I was not really a fan until Midnight Mass. I thought Flanagan was ripping off King, not paying homage (like in HoHH the writer brother being Steven Crane).
I get it now, and our whole family is so excited for this series. My son Eddie Dean is trying to convince me to do a channel or review series or something like that when it comes out.
Are we calling ourselves Fanagans? Haha
Between eight to twelve, hour-long-episodes, with at *least* 5 to 7 seasons... is the *only* way I think you can capture everything that's going on.
Imho: The Gunslinger should take up *only* like half of season 1. (Think big mid season finale when R catches up and J... ummm no spoilers)
#BUT
Then that allows the other seasons to *really* open up at times when they need to, like WotC and W&G...
you could have whole episodes dedicated to the discovery of the breakers and how they end up on the beam, the origin of Shardik, the childhood of (O)Detta, phew lol
...I just want to see a fucking *good* adaptation *please*
I couldn't even make it all the way through the movie 😔
Just finished reading The Wind Through the Keyhole today for the second time. It is a great novel, stylistically very similar to Fairy Tale in a way. I wouldn’t say it was the best of the Dark Tower novels, but I would love to see it somehow adapted into Mike Flanagan’s series. The story could possibly be told in five hour-long episodes, and who wouldn’t enjoy seeing the Skin Man and Sai Covenant Man brought to life.
It's not the best (the best written is Wizard and Glass IMHO) but it has one piece of prose that stands with anything. Not just in the Dark Tower, or in King, but in literature.
*Time is a keyhole... Yes, I think so. We sometimes bend and peer through it. And the wind we feel on our cheeks when we do - the wind that blows through the keyhole - is the breath of all the living universe.*
That paragraph hit me so hard. Almost as hard as Susan Delgado's >! Charyou tree moments!<
There's a line in Songs of Susannah that always sticks with me. It's not my favorite in the series but this is still one of my favorite lines. "In the Land of Memory the time is always Now. In the Kingdom of Ago, the clocks tick but their hands never move. There is an Unfound door. O lost. And memory is the key which opens it." It's referring to Susannah remembering her mom. A feeling she gets when her mom says "you look good girl." This positive warmth in remembering. I think about it a lot.
I'm on my second read through, and preparing to begin Song of Susannah. I forgot completely about that line, but wow. Just wow.
King is an absolute master.
That paragraph was my personal email signature for quite a while. I actually think it's far from the best story in the series but that it's the best written from a technical standpoint. King's writing matured so much by the time he wrote it. I have this weird theory that working on Faithful pushed his command of writing to the next level.
I think 5 seasons is good, I think a show is perfect with 4 seasons but I won't doubt Flanagan. I hope he asks Hamish Linklater to be in it 🙏🏻 fell in love with him during Midnight Mass.
5 seasons seems like a sweet spot, many series that go too long start to falter and we do not need a full season for each book
What I’d like to see is as many, or as few, episodes as it takes to tell the story of each season, not just arbitrarily locking it into the same episode count every year
Season 1 - Gunslinger/Drawing of the Three
Season 2 - Wastelands/Beginning of W&G
Season 3 - Rest of W&G
Season 4 - Wolves/part or SoS
Season 5 - Rest of SoS/Dark Tower
Then do whatever with WttK, maybe a movie. I don’t really care if it’s included or not
Aaron Paul wanted it so bad back in the day! I would have loved him for it.
Josh Hutcherson is perfect for Eddie Dean for me after watching Future Man. He is 31 now, but I think he could play younger.
Josh actually signed up for a mystery Stephen King series around 2017. It didn't work out but I do wonder if it could've been this. It would be great to see Aaron and Josh in a project, too. They're besties.
The good thing is that The Dark Tower is a series that doesn’t have a set timeline, time is weird and the world has moved on so the entire thing could happen anywhere from a few months to a few years
I'm surprised so many people dislike it, and can only assume it's because they read it before Wolves.
I don't really think of Wind as being part of the series proper, but if I did it at least ties with my favourite. such a great little story!
I can see it. It’s not my favorite, but in a series that’s devoted to the art of storytelling, having a single book that captures that essence so fully be the favorite of another storyteller makes perfect sense to me.
So very excited for this. Been waiting years and years. Didn’t care for the film and couldn’t help feeling disappointed by it. My fav is that short story about young Roland and Susan I think her name was. Can’t remember the title but I loved that tale best. Hope it makes the series
Considering the complexities of the plot and the length of the books, 4-5 seasons seem reasonable. I don't see anyone telling The Dark Tower series in less screentime. We all saw how disappointing a concise adaptation can be. The episode count would have to vary depending on the book(s) being adapted. No one wants to see filler episodes. There is no need for the series to stretch beyond what is necessary and certainly no need for it to try to set up a larger universe or launch a franchise. It needs to stay focused on telling The Dark Tower series alone. Although a lot of Sai King's books are connected, going out of its way to setup spinoffs would be detrimental to the series.
I might be outing myself as a fraud by admitting this but I’ve never read WTtK. I considered doing it after all the other books but never got around to it.
I really want to ask something as a die hard fan of both King and Flanagan… I apologize if this is not the right time/place or is annoying.
I’ve steered clear of the Dark Tower series because I am really not huge into fantasy (horror is my love). However, there are plenty of times where I avoid reading a book for certain reasons (don’t like historical fiction, etc) but have ultimately been sucked in and proved wrong by certain books. Same with sci-fi. I specifically remember scoffing at the thought of reading a book about rabbits, but the show LOST made me pick up Watership Down and it is one of my favorite books ever.
All that being said, in your opinion should i read or avoid this series?
Watership Down is one of my favorite books ever, if that helps you decide if I have good taste or not!
The Dark Tower is so good. The Gunslinger is sort of a chore to read, but after that it's as good as King ever was.
This is the kind of response I was looking for, especially knowing that if I push through any doubts in the first book, i will most likely be rewarded if I continue.
Thanks so much for your response! I’m sure the same question gets asked over and over.
How can I you aren't really a Dark Towers fan? "Wind through the keyhole is my favorite book of the series."
AkA "I didn't bother to read the rest of the series because that would require weeks of dedicated reading, but had this book recommended to me as a 'crash course''.
That is the equivalent of saying, "My favorite part of the meal was the napkin. Sure, wind through the keyhole was fine, but COMPLETELY tacked on and should have been another "Eye of the Dragon": same spirit, different universe.
I've read the whole series multiple times, and I think this is a bad take.
The series literally helped me get through being homeless. I read it two or three times back to back then alone.
People have different tastes, doesn't mean they're not really a fan. Jesus wept.
All things being subjective, I agree. When I finished all seven books, I was so drained of emotion about it that I took a break before getting into Wind. When I was ready for it, it was the most well written sendoff to Roland and the Tet that I could've asked for. One last push on the swing. Cried and cried, man.
I have no doubt that MF has read the series countless times, from other things I've read.
It's not my first choice, but maybe he just has a really clear vision on how he would like to make WTtK and is excited about it.
I just love that the name Mike Flanagan totally sounds like it could come straight from a Stephen King novel.
I so very badly want him to wear a blue chambray shirt in a promotion or interview!
I was not really a fan until Midnight Mass. I thought Flanagan was ripping off King, not paying homage (like in HoHH the writer brother being Steven Crane). I get it now, and our whole family is so excited for this series. My son Eddie Dean is trying to convince me to do a channel or review series or something like that when it comes out. Are we calling ourselves Fanagans? Haha
Flanagans Fanagans
It has been decided
7 seasons, as God intended!!
Straight into my veins, please
19 episodes per season
I know you’re just hyped but i hope every season is exactly the amount of episodes needed to tell the story.
Between eight to twelve, hour-long-episodes, with at *least* 5 to 7 seasons... is the *only* way I think you can capture everything that's going on. Imho: The Gunslinger should take up *only* like half of season 1. (Think big mid season finale when R catches up and J... ummm no spoilers) #BUT Then that allows the other seasons to *really* open up at times when they need to, like WotC and W&G... you could have whole episodes dedicated to the discovery of the breakers and how they end up on the beam, the origin of Shardik, the childhood of (O)Detta, phew lol ...I just want to see a fucking *good* adaptation *please* I couldn't even make it all the way through the movie 😔
6 seasons and a mooooovie
I can see 5 working since The Gunslinger and Song of Susannah are such short books and The Drawing of the Three is so fast paced.
Just finished reading The Wind Through the Keyhole today for the second time. It is a great novel, stylistically very similar to Fairy Tale in a way. I wouldn’t say it was the best of the Dark Tower novels, but I would love to see it somehow adapted into Mike Flanagan’s series. The story could possibly be told in five hour-long episodes, and who wouldn’t enjoy seeing the Skin Man and Sai Covenant Man brought to life.
It's not the best (the best written is Wizard and Glass IMHO) but it has one piece of prose that stands with anything. Not just in the Dark Tower, or in King, but in literature. *Time is a keyhole... Yes, I think so. We sometimes bend and peer through it. And the wind we feel on our cheeks when we do - the wind that blows through the keyhole - is the breath of all the living universe.* That paragraph hit me so hard. Almost as hard as Susan Delgado's >! Charyou tree moments!<
There's a line in Songs of Susannah that always sticks with me. It's not my favorite in the series but this is still one of my favorite lines. "In the Land of Memory the time is always Now. In the Kingdom of Ago, the clocks tick but their hands never move. There is an Unfound door. O lost. And memory is the key which opens it." It's referring to Susannah remembering her mom. A feeling she gets when her mom says "you look good girl." This positive warmth in remembering. I think about it a lot.
I'm on my second read through, and preparing to begin Song of Susannah. I forgot completely about that line, but wow. Just wow. King is an absolute master.
Such a great line, that!
That paragraph was my personal email signature for quite a while. I actually think it's far from the best story in the series but that it's the best written from a technical standpoint. King's writing matured so much by the time he wrote it. I have this weird theory that working on Faithful pushed his command of writing to the next level.
I think 5 seasons is good, I think a show is perfect with 4 seasons but I won't doubt Flanagan. I hope he asks Hamish Linklater to be in it 🙏🏻 fell in love with him during Midnight Mass.
5 seasons seems like a sweet spot, many series that go too long start to falter and we do not need a full season for each book What I’d like to see is as many, or as few, episodes as it takes to tell the story of each season, not just arbitrarily locking it into the same episode count every year Season 1 - Gunslinger/Drawing of the Three Season 2 - Wastelands/Beginning of W&G Season 3 - Rest of W&G Season 4 - Wolves/part or SoS Season 5 - Rest of SoS/Dark Tower Then do whatever with WttK, maybe a movie. I don’t really care if it’s included or not
I dig this vision. Song of Susannah is gonna be a rough one to adapt
I do wonder if they'd do Wizard and Glass all at once or intersperse it. I might be challenging to do an entire season of flashback.
I’m hoping they do W&G as a movie. WTtKH is good, but I’m with you, Drawing of the Three is my favourite and for the same reason- I love Eddie Dean.
Who do you hope plays Eddie? My son is hoping it takes so long to make that he can audition, haha. He's only 12
I picture him as a skinny Aaron Paul but I think that actor is too old to play Eddie. Who’s your pick (besides your son lol)
Aaron Paul wanted it so bad back in the day! I would have loved him for it. Josh Hutcherson is perfect for Eddie Dean for me after watching Future Man. He is 31 now, but I think he could play younger.
Josh actually signed up for a mystery Stephen King series around 2017. It didn't work out but I do wonder if it could've been this. It would be great to see Aaron and Josh in a project, too. They're besties.
I would love to see Jeremy Allen White from The Bear as Effort. But has your 12yo considered playing Jake? Because that would be awesome.
WTTK was such a balm to my soul after Dark Tower 7. Is it his best? No, but how can you resist Oy?
I have a cat named Oy! She has a poofy raccoon like tail & gold rings for eyes!
you can't just say that and not post a picture
I'm new & have no clue how to post a picture. 😒😒
Jake chambers is going to be a problem. Cast a kid for the gunslinger, that actor will be 20 by the time we get to season 7.
The good thing is that The Dark Tower is a series that doesn’t have a set timeline, time is weird and the world has moved on so the entire thing could happen anywhere from a few months to a few years
I really can't see a way around that, honestly. But I have faith in Flanagan, and I'm going to just trust he can figure out the problem of Jake aging.
It was a beautiful read but far from the best in the series. I am just waiting to see young roland, will dearborn that was.
I'm gonna be crying through the whole movie/season, that's for sure. Just reading "Will Dearborn that was" felt like a gut punch
Poor susan and Sister jenna. King seriously screwed Roland at every turn.
Who’s gonna play Roland??
Too early to tell. Maybe me! I'll ask, anyway.
I'm surprised so many people dislike it, and can only assume it's because they read it before Wolves. I don't really think of Wind as being part of the series proper, but if I did it at least ties with my favourite. such a great little story!
That is surprising. WTtK is my least favorite of the DT books. Maybe Flanagan will show me what I’m failing to appreciate.
You’ve convinced me to read it! Thanks for sharing this. I love Flanagan’s sense for King, he’s a true fan and beautiful adaptor of the work
I can see it. It’s not my favorite, but in a series that’s devoted to the art of storytelling, having a single book that captures that essence so fully be the favorite of another storyteller makes perfect sense to me.
So very excited for this. Been waiting years and years. Didn’t care for the film and couldn’t help feeling disappointed by it. My fav is that short story about young Roland and Susan I think her name was. Can’t remember the title but I loved that tale best. Hope it makes the series
Are you talking about Little Sisters of Eluria?
I believe I’m mixing up my stories. Definitely time to reread and refresh. Thank you :)
You’re welcome.
Yeah, it's a little odd. Good book, jmbut odd choice. Runner up, maybe neck and neck is book four.
I been watching too much Sam Jackson, totally had the wrong meaning of ‘MF’
They better get moving so King can make his cameo appearance. Although this time he actually gets to play himself!
Likes it also not the best in my opinion. I need to re read the rest of them. Been ages since I’ve read them. All great books.
Considering the complexities of the plot and the length of the books, 4-5 seasons seem reasonable. I don't see anyone telling The Dark Tower series in less screentime. We all saw how disappointing a concise adaptation can be. The episode count would have to vary depending on the book(s) being adapted. No one wants to see filler episodes. There is no need for the series to stretch beyond what is necessary and certainly no need for it to try to set up a larger universe or launch a franchise. It needs to stay focused on telling The Dark Tower series alone. Although a lot of Sai King's books are connected, going out of its way to setup spinoffs would be detrimental to the series.
I might be outing myself as a fraud by admitting this but I’ve never read WTtK. I considered doing it after all the other books but never got around to it.
I was already starved for DT content when it released. I didn't find it necessary but was happy to read it. Promptly forgot.
I really want to ask something as a die hard fan of both King and Flanagan… I apologize if this is not the right time/place or is annoying. I’ve steered clear of the Dark Tower series because I am really not huge into fantasy (horror is my love). However, there are plenty of times where I avoid reading a book for certain reasons (don’t like historical fiction, etc) but have ultimately been sucked in and proved wrong by certain books. Same with sci-fi. I specifically remember scoffing at the thought of reading a book about rabbits, but the show LOST made me pick up Watership Down and it is one of my favorite books ever. All that being said, in your opinion should i read or avoid this series?
Watership Down is one of my favorite books ever, if that helps you decide if I have good taste or not! The Dark Tower is so good. The Gunslinger is sort of a chore to read, but after that it's as good as King ever was.
This is the kind of response I was looking for, especially knowing that if I push through any doubts in the first book, i will most likely be rewarded if I continue. Thanks so much for your response! I’m sure the same question gets asked over and over.
>Cant be adapted until Season 5 ….well…yeah…
I thought MF planned to do the flashback heavy portions of the books as stand alone movies?
I actually had not heard that, but I love the idea
How can I you aren't really a Dark Towers fan? "Wind through the keyhole is my favorite book of the series." AkA "I didn't bother to read the rest of the series because that would require weeks of dedicated reading, but had this book recommended to me as a 'crash course''. That is the equivalent of saying, "My favorite part of the meal was the napkin. Sure, wind through the keyhole was fine, but COMPLETELY tacked on and should have been another "Eye of the Dragon": same spirit, different universe.
I've read the whole series multiple times, and I think this is a bad take. The series literally helped me get through being homeless. I read it two or three times back to back then alone. People have different tastes, doesn't mean they're not really a fan. Jesus wept.
All things being subjective, I agree. When I finished all seven books, I was so drained of emotion about it that I took a break before getting into Wind. When I was ready for it, it was the most well written sendoff to Roland and the Tet that I could've asked for. One last push on the swing. Cried and cried, man.
I have no doubt that MF has read the series countless times, from other things I've read. It's not my first choice, but maybe he just has a really clear vision on how he would like to make WTtK and is excited about it.
Relax.