Mike Flanagan Gives Honest Answer on Why He’s Remaking The Dark Tower

by

Mike Flanagan is known for turning books into successful TV shows and movies. He’s a longtime fan of the horror and science fiction genre and is currently working on two more adaptations, one of which is based on The Dark Tower.

The director explained to Empire Magazine why he wants to revisit The Dark Tower after the 2017 movie received negative reviews. The original film, which starred Matthew McConaughey and Idris Elba, was criticized for not accurately adapting the novel, and Flanagan intends to address those issues.

The director described the new installment as a massive undertaking, and provided an update on the series, which is based on Stephen King’s books published between 1982 and 2012. He and producer Trevor Macy at Intrepid Pictures have completed many scripts and are making it their top priority.

Regarding the 2017 movie, Flanagan expressed his desire to revisit the story, stating, “We need to continue it; it can’t end there.”

The film took years to develop. Many different filmmakers and studios, like Universal, Paramount, Warner Bros., and Lionsgate, tried to bring the book series to the screen. Ultimately, Sony Pictures distributed the movie, with Columbia Pictures handling production. Directors J.J. Abrams and Ron Howard were both considered for the job at various points.

I recently saw Nikolaj Arcel’s adaptation, and he did a great job bringing the story to life – especially considering the script was a collaborative effort with Akiva Goldsman, Jeff Pinkner, and Anders Thomas Jensen. Idris Elba and Matthew McConaughey are fantastic as Roland Deschain and Walter Padick, and newcomer Tom Taylor really shines as Jake Chambers. The supporting cast, featuring Claudia Kim, Fran Kranz, Abbey Lee, and Katheryn Winnick, all deliver solid performances too.

The movie The Dark Tower was a major letdown, receiving poor reviews because it tried to cram too many storylines into one film. Critics gave it a very low 16% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, while audiences scored it slightly higher at 44%. Financially, the film didn’t perform well, earning just over $113 million worldwide despite costing $66 million to make.

A TV series based on The Dark Tower has been in development for a while. In 2022, Mike Flanagan announced he had finished the first episode and hoped the show, coming to Prime Video, would last five seasons, concluding with two separate films.

He shared his thoughts on the show, noting that while progress has been gradual, he’s been very impressed with the writing quality. He explained he’s reviewed the scripts and initial ideas, and praised the strong foundation and well-paced story development, saying it “starts where he should start, and the beats are perfect.”

Mike Flanagan Is Also Adapting Carrie Again

The director began adapting Stephen King’s work in 2017 with Gerald’s Game, then released Doctor Sleep in 2019 and plans to release The Life of Chuck in 2025. While he’s interested in adapting more of King’s stories, he knows he can’t do them all. In addition to his long-planned The Dark Tower project, he’s also developing Carrie as a limited television series.

Matthew Lillard, previously working with Mike Flanagan on The Life of Chuck, described his experience on Carrie as six months of excellent collaboration with a talented director. He praised Flanagan for providing clear guidance, prioritizing the actors’ needs, and being a skilled storyteller. Lillard portrayed the character of Principal Grayle in the production.

Summer H. Howell will star as Carrie White, and Samantha Sloyan will play her strict mother. The show will also feature several actors who have worked with the director before, including Kate Siegel, Michael Trucco, Rahul Kohli, Heather Graham, and Amber Midthunder.

Carrie is expected to premiere in 2026 on Prime Video. The Dark Tower doesn’t have a release date.

Read More

2026-01-04 21:36