Corona | Coming Attractions

It's a creative deal like no other: Universal Pictures and NBC Universal Television have agreed to work with director Ron Howard, producer Brian Grazer and screenwriter Akiva Goldsman on a complete telling of Stephen King's seven volume book series The Dark Tower. The plan is for Howard to direct the first movie in the adaptation, which will be followed by a season's worth of television episodes that continue the story. That in turn will be followed by a second movie (again continuing the Dark Tower story) and a second season's worth of TV episodes, except this time the story will move back in time and feature a younger actor playing the main character, gunslinger Roland Deschain. Finally, all will be revealed and wrapped up in a third and final theatrical movie.

"The scope and scale call for a big screen budget. But if you committed only to films, you'd deny the audience the intimacy and nuance of some of these characters and a lot of cool twists and turns that make for jaw-dropping, compelling television," Howard said to Deadline's Mike Fleming, who broke the story. "We've put some real time and deep thought into this, and a lot of conversations and analysis from a business standpoint, to get people to believe in this and take this leap with us. I hope audiences respond to it in a way that compels us to keep going after the first year or two of work. It's fresh territory for me, as a filmmaker."

Howard plans on directing the first movie and the first season's worth of episodes...wait, he wants to direct an entire season of The Dark Tower TV show? That's what Deadline reports, albeit it would be hard to imagine any director committing to that sort of grueling schedule. Goldsman is writing the script for the first movie. "We will certainly be looking to maximize both creative and fiscal opportunities by creating one enterprise that encompasses TV and movies," Goldsman told the online outlet. "Some of the shooting will likely encompass both platforms, and that has never been done before. It's thrilling, we feel like kids in a candy story." [Full story]