Been a while since we’ve received any news on THE DARK TOWER, but after two studios reportedly passed on the ambitious project, it looked for all the world like it had crumbled for good. But hope still remains for Roland of Gilead.
Producers Ron Howard and Brian Grazer at currently at the Cannes Film Festival showing off their upcoming slate, and according to Deadline.com, THE DARK TOWER is on it. However, the idea of setting it up at a movie franchise and TV series might be off the table.
One possible route for the mega-producers: make just one movie, THE GUNSLINGER, with Russell Crowe starring. Media Rights Capital (ELYSIUM) is committed to make the film with Russell Crowe as the gunslinger Roland Deschain, with more movies coming if the first one does well. However, Grazer tells Deadline that there is an investor “from Silicone Valley” who is interested in helping the project get made as originally envisioned.
Grazer and Howard are now deciding which route to take. They’ve focused so much attention on their initial plan (with scribe Akiva Goldsman presumably committing an infinite amount of time working on the drafts), that it may be hard for them to part with it. However, when a company like Media Rights Capitol is willing to give you the dough (they’ve got lots, thanks to the success of TED), it’ll be hard to turn them down.
Which road should they travel?