphant would have been perfect for Eddie in his 20s, but now I'd go with Joseph Gordon-Levitt or Ben Foster. Michael Chiklis is Cort in a heartbeat. When Abrams was attached, I figured he'd cast Zoe Saldana as Susannah, and she could do a good job. The big problem is Jake, who is 12 years old across 7 books. Because of Jake, and the fact that this project will take a decade, I don't see how it can be done without recasting or filming all of his scenes first, which are unacceptable and extremely difficult, respectively. For this reason, I suggest the best case scenario in my mind: an anime series on HBO. Jake is no problem. Casting in general is no problem. It's cheaper. It's epic. People will watch, and they'll keep watching. Of anyone, I'd hand the reigns to Yoshiaki Kawajiri. Take the aesthetics of Ninja Scroll, Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust, or his Animatrix segment and apply it to Dark Tower. That's a winner right there. I wish I could buy the Blu-ray box set today.
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He's also a scifi nerd, so don't write the guy off (pardon the pun).
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Please.
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April 30, 2010, 9:06 p.m. CST
Fuck this, The books are good enough for me...
by NomoredirtyjokespleaseweareYanks
In fact I might have to take the quest again, starting today.
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C'mon, how could this be any worse than the actual ending of The Dark Tower series? Just kidding...sort of.
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Still haven't read it, waiting for a definitive edition. I think King was going to revise the first few books to make it in synch with the late ones.
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I have a tattoo of Randall Flagg's evil fucking face covering my upper arm. I would honestly hope that they never make this series into a movie or tv show. It would never be able to go where the books go. And they would never satisfy my complete dark tower fandom. I'll pass. Anything, even from a good writer and director, would ruin my perceptions of the Dark Tower world I have in my head.
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"Yep. Never leave Gilead without 'em." End scene. Fade to black. Go kill myself.
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pass the torch and all that, start fresh, and TRY NOT TO FUCK UP! i am not afraid to say that i really liked I, ROBOT. however, the man should be flogged for that monkey abomination in LOST IN SPACE. did you know it was supposed to have a parent, too? a giant monkey abomination. 40 LASHES! i have been disappointed by almost every single one of the film adaptations of STEPHEN KING's novels (the CREEPSHOWs and CAT'S EYE were great). i'm done
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this band has a song called the gunslinger you can download it for free on their myspace http://www.myspace.com/southerntraingypsy and become a fan at their facebook http://www.facebook.com/southerntraingypsy?v=feed&story_fbid=106920486005071&ref=nf JUST FUCKING DO IT
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Hopefully, production companies realize that the gunslinger is a whole other such entirely.
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Goldsman is a very poor writer and Ron Howard whilst a competent director, is also a pretty dull and boring one.
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Been looking for it forever and haven't found anything.
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Start it with Roland with the horn, but hopefully they will not change it as they see fit even though it will give them lience to make minor changes. Day lewis? Shit he would own Roland, you know it.
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Chris Evans = eddie, that mofo can act
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He was one of the writers on the latest Fringe episode, the worst in the entire series. He should not be allowed to write anything other than shopping lists.
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I think we need to look at the fact that Akiva Goldsman is a major writer and producer of Fringe this season (also co-created by Abrams). He has also directed a few episodes. His involvement with Fringe has not candy coated that show at all. I think he would be a fine choice.
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Again: He was one of the writers on the latest Fringe episode, the worst in the entire series. He should not be allowed to write anything other than shopping lists.
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Remember Watchmen? It too was "unfilmable" and what a lumbering pile of shit that turned out to be. Besides, the ending of the Dark Tower totally SUCKED!!! What a cop out. Lost will probably end the same way too.
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Here you go Pissed off and Bitter - http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/zh/2/23/The_Dark_Tower.jpg
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Semple was a quality writer when he stayed away from comic books and fantasy (ex: Papillon, The Drowning Pool, The Parallax View and Three Days of the Condor). But when he did superheroes the results were camp (Adam West Batman, Flash Gordon, Sheena). Of course, Semple's camp was actually entertaining, which isn't something you can say for B&R and LiS.
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what do you mean IF JONAH HEX bombs?
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To gauge his interest in playing Roland for both the film and television series.
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Clint Eastwood 40 years ago
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...I think I'd be a bit more comfortable if they just went straight at the long-form TV series. Editing down the Dark Tower books to fit neatly into a movie format just doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me - never has. I guess if they just went for introducing the characters and some of the simpler story elements of The Gunslinger introduction movie would be possible. But I'd still rather they had the ability to stretch each book out over a "season". Even if it was only a few hour long episodes for some books.
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I think there will be great difficulty in filming some parts of the series, particularly the latter books. But huge sections of this series could easily be filmed and be quite interesting from a visual stand point.
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...they may have to move parts around and shoot some sections in a different order than they appear in the books. But that's the way adaptations go. It's also why we're all so worried about who will adapt them (duh). I'd LIKE to see it in the hands of different directors. We seem to get into that in almost every Dark Tower talkback. I think that could work for this series. As would doing PARTS of it as animation. Not sure I agree with using different actors for the same character, though. There's going to be enough confusion for the non-addicted. Using multiple actors for one character would make most noobs heads explode with confusion.
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...again? Damn it! That's an under-appreciated work of genius. With all the crap fantasy films people have attempted in the last thirty years I don't understand why nobody has gotten around to attempting this one.
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CharyouTree, CharyouTree, CharyouTree, CharyouTree,<p>Here's the song for Wizard and Glass<p>http://tinyurl.com/36nm4zk<p>
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very underrated
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Great Roland.
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MOSTLY great script
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For Roland, there are a ton of options. Just need someone weathered, intimidating, and able to break out the occasional show of charisma. Just please, no one like the oft-suggested Hugh Laurie. i'd be happy with an understated Hugh Jackman. Daniel Day Lewis would be amazing, but I can't see him doing it. if they go younger, someone like Karl Urban would work. Eddie: Joe Gordon Levitt, abso-fucking-lutely. if not, Adam Brody would be good. Susannah: Taraji P. Henson. Jake presents too many problems as already mentioned. Flagg: Bill Nighy. and since I agree whole-heartedly with the TB'er that said each book should be adapted by a different creative mind, here's my choice for directors... Gunslinger: Ron Howard(by default). Drawing: Andrew Dominik. Waste Lands: Alfonso Cuaron. Wizard: Darren Aronofsky. Wolves: Chan Wook Park. Song: Neill Blomkamp. Dark Tower: Danny Boyle.
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Yes, to From A Buick 8, and The Talisman. Those are both as close as they should get to the Dark Tower movies.
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a movie series will be a disaster.
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Everything after book 3 is pure shit anyway. The would be better off just doing The Gathering of the Three with a few flashbacks to the Gunslinger to fill in what we missed. The Gunslinger is not worth a movie in and of itself. The bullshit sea creatures biting off appendages gets old really quick as well.
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I had a chance to talk to Donaldson a while back. He said there are producers and directors that are DYING to make a Covenant series of movies...but that LOTR fucked them in the ass. <P>As soon as any Hollywood type sees the white gold ring on the cover of the Covenant books, they label it a Tolkien rip off and refuse to have anything to do with it.<P> Even though the ring in Covenant is WAY more symbolic than in LOTR.
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Please. That was Big Gay Schumacher all the way. It was astonishing how efficiently Schumacher drove a stake through the heart of that franchise. He has done excellent work on Fringe, the last ep not withstanding- that one was a mistake. I was surprised at how uncomfortable everyone looked, and how oddly paced the ep was. It had no rhythm, which a musical ep requires.
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it's been a long time since we've had a decent flick in Opievision- I personally think Bald Opie is vastly overrated.
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It makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. Almost like a good Christmas movie, but with Santa beating the crap out of people in the ring and Mrs Santa calling him the champion of her heart.
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Worst fantasy series ever? What caused you to stop being the Nazi schlong swallowing neutral douche that you are to post that? Have you checked yourself lately? I've spoken to many who consider you to be a child-donkey touching poobandit. And that's not to say that being gay is a bad thing, if the Birdcage taught us anything, it's that being gay can be hilarious and awesome-like . But your kind of gay is beyond the parameters of acceptance. I bet your kind of fantasy is the kind where der Führer marches up to your border and Blitzkriegs your Matterhorn. Seriously.
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