‘The Dark Tower’ Officially Moving Forward With Director Nikolaj Arcel and New Writer

Just last month we learned that Warner Bros. had turned their attention to Danish director Nikolaj Arcel to helm the first in a planned series of movies based on Stephen King’s The Dark Tower. Today brings word from Comic-Con 2015 that Arcel has been confirmed for the project, with Danish filmmaker Anders Thomas Jensen on board to co-write a new version of the screenplay with Arcel.

Deadline reports the latest news from Comic-Con, with Arcel officially on board to direct the first in a planned franchise of Dark Tower films. Arcel previously directed period drama A Royal Affair, starring Mads Mikkelsen, and co-wrote the Swedish film adaptation of The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo. Jensen won an Oscar for his short film Election Night, and wrote the screenplay for recent western The Salvation (also starring Mikkelsen). His latest effort is a screenplay for a film about Robert Kennedy starring Matt Damon.

Arcel and Jensen are exceptionally interesting choices to adapt King’s most sprawling story, which unfolds over the course of seven novels. The duo will rewrite the previously screenplay from Akiva Goldsman and Jeff Pinkner.

The first Dark Tower story is more of a gritty, alienating western, following a mysterious gunslinger named Roland — the last of his kind in a world that continues to “move on.” On his travels through the wasted lands of Mid-World, Roland encounters a young boy named Jake Chambers, and takes him on as a protege. As the story unfolds and we learn more of the gunslinger and his past, the narrative begins to change, combining elements of western and fantasy for a truly singular story.

Further novels incorporate new characters to aid Roland on his journey, and each installment becomes more fantastical, engaging and intense than the last. The Dark Tower has long been in development at Warner Bros., and is the most ambitious of all Stephen King adaptations — one that many fans have long-believed could never legitimately happen.

It remains to be seen if WB will take a similar approach with The Dark Tower as they reportedly have with Josh Boone’s adaptation of The Stand, which will supply multiple films as well as a Showtime miniseries.