King Pens Dark Tower Adaptation for Flanagan

Mike Flanagan’s upcoming adaptation of Stephen King’s The Dark Tower promises unwavering fidelity to the source material. Flanagan’s proven track record of bringing King’s work to life, evident in films like Doctor Sleep and Gerald’s Game, already instilled confidence. Now, this commitment to authenticity is further solidified by an exclusive revelation from IGN: Stephen King himself is actively collaborating on the project.

In an interview promoting The Monkey, 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."

The Essentials: Stephen King's Dark Tower Multiverse

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The Dark Tower, one of King’s most beloved and personal creations (he began The Gunslinger in 1970), leaves the nature of King’s contribution open to speculation. His previous contribution of an epilogue to Paramount+’s The Stand series, addressing the perceived shortcomings of Frannie Goldsmith’s storyline, provides a precedent. However, The Dark Tower’s vast mythology, encompassing nearly all of King’s fiction, presents an even grander scale for potential expansion.

King's contributions are expected to seamlessly integrate with Flanagan’s vision. Flanagan has repeatedly emphasized his dedication to faithfulness, stating in a 2022 interview with IGN that the adaptation "would look like the books" and rejecting deviations that would transform it into something akin to 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 commitment stands in stark contrast to the 2017 film starring Idris Elba and Matthew McConaughey, which controversially rearranged events from across King’s seven novels.

While the release date and format of Flanagan’s The Dark Tower remain undisclosed, Flanagan has a busy schedule of King adaptations. His adaptation of King’s short story, The Life of Chuck, is slated for a May release, and he’s also developing a Carrie series for Amazon, based on King's 1974 novel.