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‘The Dark Tower’ Trailer Is Here: Idris Elba And Matthew McConaughey Battle It Out With Magic And Guns

By Lawrence Arboleda
Published on: 01:08 PST, May 3, 2017

The first trailer for the film adaptation of Stephen King’s The Dark Tower has arrived, and if what we’ve seen so far is any indication, we’ll be seeing from the movie a lot of action, mystery, magic, and a bevy of enduring moments. To top it off, we’ll be seeing Idris Elba and Matthew McConaughey battle it out in ways that can only be described as epic.

The Dark Tower is a fantasy epic that stars Idris Elba as the last gunslinger Roland Deschain, who is seeking the titular tower so he can save the world from destruction in the hands of evil sorcerer Walter Padick (Matthew McConaughey), otherwise known as The Man in Black.

As has been shown in the film trailer, the Dark Tower is just not any tower. Rather, it is the one structure that holds all of reality together. Once it’s destroyed, the world as we know it will be no more. McConaughey’s The Man in Black wants to destroy that tower, and Elba’s Roland Deschain, the last in the fabled line of gunslingers in Mid-World, is the only one who can stop him.

The gunslinger, however, won’t be alone. Enter Jake Chambers (Tom Taylor), a young boy from our world who has seen “visions” of the tower and the Gunslinger, causing the people around him to think that he’s suffering from hallucinations or worse. Knowing that the fate of his world (ours) is at stake, Jake used his visions to find a portal that takes him into the Gunslinger’s world. There, he joins Roland in his quest for the Dark Tower, hoping he’s got what it takes to help him stop the Man in Black.

Those who have read Stephen King’s The Dark Tower series will be delighted by the nods and homages to the original material, most especially the Gunslinger’s mantra which Elba delivered to chilling effect.

“I do not aim with my hand
I aim with my eye
I do not shoot with my hand
I shoot with my mind
I do not kill with my gun
I kill with my heart”

As is the case with most film adaptations, directors don’t always follow the original material, nor do they have to. For instance, Roland Deschain was depicted as a white man in the books. He’s gruff and noble, like an archetypal Clint Eastwood straight from the typical Western film. Of course, skin color is irrelevant, especially when you have an actor of Idris Elba’s caliber playing the lead role. Matthew McConaughey, for his part, looks menacing as The Man in Black in ways that only the actor can pull off.

As reported by Screen Rant, The Dark Tower is not a straight adaptation of King’s books. In fact, it’s been hinted that it’s a continuation of the seven-book series, but self-contained and accessible to those who haven’t read the books. Having knowledge of the books, however, will undoubtedly improve one’s viewing experience, especially since the trailer has already shown Easter Eggs fans of the book will recognize.

Still, it remains to be seen whether the movie will appeal to those who haven’t touched the books. One thing’s for sure, though: the names of Idris Elba and Matthew McConaughey are a main draw for casual moviegoers. And if the film becomes a success, there’s always a chance that the movie would spawn a sequel or TV spin-offs. After all, several film producers and directors have adapted many of Stephen King’s books already. On top of The Dark Tower, the remake of IT will hit the big screen soon, along with upcoming adaptations of Revival and The Stand, as reported by Slash Film. To top it off, it’s been reported that Netflix will be adapting Gerald’s Game and 1922 soon.

The Dark Tower is set for a U.S. release on August 4, 2017.

[Featured Image by Zeiss4Me/iStock]

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