In the wake of filmmakers Mike Flanagan and Trevor Macy’s move from Netflix to Amazon, the Intrepid Pictures duo – who crafted the horror hits “The Haunting of Hill House,” “The Haunting of Bly Manor” and “Midnight Mass” at Netflix – are working on a “Dark Tower” TV series adaptation, having secured the rights.
The Stephen King book series has long been a passion project for Flanagan, who adapted King’s “The Shining” sequel into the film “Doctor Sleep” for Warner Bros.
Flanagan and Macy revealed in an interview with Deadline that a pilot script for “The Dark Tower” TV series is written, and they envision it as a TV series with at least five seasons followed by two feature films. They acquired the rights prior to striking their deal with Amazon, and separate from their deal at Netflix, but Flanagan notes that doesn’t mean Amazon “can’t or won’t get behind it at some point.” Right now, the duo is on the lookout for the right partner.
Flanagan previously also adapted King’s “Gerald’s Game” into a film for Netflix, so he had an existing relationship with the author and said he was able to secure the rights by reaching out and pitching King his outline.
“The Dark Tower” comprises eight novels and tells an epic story of a gunslinger and his quest towards “the tower.” Many filmmakers have tried to tackle King’s sprawling tome, but none have succeeded. Ron Howard and Brian Grazer’s Imagine Entertainment had planned a multi-film/TV series hybrid adaptation, which was eventually scaled back and resulted in just one poorly received movie starring Idris Elba and Matthew McConaughey. J.J. Abrams and Damon Lindelof also previously attempted to develop an adaptation, to no avail.
Flanagan is coming off the release of his YA-tinged horror adaptation “The Midnight Club,” based on the Christopher Pike novels, at Netflix. Despite positive reviews, the series was canceled, but he and Macy have one Netflix series left in the can: an epic (and blood-soaked) adaptation of Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Fall of the House of Usher.”
