I’m not going to say this wasn’t expected but… damn. After months of preproduction, Universal chairman Adam Fogelson and co-chairman Donna Langley have officially axed the three movie / two TV mini-series adaptation of Stephen King‘s seven book Dark Tower series.
Deadline wasn’t specific on the reason why Universal decided to end production, but the obvious answer is budget. The budget of this project was a hurdle for months, and for good reason: this project stood to be the most expensive movie project since the just-finished Harry Potter series. Although the wildly popular Stephen King series has a built-in fanbase, it’s still a gigantic gamble, and Universal was only willing to finance the first film before committing to the whole series at once. Though Deadline suggests that Warner Bros. might consider picking up the project, I think it’s safe to assume that won’t happen. Warner Bros. is of course looking for a reliable moneymaking franchise to replace the Harry Potter series and the soon-to-be-ending Christopher Nolan Batman series, but Warners seem to be wrapped up in pushing its stable of DC Comics characters instead.
Personally, I can’t say I’m too disappointed. I do like the series, but I always thought part of them were incredible “uncinematic” and have been concerned that too much “tinkering” would have to be done.
The films would have been directed by Ron Howard, with Akiva Goldsmith and Mark Verheiden writing the screenplays. The first film was set for a May 17, 2013 release, but Universal will have to find another big project to slip into that date soon or another studio will claim it fast.
So what are your thoughts — relieved? Disappointed? Somewhere in between? Tell us your thoughts in the comments below.
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