Mike Flanaganhas been selected to direct the newest version ofStephen King’sThe Dark Tower. Flanagan will be able to bring his impressive horror resume to this Stephen King work that some have seen as not getting an appropriate adaptation so far. The honor to produce the series has been contentious, with Amazon previously having secured the right, only to let a potential series die in the pilot production phase. After the production rights lapsed, Mike Flanagan and producer Trevor Macy swooped in to pick up the pieces and deliver them to awaiting audiences.In an interview with Deadline, Flanagan detailed how he had to leave distributing from Netflix and join Amazon Studios, partly due to hisThe Dark Tower. Let’s examine why Mike Flanagan is the perfect director for this new version of Stephen King’sThe Dark Tower.
He Has Worked on Stephen King Projects Before
Flanagan has worked onStephen Kingstories in the past, giving him a necessary insight into what topics make for a great adaption. He has previously worked onGerald’s Game, andDoctor Sleep, which have been some of the most highly praised King story adaptions to come out in recent memory. This experience comes from a proven track record of predicting the source material, but also not being afraid to make changes to the medium. Many adaptations fall into the trap of trying to translate the project 1:1 and not considering the differences in television shows. Flanagan has demonstrated that he can avoid common adaptation pitfalls to deliver an experience that pleases fans, viewers, and critics alike.
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Mike Flanagan’s Horror Experience
Mike Flanaganbrings with him extensive horror media experienceto the project. Mike Flanagan and Trevor Macy were production partners behind the forming of Intrepid Pictures in 2004. Under that production label, they delivered several hit horror properties likeThe HauntingandMidnight Mass.The filmMidnight Mass,in particular, garnered a broad critical claim anda positive review score on Rotten Tomatoes.He has also worked onThe Haunting of Bly ManorandThe Midnight Club. With Flanagan’s horror experience, he will know how to amplify the right elements and avoid the pitfalls of previous adaptations.
Flanagan Would Keep the Series Grounded
Some people have critiqued some previous Stephen King adaptions by pointing out how they start to lack focus and become too complicated. The film version ofThe Dark Towerturned out to be a disappointment to some fans, which put a sour taste in fans' mouths when it came to future adaptations. Some fans found the film’s vision to be the wrong approach, as it was more of a sequel than an adaptation. Flanagan would be able to overcome this negative perception thanks to his experience with similar series. The film version strayed too far from the source material, insisting on incorporating material from every book in the series instead of keeping what made the story so engaging.
It Is His Dream Project
Flanagan has had his sights on this adaptation for a while now. He has spoken to Stephen King for years about his plans for the adaption, which predates other adaptation attempts. He has a lot of enthusiasm about the project in interviews and has already written a pilot as well as five seasons' worth of material. There are also plans to produce feature films are followups to the main series. Because Flanagan is emotionally invested in the project, he has been thinking about it for a while with a solid outline of what he wants to do. This attitude extends to his feelings about source material as well. Flanagan has stated that he wants to avoid “blasphemy” to fans with his version.
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The Dark Tower Is a Rich World to Draw From
The Dark Towerhas a lot of source materialto work with, so it’s a good thing Flanagan is committed to using it. The lore of the series is similar to something likeThe Lord of the Rings. With so many options to choose how to adapt, there exists a ton of fun elements that would adapt well to a TV series. For fans of Stephen King, it truly feels like the stars are aligning for this adaptation. The gunslinging western horror series has also seen some expansion from its other adaptions like the comic series, graphic novels, and other runs of limited series. Fans are hoping to see lots of mysticism and interdimensional travel. Stephen King’s original series spans eight novels, but stays focused on a clear vision to deliver a story of magic and heartbreak.
