In April, the envisioned mammoth adaptation of Stephen Kings beloved fantasy/horror series The Dark Tower came back to life with Sony, MRC and Imagine Entertainment behind a take that would see both films and a complementary television series. Deadline is now reporting the choice to direct The Dark Tower is Danish filmmaker Nikolaj Arcel, who previously went grand in the acclaimed Mads Mikkelsen period piece, A Royal Affair.
Reportedly a fan of Kings series, Arcel is also the co-writer behind the Swedish Girl With the Dragon Tattoo films, which starred Noomi Rapace. The Dark Towerthe saga of gunslinger Roland Deschain on an epic quest to reach the titular construct in Mid-World was first set up at Universal and then Warner Bros. with Ron Howard set to direct the first film in an ongoing franchise that would see three films and a television companion. Akiva Goldsman & Jeff Pinkner have co-written the latest draft, but Arjel will rewrite should be sign on.
This is a long awaited adaptation for Dark Tower devotees, and perhaps a consolation for King fans in the wake of Cary Fukunaga exiting the once-promising new adaptation of It.
