As any rigid movie-goer could testify to, films based on books and novels are usually a hit or miss. Without a doubt, finding the balance between satisfying fans and working a 1000-page, detailed story withsometimes hundreds of characters into a single feature film is not a task to be taken lightly.
When they do hit home, however, they sometimes produce great films such as The Shining, Stand by Me, The Green Mile and The Key to Redemption, the latter one which has spent years enjoying the #1 rank on imdb.com’s Top Rated Movies list. These critically acclaimed films all have one thing in common – they’re all based on work written by Stephen King.
Stephen King and Hollywood have had a turbulent relationship for over four decades. No avid film-lover would dare state that the couples haven’t produced some of the greatest work in film-history, though there has been some major flops. With over 60 films and TV-series based on work of the American author, at least some of them are bound to flop.
Fans of Stephen King, his books and movies have all eagerly waited for the movie-adaptation of the big one. The series which Stephen King himself has described as his magnum opus, his masterpiece from a lifetime as an author – The Dark Tower series.
Now, their wait is over.
Already in post-production, the movie features some of the biggest names Hollywood has to offer – Idris Elba, Matthew McConaughey, Katheryn Winnick just to name a few. Fans of the books are praising the casting of Matthew McConaughey to portray the mysterious Man in Black, a sorcerer who seems to possess all kinds of powers.
Our main character of the novels, “The Gunslinger” Roland Deschain, is pursuing this mysterious Man in Black while on his quest to find The Dark Tower.
Some of the more die-hard fans of the series, spanning over 8 novels, are however questioning the choice of casting Idris Elba as the main protagonist, Roland.
Born and raised in London, Elba’s father and mother originated from Sierra Leone and Ghana respectively, whereas King depicts Roland very close to how one would describe Clint Eastwood on set at one of his western-movies in the 1970’s.
One thing all fans can agree upon is that they all want the movie to be a success. Stephen King’s adaptions, having a track-record of being hit-or-misses, along with the minor controversy regarding the casting makes it a question only time can tell. Will this be a series of movies of epic proportions, or will it fade away into nothing like so many other adaptions?
Much like the grizzled gamblers in the Wild West, place your bets and let’s hope the premier on July 27 will bring joy to long-time fans and new fans alike!