Ron Howard gives updates on where his Dark Tower adaptation stands

Last Updated on August 2, 2021

It's been a long time since we've heard any word on the on-again/off-again adaptation of Stephen King's THE DARK TOWER, but now Ron Howard has opened up about the long-gestating adaptation to Empire, and while the news is positive it doesn't mean we're any closer to seeing the film go before cameras than we were a year ago.

Says Howard…

"The Dark Tower is something that we’re still working on. We’ve all taken a vow of silence about the progress, the headway, what we think our timetable is, because I don’t think I realised how much media interest there was in the title and how much excitement there was.

"And yet it’s a fascinating, powerful possibility and even Stephen King acknowledges it’s a tricky adaptation, but to be honest, from a financing side, it’s not a straightforward, four-quadrant, sunny Superhero story – it’s dark, it’s horror. That edge is what appeals to me, the complexities of those characters is what appeals to all of us. And I think Stephen King really respects that, with [regular screenwriting collaborator] Akiva Goldsman and myself, that that’s what we love about it, and that’s what we want to try to get to the screen.

"So my answer is: it got delayed, it’s never gone away. We’re working on it, and Stephen is very patient with us, and Akiva’s just gone off and directed a movie, I’m continuing to work, but the Dark Tower dreams – fever dreams, rather – are still there, but we’re not going to give it a timetable."

I'm not gonna hold my breath for this one, folks. There's no doubt that THE DARK TOWER will be a difficult book and series to adapt to the screen (big or small). I just don't see it happening anytime soon. Oh, well…