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

Mike Flanagan, renowned for his adept adaptations of Stephen King's works such as Doctor Sleep and Gerald's Game, has pledged to deliver a faithful rendition of King's expansive fantasy epic, The Dark Tower. This commitment to authenticity is further solidified with the news that Stephen King himself is actively involved in Flanagan's project. In an exclusive reveal to IGN, it was confirmed that King is contributing new material to Flanagan's adaptation, echoing his involvement in the 2020 Paramount+ series, The Stand. King's cautious yet affirmative response during an interview for The Monkey underscores his active participation: "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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Stephen King's The Dark Tower series is a monumental achievement in his oeuvre, beginning with The Gunslinger in 1970. King's involvement in Flanagan's adaptation promises to deepen the rich tapestry of the Dark Tower universe, which intertwines nearly all of his fiction. His previous contribution to the The Stand limited series, where he penned an epilogue to enhance the character arc of Frannie Goldsmith, suggests a similar potential for expanding the mythology of The Dark Tower.

Flanagan's dedication to staying true to King's narrative is evident in his 2022 interview with IGN, where he stated, "it would look like the books" and emphasized that attempting to transform The Dark Tower into something akin to Star Wars or Lord of the Rings would be a misstep. He further 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 stands in stark contrast to the 2017 film adaptation of The Dark Tower, which was criticized for its disjointed narrative drawn from across King's seven novels. While the exact timeline and format of Flanagan's project remain undisclosed, fans can look forward to more Stephen King adaptations from Flanagan, including The Life of Chuck, slated for a May release, and a Carrie series for Amazon based on King's 1974 novel.