Ron Howard and Brian Grazer are at Cannes unveiling several projects in the pipeline, but the only one we care about is The Dark Tower, AKA Shut Up And Take My Money. The project has been beset with problems. The eight books were adapted as three feature films with two seasons of a TV show to bridge the films, with Javier Bardem signed to play gunslinger Roland Deschain. Bardem’s contract ran out and Russell Crowe signed on in his stead. Then both Warner and Universal passed on the ambitious series. Last we heard, Media Rights Capital were considering using their windfall from unexpected blockbuster Ted to take over the project, and the Vice President of Content at Netflix expressed interest in the TV show. But has anything come from these talks?
Media Rights Capital is committed to make a single movie with Russell Crowe as the gunslinger Roland Deschain, with more movies coming if the first gets results. This isn’t set in stone, as Grazer tells me that he has just been approached by a Silicon Valley investor willing to finance Dark Tower as originally constructed. Now it’s a matter of deciding what path to take. [Deadline]
So they have financing set for at least one movie, possibly more. On the other hand, Russell Crowe as the gunslinger? Not feeling it. But we better be careful what we say, or Russell Crowe will explain his passions to us.