Stephen King Confirms Writing for Flanagan's Dark Tower: 'It's Happening' - IGN Fan Fest 2025

Mike Flanagan, known for his successful adaptations of Stephen King's works like Doctor Sleep and Gerald's Game, has promised that his upcoming adaptation of King's epic fantasy saga, The Dark Tower, will stay true to the novels. This commitment is further solidified by the involvement of Stephen King himself, who has joined Flanagan's team, or "Ka-tet," for this project. In an exclusive interview with IGN during the promotion of The Monkey, King hinted at his active participation, stating, "All I can say is it's happening. I am writing stuff now and I think that's all I want to say because the next thing you know, I'll stir up a bunch of stuff I don't necessarily want to stir up yet. I'm in process right now, and to say too much feels like a jinx."

The Essentials: Stephen King's Dark Tower Multiverse

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The Dark Tower is one of King's most cherished and personal works, with the first novel, The Gunslinger, started in 1970. King's involvement in Flanagan's adaptation remains a subject of speculation. He previously contributed an epilogue to the Paramount+ series The Stand, enhancing the storyline of Frannie Goldsmith. Given the vast and interconnected nature of The Dark Tower, which ties into nearly all of King's fiction, there are numerous possibilities for King to expand his universe.

The new material King is crafting is expected to blend seamlessly into Flanagan's adaptation, as Flanagan has emphasized his intent to remain faithful to King's original text. In a 2022 interview with IGN, Flanagan stated, "it would look like the books" and warned against transforming The Dark Tower into something akin to Star Wars or Lord of the Rings. He elaborated, "It is what it is, what it is is perfect. It's just as exciting as all of those things and just as immersive. It's a story about a tiny group of people, all the odds in the whole world are against them, and they come together. As long as it's that, it'll be fine and there won't be a dry eye in the house."

This approach is particularly reassuring following the 2017 Dark Tower film, which starred Idris Elba and Matthew McConaughey and received criticism for its disjointed take on the novels.

While the release date and format of Flanagan's The Dark Tower adaptation remain uncertain, Flanagan is keeping busy with other King projects. His adaptation of King's short story The Life of Chuck is set to premiere in theaters in May, and he is also developing a Carrie series for Amazon, based on King's 1974 novel.