Amazon’s The Dark Tower series was to have Stephen King as a character!

Last Updated on August 5, 2021

So, when THE DARK TOWER film was announced a few years ago – based on the dark fantasy series by Stephen King and starring Idris Elba and Matthew McConaughey – a parallel Amazon series was also announced. However, after the (abysmal) failure of the film, and a lukewarm response to the pilot, THE DARK TOWER Amazon series was scrapped completely.

But, it seems like the show was going to get really weird and meta, like the novels themselves – including adding Stephen King as an actual character in the story (yes, that happens in the books…uh, spoilers…) Anyway, here's what showrunner Glen Mazzara had to say about the prospect:

if Stephen was up for it we would’ve done it, or I would’ve cast someone to play Stephen King…But if Stephen King’s gonna be a character in the books, I felt like I had to be a character in the show.”

I mean, if they're going to go that far, maybe they would've done all the other weird shit in that series, like Shardik the 70-foot tall cyborg bear, or a suicidal sentient monorail. Honestly, seems like a missed opportunity to me (because even if it was bad, at least wouldn't be boring-as-sh*t like the 2017 film).

But what do you guys think? Fans of THE DARK TOWER books? And if so, what's your feelings about Stephen King being a character? Either way, sound off below!

Anyway, here's the official synopsis of THE DARK TOWER series:

The Dark Tower is a series of eight books (and one short story) by King that incorporates multiple genres like dark fantasy, science fiction, horror, and Western. The story begins the “The Gunslinger” which follows Roland Deschain, the last gunslinger, who has been chasing his adversary, “the man in black,” for many years. The novel follows Roland’s trek through a vast desert and beyond in search of the man in black. Roland meets several people along his journey, including a boy named Jake Chambers, who travels with him part of the way.