Entertainment · TV & Streaming · 4 hrs ago
Mike Flanagan plans to adapt The Dark Tower books in order
Mike Flanagan plans to adapt Stephen King’s The Dark Tower for TV, following the books in the order King wrote them.
The fantasy saga has eight main books, and its story builds a large world gradually.
Flanagan says starting with the first book, The Gunslinger, lets viewers meet the central characters before the world expands.
The earlier film compressed the story into a 95-minute PG-13 movie, leaving out character development and much of the series’ mythology.
Flanagan says his approach will stay remarkably faithful, with some changes to fit television.
The TV series has not been greenlit, and there are no plans to put it on Prime Video.
Flanagan says work on it continues, but getting the project off the ground is logistically difficult.
Mike Flanagan says his planned TV adaptation of Stephen King’s The Dark Tower will follow the books in order.
He says the approach is remarkably faithful, with changes only to fit the format.
The series has not been greenlit, and there are no plans to place it at Prime Video.
Flanagan says he and his team work on the project constantly and that the scripts are going well.
- Who
- Mike Flanagan, adapting Stephen King’s The Dark Tower.
- What
- Flanagan says the TV series will adapt the books in order, with some changes to fit the format.
- When
- He discussed the project in interviews published on October 16, 2026.
- Where
- The adaptation is intended for television. A platform has not been confirmed.
- Why
- Flanagan says King’s books build the world gradually, making that structure the basis for his adaptation.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Flanagan became attached to adapting The Dark Tower.
Flanagan signed an exclusive multi-year deal with Amazon MGM Studios.
Flanagan discussed his approach to The Dark Tower in interviews promoting his Carrie adaptation.
- Source author
- Stephen King
- Adaptation lead
- Mike Flanagan
- Book order
- In the order King wrote the books
- Project status
- Not officially greenlit
- Amazon MGM deal
- Exclusive multi-year deal signed in March
2 sources
What people are saying
So my adaptation was that: It was just doing the books and doing them in order.
Dark Tower is incredibly daunting. That one I feel I’ve figured out.
And so 70% of my job is done for me by Steve.