'The Dark Tower' TV Series Plot, Cast News: Idris Elba Unsure About His Status, Hopes For a Film Sequel
Is "The Dark Tower" TV series pushing forward and will it keep the original actors from the film version? Star Idris Elba (Roland the Gunslinger) is unsure about his status in the project since the series can go in many ways.
Elba spoke with Screen Crush about the TV iteration of "The Dark Tower." He admitted that he's clueless about any plans for the small screen adaptation and he doesn't know if he'll be asked to play Roland again.
"I must figure this out, I don't know where it lies," Elba said. "I'm unfortunately the last to know at this point."
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In June, reports surfaced that Elba will reprise his role as Roland for the TV series. His name, so far, is the only actor attached to the project.
Writer Stephen King, who wrote the novels sourced in the movie and the upcoming show, said that the television version will be a complete reboot compared to the film. Former "The Walking Dead" executive producer Glen Mazzara will steer the series for a 10 to 13 episode run for its first season but no network is still attached.
Meanwhile, Elba is still hopeful that "The Dark Tower" will get a sequel on the big screen than on the small screen. He told Flickering Myth in October that there might still be plans to do another feature film despite the first movie failing at the box office.
King pinpointed the movie's failure in an interview with Entertainment Weekly. He said the studio preferred to make "The Dark Tower" a PG-13 film, thus the story lost its grit when the original book versions had so much to offer.
"The Dark Tower," which ran in theaters last summer and also starred Matthew McConaughey, started its story in the middle of the book series, which King knew will be a problem for the audience. Hence, the author prefers a TV platform that could explore the story of Roland the Gunslinger and all its characters from the beginning to end, as it is in the novels.
