Mike Flanagan, renowned for his faithful adaptations of Stephen King's works such as Doctor Sleep and Gerald's Game, has assured fans that his upcoming project, The Dark Tower, will stay true to the original novels. This promise is further solidified by the exciting news that Stephen King himself is collaborating with Flanagan on the project.
In an exclusive roundtable interview with IGN, King confirmed his involvement, stating, "All I can say is it's happening. I am writing stuff now and I think that's all I want to say because the next thing you know, I'll stir up a bunch of stuff I don't necessarily want to stir up yet. I'm in process right now, and to say too much feels like a jinx." This revelation suggests that King is actively contributing new material to the adaptation, enhancing the authenticity of Flanagan's vision.
The Essentials: Stephen King's Dark Tower Multiverse
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The Dark Tower is one of King’s most cherished and personal projects, with the first novel, The Gunslinger, beginning its journey in 1970. King's previous involvement in adaptations, such as writing an epilogue for the Paramount+ series The Stand, hints at the potential depth he could bring to The Dark Tower. Given the expansive nature of the Dark Tower series, which intertwines with nearly all of King’s fiction, the possibilities for enriching the narrative are vast.
Flanagan's commitment to staying true to King's original work is evident in his statements. In a 2022 interview with IGN, he emphasized, "it would look like the books" and warned against transforming the story into something else, such as Star Wars or Lord of the Rings. He further elaborated, "It is what it is, what it is is perfect. It's just as exciting as all of those things and just as immersive. It's a story about a tiny group of people, all the odds in the whole world are against them, and they come together. As long as it's that, it'll be fine and there won't be a dry eye in the house."
This dedication to authenticity is a welcome contrast to the 2017 film adaptation of The Dark Tower, which received criticism for its deviation from the source material.
While the release date and format of Flanagan's The Dark Tower adaptation remain uncertain, fans can look forward to other King projects from Flanagan. His adaptation of King's short story The Life of Chuck is set to premiere in theaters in May, and he is also developing a Carrie series for Amazon, based on King's 1974 novel.
