Stephen King’s The Dark Tower to Be Adapted into Film Trilogy and TV Series

Stephen King's The Dark Tower is finally hitting the big screen and the small screen.

Universal Pictures and NBC Universal Television will produce both a film trilogy and a TV series based on King's series of books, the companies announced Wednesday.

Ron Howard is attached to direct the first film, as well as the first season of the series, which Akiva Goldsman  (Fringe) will write. The two will also produce along with longtime producing partner, Brian Grazer. All three won Oscars in 2002 for the film A Beautiful Mind.

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The Dark Tower series, which dates back to 1982, is comprised of seven books, short stories and comic books. The fantasy follows a gunslinger's long quest to find The Dark Tower, a building said to be the nexus of all universes. The seven novels have sold more than 30 million copies in 40 countries.

"I've been waiting for the right team to bring the characters and stories in these books to film and TV viewers around the world," King said in a statement.  "Ron, Akiva, Brian along with Universal and NBC have a deep interest and passion for the The Dark Tower series and I know that will translate into an intriguing series of films and TV shows that respect the origins and the characters in The Dark Tower that fans have come to love."

The TV series will debut immediately after the first film to bridge to the second film. The show's second leg will air between the second and third films.

"We are excited to have found partners at Universal who understand and embrace our approach to King's remarkable epic," Howard said in a statement.  "By using both the scope and scale of theatrical filmmaking and the intimacy of television we hope to more comprehensively do justice to the characters, themes and amazing sequences King has given us in The Dark Tower novels.  It might be the challenge of a lifetime but clearly a thrilling one to take on and explore."

Are you excited about The Dark Tower? Who do you think should be cast?