Stephen King Fans Get Hopeful Update for ‘The Dark Tower’

Stephen King’s The Dark Tower deserves another chance after Hollywood’s last attempt failed to win over fans or critics. The eight-book saga mixes dark fantasy, horror, and Western adventure. It also connects to major King stories including IT, Salem’s Lot, The Shining, and The Cell. That scope makes it hard to adapt, but it also gives the story a built-in audience that studios should not ignore. The 2017 film starring Idris Elba and Matthew McConaughey did not land. It earned a 16% score on Rotten Tomatoes, despite drawing from one of King’s best-known worlds. A later Amazon effort also failed to move forward in 2020. Now director Mike Flanagan holds the rights, and that gives fans reason to hope the property will finally be handled with care. Flanagan has already brought several King stories to the screen with Gerald’s Game, Doctor Sleep, and The Life of Chuck. He understands that King’s stories need strong characters, not just familiar names and empty spectacle. Flanagan recently addressed the project on on social media after users asked for an update. “It’s the biggest thing I’ve ever worked on but we’re making progress,” he wrote. That makes sense. The Dark Tower follows Rolan...