Mike Fleming at Deadline reports, "is close to sealing his deal with Universal Pictures to play gunslinger Roland Deschain in The Dark Tower." http://www.deadline.com/2011/04/javier-bardem-closing-dark-tower-deal/
Scott Wampler put it this way: just today, word's come in that Universal is "this close" to hiring Bardem to play Roland Deschain, Gunslinger. Read on for the news, my fellow Tower junkies... http://www.examiner.com/dark-tower-in-national/javier-bardem-this-close-to-closing-a-deal-to-headline-dark-tower-franchise
All this on on top of the recent news that King has written another Dark Tower novel. I guess I better hunker down and finish #7.
Bad news for the Constant Readers. Bardem is not Roland Deschain.
ReplyDeleteWell, I like him. ¬¬
ReplyDeleteAlcorze, I've been a Constant Reader since 1990, and I couldn't be happier with anyone than I am with Bardem playing the role.
ReplyDeleteOn my end, I don't care so much who plays the part, but I want the movie to be true to the story. Best for me if I don't recognize the name. My focus isn't on the actor, but the story.
ReplyDeleteOn the subject of being true to the story, I'm not sure I see any way for this project to fully do that. For one thing, the movies will almost certainly be PG-13, which is going to mean much of the violence, profanity, and sex will have to be cut out. That's okay by me.
ReplyDeleteApart from that, it's simply too expansive a story to squeeze into three movies without a ton of stuff having to get cut out. Heck, even the four-hour versions of "The Lord of the Rings" movies had to omit large chunks of Tolkien's novel, and "The Dark Tower" is something like four times longer. Longer even than that, if you care to take "The Little Sisters of Eluria" and the comic books (not to mention "The Wind Through the Keyhole") into account.
There's just no way the movies and series can be done without having large sections of the story cut out. And I'm okay with that. As long as the filmmakers keep the tone right, and don't veer too far off course, I'm fine with them making whatever changes result in good movies and television shows.
After all, the books will always be there, and if I want to experience them, all I've got to do is pull them down off my shelf and crack 'em open.
totally agree -- the books will always be there.
ReplyDeleteWhat irritates me is when they do it on the cheap. ike the ending of IT. Or Needful things. Or Langoliers (sp).
Yeah, that's happened to King a lot, hasn't it?
ReplyDeleteIt's encouraging that Universal is planning on spending that much money on "The Dark Tower." Frankly, it's a surprise. King's name has never been gold at the box office, with a few mild exceptions. In Hollywood these days, though, everyone is looking desperately for a franchise they can milk for years and years and years; combine that with the genrally good track record Ron Howard has at the box office, and I guess it adds up.
Still, I'm surprised. I honestly thought I'd never live to see "The Dark Tower" on film. And who knows, maybe it'll even be good!
personally dont like the pick... he doesnt even have blue eyes, and dont come with the computer can change that bcoz i hate when they do that, it looks too fake... unfortunately for me i dont see Roland looking nothing like the guy... but alas is SK's book he shall pick who he thinks is best (I hope =P)
ReplyDeleteThey can't posssibly even think of doing a film of it! If there is a film then, when I am older, I WILL DIRECT IT!
ReplyDelete