Mike Flanagan: Dark Tower Series Will Adapt King's Books in Order
The writer-director says his adaptation starts with The Gunslinger and will not jump into the middle of Stephen King's story.
Mike Flanagan said his television adaptation of The Dark Tower will follow Stephen King's novels in order, beginning with the first book, The Gunslinger. The writer-director, whose Intrepid Pictures is producing the project, said the series will not start in the middle of the story or at a different point in the saga.
Flanagan said the novels' structure makes them easier to adapt than he expected, because the books introduce the universe one element at a time. The series follows Roland the Gunslinger through King's multi-book world.
He also named Warhammer, not The Dark Tower, as the most challenging work he has adapted. Flanagan's earlier series include The Haunting of Hill House and Midnight Mass.
Long development path
In December 2022, Flanagan announced he had acquired the rights to develop a TV series based on The Dark Tower books. He has said he hopes the show will run five seasons covering the first five books and conclude with two movies adapting the last two novels.
In a recent ScreenRant interview, Flanagan said the project is slowed by messy legal issues because The Dark Tower references other Stephen King novels. A 2017 film adaptation of The Dark Tower starred Idris Elba and Matthew McConaughey. Flanagan is also making a Carrie adaptation for Prime Video.
Quick answers
Where will Mike Flanagan's Dark Tower series start?
With the first book, The Gunslinger, and it will adapt Stephen King's novels in order.
How many seasons does Flanagan want for The Dark Tower?
He has said he hopes for five seasons covering the first five books, followed by two movies adapting the last two novels.