After several attempts over the course of several years, Stephen King’s novel The Dark Tower is finally heading into pre-production as a film. Idris Elba has been confirmed as the gunslinger and Matthew McConaughey has been cast as the man in black.
“The thing is, it’s been a looong trip from the books to the film,” King says, putting it right in context: “When you think about it, I started these stories as a senior in college, sitting in a little sh-tty cabin beside the river in Maine, and finally this thing is actually in pre-production now.” He laughs. “I’m delighted, and I’m a little bit surprised.”
King says the movie will open with the iconic first line from the book. “It should start that way,” he says. “I’ve been pretty insistent about that.” He even tweeted it out today: