King Confirms Dark Tower News

Stephen King, the prolific best-selling horror author, confirmed to New York Comic Con fans that Lost co-creators J.J. Abrams and Damon Lindelof will adapt his epic multi-volume book series The Dark Tower for the screen. "I said no to everybody until recently, because I didn't think much of the chances of it being a good movie," King said in a panel discussion launching Marvel Comics' new Dark Tower comic books at the New York City Comic Con on Feb. 24. "I mean, this is my life's work, since the time I was 22 years old. It's very important to me. Usually, with the other [books], I don't give much of a s--t. My attitude is, 'Go make a movie, and if it's good, that's terrific, and if it's bad, then it will go to the video stores and back shelves of Blockbuster, and I still get royalties on the book.'"

King also revealed that he even turned down an offer from his longtime collaborator, writer/director Frank Darabont, who previously adapted The Shawshank Redemption and The Green Mile and is at work on other King adaptations. "Frank did come to me, and I know Frank from before either one of us had a pot to piss in," King said. "Frank said, 'Gee, I'd like to do Dark Tower.' I said, 'Frank, give me a break! You've got The Mist, The Monkey. You've got the prison stories. ... Stop putting so much on your plate!'"

King, who is an avowed fan of Lost, only agreed to relinquish the film rights to The Dark Tower when Abrams (Mission: Impossible III) and Lindelof approached him. "I know J.J. Abrams' work and Damon Lindelof, who is his collaborator on Lost," King said. "Damon is just a total comic-book freak, and he loves the Dark Tower books. I trust those guys, and they have a lot on the ball. When they said they wanted to talk about doing this, I said, 'You know what? Why don't you buy the option on this and see what you can come up with.' They asked, 'How much do you want for an option?' I said, '$19.' [It's a key amount that comes up frequently in the books]. And that's what they paid me, and that's where it is." Marvel and King's Dark Tower: The Gunslinger Born number one is available in stores now.

Source: SCIFI