Mike Flanagan Says Stephen King’s ‘The Dark Tower’ Series Is “Very Much” Still Happening

Mike Flanagan has become one of the most reliable filmmakers when it comes to bringing Stephen King’s stories to the screen, and his long-awaited The Dark Tower adaptation is apparently still moving forward.

Flanagan first confirmed in 2022 that he had acquired the rights to King’s sprawling fantasy epic. Four years later, however, there still hasn’t been much movement publicly on the project.

That doesn’t mean it’s dead.

Speaking with Entertainment Weekly, Flanagan confirmed that The Dark Tower remains “very much on the table,” while acknowledging that turning King’s massive saga into a television series is an enormous undertaking.

“To do it the way I wanna do it requires an enormous commitment from a studio,” Flanagan explained.

That’s easier said than done.

King’s Dark Tower saga spans multiple novels and combines fantasy, horror, supernatural elements, and Western influences. The story also connects with other parts of King’s literary universe, creating additional complications when it comes to securing the rights to various characters and stories.

Flanagan explained that the interconnected nature of the Dark Tower universe has made the development process particularly difficult.

“The way the Dark Tower universe is connected, you’ve got characters in there that are all over the place when it comes to studio ownership,” the filmmaker said.

Despite the slow progress, Flanagan insists the project has never been abandoned.

“It’s never stopped moving,” he said. “It just moves at its own oil-tanker pace.”

Flanagan’s commitment to King is already well established. His previous adaptations include Gerald’s Game, Doctor Sleep, and The Life of Chuck, while his upcoming Carrie series is set to premiere on Prime Video.

If The Dark Tower eventually becomes a reality, Flanagan will have the opportunity to tackle what many consider to be King’s defining literary work.

The project has already had a difficult history on screen. Nikolaj Arcel directed the 2017 The Dark Tower movie starring Idris Elba and Matthew McConaughey, which attempted to condense King’s sprawling mythology into a 95-minute feature. The film was poorly received by both critics and audiences.

Amazon later acquired the television rights and even filmed a pilot based on the books, but the project was ultimately abandoned.

For now, Flanagan’s version remains alive—and considering the filmmaker’s track record with King’s work, fans may be willing to wait if it means finally getting the Dark Tower adaptation the material deserves.

Would you like to see Mike Flanagan bring The Dark Tower to television?