Dream cast for the Dark Tower

After season three of Lost ended last year, Jeff (Doc) Jensen said I should do my Lost homework over the summer by reading Stephen King’s The Dark Tower series. Boy, was he right!

Doc is an author and has a great dissection of the show, if you’re a Lost fanatic. The show has so many layers, it’s tough to catch them all. And as the hardcore fan knows, the show writers have an appreciation for Stephen King. That connection doesn’t seem to be completely random either.

I started reading the Dark Tower series (seven in all) a few months ago and am up to book 5 now (hey, I’m slow). While the stories are vastly different from Lost, there are structure similarities. Both are very large mysterious sagas. I won’t go into detail with Lost. By now, you know enough of that show. Suffice it to say that there’s even a theory among fans that ties the two stories together.

The Dark Tower tale 1for more info, see King’s website is a study in anachronism. The central character, the last Gunslinger lives in an alternate universe from our own, where the wild west is a period that arose after a modern technological society destroyed itself. He is a lone hero, joined by a cast of characters brought together by incredible chance or destiny, depending on your perspective, from our own universe. There are also many intertwining plot lines, as characters’ histories interweave.

Here’s my dream cast for a television series (hopefully not a movie, as this is too big a story to tell in 2-3 hours!):

The protagonist Roland Deschain: Hugh Jackman Hugh Jackman
His sidekick in The Gunslinger, Jake Chambers: Rory Culkin Rory Culkin
Roland’s trainer Cort: Scott Glenn Scott Glenn
Roland’s nemesis in book 1, The Gunslinger, The Man in Black / Walter : William Hurt William Hurt
New sidekick from book 2, Drawing of the Three, Eddie Dean: Casey Affleck Casey Affleck
Odetta Holmes / Detta Walker: Angela Bassett (Sadly, she’s too old for the part) Angela Bassett
How about Naomie Harris instead, recently seen in Pirates of the Carribean: Dead Man’s Chest? Naomie Harris
Another antagonist from Drawing of the Three, Balazar: Stanley Tucci Stanley Tucci
Yet another antagonist, Jack Mort, from Drawing of the Three: William Mapother William Mapother

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19 responses to “Dream cast for the Dark Tower”

  1. Sarah Avatar
    Sarah

    Whoa, you just blew my mind. Kerblewie!

    Reply
  2. Angelo Avatar
    Angelo

    My pick for Eddie would be James McAvoy (of course with different eye color).

    I was thinking about him since the Drawing of the Three, the James with long hair as we saw him in “The Last King of Scotland” would fit imho.
    Then I saw the trailer of the upcoming “Wanted” with Angelina Jolie and Morgan Freeman… James plays the role of a mr. nobody who finds out to be the son of one of the best enforcer of an assassin brotherhood… then he learns and train to become one of them accepting his fate, especially in using guns and a particular way of shooting. Man, that IS my Eddie… check it out!

    Reply
  3. Rob Avatar
    Rob

    Angelo »

    Hmm, interesting choice. I think he’d be good.

    Reply
  4. Angelo Avatar
    Angelo

    Well if you think about him when he played in Last King of Scotland, he could fit for the Eddie introduced in the second book: a young and smart good looking man.

    1

    Then if we look at him in Wanted, he could be right the Eddie who made up his mind, got adult and with a more fit body, ready to kill.

    1

    Reply
  5. Carol Avatar
    Carol

    Kerry Washington would be my pick for susannah!

    Reply
  6. Ian Avatar
    Ian

    i think Scott Glenn would make a better Roland (Clint Eastwood is too old, unfortunately, Jackman too young).
    Cort: Michael Chiklis
    Eddie: Jake Gyllenhaal
    Odetta/Detta: Jada Pinkett Smith
    Jake: (still looking)Rory Culkin is too old now
    Walter O’Dim: definatly Willem DaFoe
    Gosh, there are sooo many characters to cast, its gonna be one tough job.

    Reply
  7. Dan Avatar
    Dan

    Viggo Mortenson as Roland for sure…I like Casey Affleck as Eddie, I was thinking Jared Leto, but Affleck proved he could act in Gone Baby Gone. For Susannah, I like Jurnee Smollett, last seen in The Great Debaters, and as for Jake…I say find some unknown who can REALLY act, i mean REALLY ACT.

    Reply
  8. Professorchoas Avatar
    Professorchoas

    Some good suggestions. I think Casey affleck could do a good Eddie, but if you read the books Eddie is only supposed to be like 21 when the first book comes out, I think the guy from wanted could work, although in my head I always picture a young Robert Downey Jr. (its the sarcasm that does it).
    And for my money Roland of Gilead IS Henry Fonda from Once Upon a Time in the West. Anyone who has ever seen it and seen those piercing blues eyes look out from under that black flat brimmed hat will know what i’m talking about. If they could find a working actor today who looked like that, I say go for it. Susannah is an odd one to cast, it needs to be someone with a little Pam Greer to get in that 70’s chick with a gun baddass quality but at the same time be a much stronger actress than Greer. Its a tough call to make all around honestly.

    Reply
  9. Professorchoas Avatar
    Professorchoas

    Oh and if you have seen The Prophecy I think Viggo Mortensen could actually make an excellent Flagg. He played the Devil in The Prophecy and was bone chilling

    Reply
  10. airgirl Avatar
    airgirl

    Yes, Yes, James McAvoy as Eddie! In order for Dark Tower not to become too serious, you have to have an actor that can do comedy, also a YOUNG actor. I also like James Marsden – McAvoy is getting very popular. Susanna Dean can be older than Eddie, she should be very strong and able to go between Detta and back. She can’t be a Halle Berry type.
    Clint Eastwood should do a cameo, Cort or Steven Deschaine

    Reply
  11. Drew Hardman Avatar
    Drew Hardman

    Emile Hirsc is Eddie! That’s the only choice in my opinion. He’s plenty young enough, great actor…he’s the guy. Roland is Viggo Mortensen for sure, unless there’s an unheard of guy between 40 – 59 that looks just like Eastwood.

    Reply
  12. Neil Glencannon Avatar
    Neil Glencannon

    Jeremy Irons as Roland…Emile Hirsch as Eddie

    Reply
  13. Kyle Avatar
    Kyle

    I personally think Viggo Mortenson would make a better Roland. Seriously, I mean, try to picture it. I think it would be excellent. 

    Reply
  14. Mike Avatar
    Mike

    I really like Viggo Mortensen’s look for Roland, but he doesn’t seem to have that hardy look that good ol’ Clint has. If I can be shown proof he can pull it off, then sure as shit. 🙂

    As for the rest, I like them. 🙂 Though as for The Wanderer (which I’m shocked you haven’t mentioned), I had good thought towards Willem Dafoe. I think he has a smile that absolutely nails it.

    I reckon this should be a series of seven films (one for each book) But of course they need a director behind the seat that will do the film justice. Unfortunately, there doesn’t appear to be fans of the series in the business at the moment. 🙁

    Reply
    1. Rob Avatar
      Rob

      Mike, good point about The Wanderer. You know, it was never very clear to me that the Wanderer was a distinct character from the Man in Black. I don’t know why I thought that, but the two were fused in my mind the first read through.

      Reply
  15. Sean Avatar
    Sean

    I think everyone agrees clint is the ideal for roland except for the fact he is to old now. I was thinking about it last night and i came up with many of the same people very one else did i was surprised

    Roland-Viggo my first choice Hugh Jackman just does’nt come across as cold enough though i have not seen Origins yet maybe i should hold judgement till i see that
    Eddie- Casey afleck great in gone baby gone and he is quite saracastic in the oceans movies he would have to reach a little but i think he could do it
    Sussanah-Jada Pinkett though she is a little old i think she has the range i thought about Kerry washington but from what i have seen of her work i don’t think she could pull off  Detta
    Jake- any child actor that is not on the disney channel or Nickalodean ( I think Rory Culkin could maybe pull it off)
    Walter- for me their is only one walter Doug Hutchison this guy is perfect for walter
    Cort- I dont know always pictured Butterbean for some reason

    Reply
  16. Dusty Avatar
    Dusty

    Personally I think some liberty can be taken with the age of various characters, so with that in mind…

    I know he is young, but Hugh Jackman was born to play Roland. They can use a bit of make up to add some years. There’s a bit in the third book when Jake sees an Outlaw Josey Wales poster in NY and momentarily thinks it’s Roland, the same eyes(bombadeers eyes). Jackman has Eastwoods eyes! Otherwise I agree that Viggo would be an excellent Roland as well.

    For Eddie, I keep picturing Paul Bettany(the albino from The Da Vinci Code). I think he could really nail it. But he may be too old, hard to say.

    Suzanna/Detta Walker/Odetta Holes… she is a toughie. I haven’t seen her in anything aside from Austin Powers 3, but I’m thinking Beyonce might could pull it off. It’s hard as her character is so young, but she’ll need to be an amazing actress.

    Cort… Scott Glen is a good choice, I have a hard time picturing Cort, the way he’s described, he sounds barely human… having just watched The Wrestler, Mickey Rourke could be an interesting Cort!

    As Flagg/The ageless stranger… I see Johhny Depp. Afterall he should be a seductive figure.

    I’m thinking Liam Neeson as Rolands father!!

    These two are tough as their supposed to be 14, but I can’t see 14 year olds carrying an entire movie of this kind of gravity. And besides time moves differently in Rolands world, so who knows what a 14yr old would look like. 😉

    For Cuthbert, Jimmi Simpson is always who I picture. Look him up on IMDB, he appears in various stuff, I think he’d be perfect.

    For Alaan, Paul Rudd. He definitly comes to mind, though he could easily play Cuthbert as well(since he is known for comedy).

    Young Roland… REALLY hard to say. Perhaps Casey Affleck would be good in this role!

    Susan. I go back and forth between Kiera Knightly and Diane Kruger(who played Helen of Troy, in Troy). Kiera is better looking(by a hair), but I think Kruger is the better actress.

    Reply
  17. Daphne Avatar
    Daphne

    Oh god no. No more Beyonce. I’m so tired of her.

    Reply
  18. brizzle Avatar
    brizzle

    roland-viggo or jackman could work. eddie- i always pictured justin long. – jake- mabey the kid from the road. – odeta- terra from true blood. mia- i always think of the chick that played the girl from cildren under the stairs and as 4 the man in black, cristopher walkin for sure

    Reply

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