Ron Howard’s ambitious adaptation of Stephen King’s The Dark Tower series (which will reportedly consist of three films and two television mini-series) has had a swirl of rumors over the last several months about who will play the lead of Roland Deschain, a gunslinger in a fantasy world that’s a cross between J.R.R. Tolkien and Sergio Leone. Previous reports have connected Viggo Mortensen with the part, but two different media sources have claimed to have the inside knowledge on who will end up in the role. The problem? Those two sources claim entirely different men are the frontrunner! Check out all the conflicting info after the jump.
Yesterday morning The New York Post reported that Christian Bale “has pulled ahead of Javier Bardem and Viggo Mortensen as Ron Howard and Stephen King’s choice for “Tower” main character”. However, later that evening, Deadline reported that Javier Bardem “has officially been offered the lead role by director Ron Howard and Universal Pictures.” Both sources are known for reliable film news, so it’s very surprising to see each pick an entirely different actor! Interestingly, both men were nominated this week for acting Oscars (Bardem for his lead role in Biutiful, and Bale for his supporting role in The Fighter), so fans can be assured that there isn’t a lack of talent vying for the part. I wonder which horse will end up winning this race — or will Roland end up being played by Mortensen after all?
The New York Post also claims that Jennifer Carpenter (TV’s Dexter) and little-known French/Moroccan actress Ghita Tazi are up for the role of Susannah, the wheel-chair bound African-American companion of Roland, but since neither actress is African-American I’m not sure how reliable those rumors are.
The seven book series will be distilled into three films, with two television series airing between the installments. The first film is set for a May 17, 2013 release. Director Ron Howard is reteaming with frequent collaborator Akiva Goldsman, who will write the script (Goldsman also wrote Howard‘s A Beautiful Mind, Cinderella Man, The Da Vinci Code, and Angels & Demons). Goldsman certainly has had some turkeys in the past (Batman & Robin, Lost in Space) and Howard has just released one of the worst-reviewed films of his career (The Dilemma), so let’s hope these two bring their “A” game when the part of Roland is finally cast.
Who’s your pick for Roland? Give us your take in the comments below!
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