‘The Dark Tower’ TV Show: Ron Howard Reveals It Is Still Being Planned

Remember the Dark Tower TV show that Ron Howard talked about making when people were still hopeful about the upcoming film adaptation of Stephen King’s series? Well, amazingly, Howard himself tells TV Land that the Dark Tower TV show is still in the works, which is absolutely huge news for all those who enjoy Stephen King’s page-to-screen creations.

“We are working on the television component,” Howard responded when asked if the TV show was still happening on the red carpet for the premier of his new Albert Einstein bio-pic Genius.

“Creatively, it could work very well hand-in-hand with what we would like the movies to be.”

The reason this declaration is so shocking is that, due to the lack of confidence demonstrated by Sony in the Dark Tower movie’s marketing process, it is now widely believed that the film is dead in the water. In other words, those following the production have generally agreed that all signs point to the movie being a bomb, and Sony’s actions (or lack thereof) show that they know it, despite the fact that it stars Idris Elba and Matthew McConaughey.

The general consensus that the movie had already failed in the eyes of both potential viewers and Sony itself made people think we would probably never be treated to the potential sequels that were at one point supposed to follow the initial Dark Tower film, and we certainly wouldn’t be seeing the full TV show accompaniment that had been whispered about.

Low and behold, though, the proposed showrunner himself, Ron Howard, says otherwise. As a huge fan of both Stephen King and The Dark Tower, Howard is dedicated to making this happen, and his dedication has not wavered.

The TV Land piece points out that Game of Thrones, the hugely successful and ambitious HBO series, is going to wrap up soon — according to Fortune, the eighth season will be the show’s last — and it will leave a giant hole in the cable giant’s schedule. That hole will be of a remarkably similar shape to The Dark Tower, as, like GoT, The Dark Tower is based off a popular multi-book fantasy epic that concerns lots of nefarious scheming and warring factions. Howard has even made plans with HBO in the past to host the Dark Tower TV show, reported MTV way back in 2011.

Just the idea of a Dark Tower-based serial on the scale (both in terms of scope and funding) of Game of Thrones is sure to make any hardcore Stephen King fan, and probably a good amount of others as well, sigh in longing. The fact that there is a chance it could actually happen is incredible.

That being said, Howard notes that, although he is planning the Dark Tower TV show and will do his best using his powerful connections to make it happen, it is not a sure thing yet.

“It’s not a commitment on the television side,” Howard states.

Howard recognizes that he needs the support of a lot more high-ups than just himself if he wants his Dark Tower plans to come to fruition, and he knows that many of those people will only be persuaded by some sort of assurance that audiences want to see The Dark Tower.

For that reason, a successful launch for the Dark Tower movie, which comes out August 4, would really help the likelihood of the TV show happening. And the chances of the movie being a hit are seeming a bit slim.

Not that the movie being bad will necessarily mean the TV show will not happen, but it would be a good incentive.

If the show does indeed end up making it to air, it will presumably take the same angle that Entertainment Weekly announced it would in September of last year: it would adapt Wizard and Glass, the fourth of seven installments in the Dark Tower series. Unlike the other entries, Wizard and Glass is mostly comprised of a flashback looking at the first-ever Gunslinger mission of a teenage Roland Deschain, the character played as an adult by Idris Elba in the upcoming film. Not only is is a great, self-contained story that supplements the rest of the series, but it also means Elba wouldn’t have to be secured for the entire run, something which would bulk up costs considerably. Plus, it has the distinction of being a Stephen King adaptation, which is a selling point in itself.

What did you think of the end of WIZARD AND GLASS? Join our reread discussion of #TheDarkTower! https://t.co/q3j6r93NKl pic.twitter.com/2Aa9ZUT7bh

— Criminal Element (@crimehq) March 7, 2017

It’s shocking that the Dark Tower TV series is still being planned, but you’d be hard-pressed to find a Stephen King aficionado who is not pleased with the news.

For those who have read Stephen King’s Wizard and Glass or are familiar with the characters, who would be your dream cast for a TV adaptation? And for those who haven’t, what are you waiting for?

[Featured Image by Zeiss4Me/iStock]