It looks like Nikolaj Arcel is going to be the man to bring The Dark Tower to the big screen. Based on the novels by Stephen King, which are a mix of horror and fantasy, the film is intended to launch a franchise. The first film would borrow heavily from the first book in the series, The Gunslinger. 

Arcel apparently impressed Sony when he interviewed for the job because he’s a legitimate fan of the property, who’s name also happens to be on the rise. He directed the Academy Award nominated Best Foreign Film The Royal Affair, is directing an adaptation of the novel The Power of The Dog, and is also DreamWork’s choice to adapt the novel Rebecca, by Daphne Du Maurier. This, after he co-scripted the successful Swedish adaptation of The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo. 

He’s seen as a serious filmmaker, and will likely be granted the ability to rewrite the current script for The Dark Tower as he prepares to take the reins. Arcel informed them that he self-taught himself how to speak and write in english years ago in Denmark specifically so that he could read King’s Dark Tower books in the writer’s native language. So he’s definitely bringing a ton of energy with him to the project.

With a combination of magic, horror, and fantasy, there are hopes that The Dark Tower can become a major tentpole franchise for Sony. One thing that can help make the thing a hit? Casting the right actor as series protagonist Roland Deschain. Names that have circled the role before include Russell Crowe and Javier Bardem. For me, I always revert to the idea of, “When in doubt, call Karl Urban.”

You excited to see The Dark Tower finally make the leap to the big screen?