Elba's Casting CONFIRMED?!!

[Ebdim9th]

What's worse to an Odetta than white privilege? Uncle Toms come in a distant second.... (Also Uncle Tom was the hero of Harriett Beecher Stowe's novel.. I think it's time to retire that term, now that I'm reminded of the truth that that character had to tell.)

 

[not_nadine]

Strangely, we do not. With shooting scheduled to start in a VERY SHORT time, If it rather odd that we don't know who else is signed. I would think having Detta, Eddie, and Jake are important enough to have them lined up already.

This is all IMDb says. I have not a clue who Abbey Lee is.

The Dark Tower (2017) - IMDb

 

[Dana Jean]

AGREE!

Spoiler: People have it wrong

Uncle Tom stood up at the end. He died standing up for his beliefs.

What's worse to an Odetta than white privilege? Uncle Toms come in a distant second.... (Also Uncle Tom was the hero of Harriett Beecher Stowe's novel.. I think it's time to retire that term, now that I'm reminded of the truth that that character had to tell.)

 

[Robert Gray]

I suppose a worst case scenario, too horrific really contemplate really, would be they change Odetta/Detta to a Caucasian woman with split personalities and one is a serious bigot. This would be well beyond the pale, but I suppose I shouldn't jinx things by even contemplating such stupidity.

 

[AnnaMarie]

I suppose a worst case scenario, too horrific really contemplate really, would be they change Odetta/Detta to a Caucasian woman with split personalities and one is a serious bigot. This would be well beyond the pale, but I suppose I shouldn't jinx things by even contemplating such stupidity.

By this late in the series she no longer hates Roland. Also, there's no longer an Odetta/Detta. They've just written all that out.

 

[Robert Gray]

By this late in the series she no longer hates Roland. Also, there's no longer an Odetta/Detta. They've just written all that out.

Probably, although the bit in the recent article about the Director being aware of the fact fans are upset about the loss of the dynamic tension between the characters based on race indicates they plan on "something" to address that. What addressing that would mean baffles me since to replace what they took out can only really be done by putting something else back in (and even that would still be vastly different). It is all nonsensical to me. The largest issue for someone adapting King's work is that they are driven by the characters. That is our chief investment in the books. If we are vested in the characters, we invest in the story. While I am a big fan of in media res, we already had that with the first book.

Spoiler

The man in black fled across the desert and the gunslinger followed. The entire first novel invests us in Roland. We understand that he is on the verge of becoming a monster. We learn where he came from. We gain insight into his personality. By the end of the book, we don't really like him. We are enthralled by the gunslinger, but none of us can really forgive the betrayal of Jake because it is a conscious choice. What is more, the gunslinger can't forgive himself either. We start the next book with his gladness at dreaming of dying as Jake and the terrible penance that begins with his maiming, sickness, and suffering along the beach.

Can we learn all this through flashbacks in a single movie? No. Hard as the character of Roland is to like in the first book, we still invest in him. I would argue whether this process was King's intention or lightning in a bottle, it is necessary for the story. Without all the pain and experience, Roland will be just another tough, stoic guy in classic Western terms. We will merely have to accept that he is lightning fast and hard as nails. That thought isn't satisfying.

 

[Saigrim]

And a whole eight months of filming, effects, and editing? Wow! They are really pulling out all the stops for this.

Sorry if my sarcasm broke through...

 

[Robert Gray]

And a whole eight months of filming, effects, and editing? Wow! They are really pulling out all the stops for this.

Sorry if my sarcasm broke through...

Yeah, I noticed that too. They haven't even started shooting yet, nor have they even finished casting. Their script has to be a treatment of a previous script. That isn't a lot of time to shoot, edit, effects (what there might be of them) and bringing it to market. It doesn't inspire confidence at all. *To me this smacks of a rush to use before you lose rights.

 

[Senor_Biggles]

Yeah, I noticed that too. They haven't even started shooting yet, nor have they even finished casting. Their script has to be a treatment of a previous script. That isn't a lot of time to shoot, edit, effects (what there might be of them) and bringing it to market. It doesn't inspire confidence at all. *To me this smacks of a rush to use before you lose rights.

I thought of the losing rights angle as well, but that’s hard to reconcile with SK being on board as producer and talking up the project. After all the film rights were his to sell in the first place so presumably will revert to him should they miss the release deadline? It doesn’t seem likely that SK would countenance a rush job of his magnificent octopus when all he had to do was agree to sign a new agreement giving the filmmakers (of which he is one, I guess) an extension. It does seem like a very, very tight deadline for a movie of this type, but I would be surprised if they couldn’t actually shift that release date if they needed to. Movies shift release dates all the time.

 

[MandarkC]

Beg to differ. The Dark Tower is the SK bible, and you don't change the bible. I expect Dark Tower 1 to be filmed complete. The other titles could be filmed with more leeway. Please, Hollywood, don't screw this up.

I'm pretty sure I read an article a few months back about how all the books were going to be squashed into one long film...

 

[MandarkC]

The last news I saw about whether this movie was a one-off, etc. was a while ago. At the time, Sony and MRC were planning a series of movies with interstitial TV series. Whether that's still the plan, I've no idea.

As to the casting and changes... I posted this in another thread, but figured I'd put it here as well.

If Roland's journey were verbatim (or as close as possible via film) from the books, wouldn't that be like cursing Roland to permanently repeat what we've already read... for all eternity?

I like this idea. It would be a great idea if, after having changed Roland's race, they then treat it from the end of the DT series, where Roland picked up the horn...so it's a parallel, but they can also then have the freedom to modify it slightly. I've always itched to find out what happens the second time around that he has to go through it all again.

But then again, that might be too hopeful and idealistic an idea hahah. Especially if they're only doing one movie with potential sequels. It's why I'm not so upset about changing Roland's race, because if it is just one long movie with a possibility of a sequel, no way are they going to be able to fit everything I love about the DT series into it. Just wouldn't be able to do it enough justice.

 

[Robert Gray]

I slept on my comments yesterday in regards to the rather short period of time to go from zero to hero. It struck me that they must be staying rather close to the last script treatment, any special effects and concept ideas that were already in the pipe. Realistically, the only way to do this in so short a time and turn anything remotely decent out would require them to be using a lot of stuff that was already complete. I suppose that points toward a lot of the stuff Ron Howard and others already pitched and worked on being in the mix. Given they are still listed as Producers, that would make a certain sense. This means would could go back to earlier spoilers and information leaked from previous runs at making the film to get more clues. The only other option is to accept that they are going to make this film at a whirlwind pace with no margin for error.

*So if they are basically pulling off this high speed run based on a lot of what was already done it means the following stuff has to be considered back in play:

Spoiler

Concept art, CGI footage from Ron Howard's aborted Dark Tower film | Blastr

You will notice the following horrible changes:

1. It isn't just Roland in Tull. The whole gang is there with him which fundamentally changes things in ways I can't even begin to rant about.

2. All of them have legs in the concept art.

3. Someone has a 70s (not 60s) style hairdo.

4. Tull (going backwards here) isn't an old West town anymore but a a modern city after the end of the world.

*I'm going to let you do the rest of the analysis yourself. It suffices to say that if this stuff is back in play, the changes to the story make the casting choice of Roland totally academic because we aren't even in the same galaxy of story anymore.

 

[skimom2]

What's worse to an Odetta than white privilege? Uncle Toms come in a distant second.... (Also Uncle Tom was the hero of Harriett Beecher Stowe's novel.. I think it's time to retire that term, now that I'm reminded of the truth that that character had to tell.)

I have read the book--I get that. Regardless of how you perceive it, it was (and is) a strong epithet, and often in use in the turbulent 60s racial torment. As such, it would make sense for Detta's character, and as it's still in use would be understandable to modern audiences. This movie will not belong to CRs; in fact, many of us are too old to be part of the target demographic for fantasy films. Without appealing to a younger audience that isn't heavily invested in Mr. King's particular meta-world this movie will crash and burn, and the producers/writer/director know that. As such, I suspect the tie-ins to Mr. King's other novels will be largely jettisoned, as well, and those comprise a significant part of the DT series.

1. 
   
   en.wikipedia.org​
   The phrase "Uncle Tom" has also become an epithet for a person who is slavish and excessively subservient to perceived authority figures, particularly a black person who behaves in a subservient manner to white people; or any person perceived to be complicit in the oppression of their own group.
   

 

[GNTLGNT]

....to steal a quote from our fearless leader(ummm, King)....."Jesus Christ bananas!"...I can't believe we are still beating this equine beyond recognition.....as my beloved as repeatedly reminded me....all the bitc*ing in the world ain't gonna change it now.....

 

[prufrock21]

I'm pretty sure I read an article a few months back about how all the books were going to be squashed into one long film...

This will be a travesty, I'm sure.

 

[Robert Gray]

....to steal a quote from our fearless leader(ummm, King)....."Jesus Christ bananas!"...I can't believe we are still beating this equine beyond recognition.....as my beloved as repeatedly reminded me....all the bitc*ing in the world ain't gonna change it now.....

You have met the internet haven't you? All jokes aside, this is our wailing wall. Of course people are going to be irritated and comment on it. I'm not happy about it at all. I understand the die is cast and nothing we say will alter things, but sometimes people just have to vent. I don't begrudge them that. I'm pragmatic about it.

 

[GNTLGNT]

You have met the internet haven't you? All jokes aside, this is our wailing wall. Of course people are going to be irritated and comment on it. I'm not happy about it at all. I understand the die is cast and nothing we say will alter things, but sometimes people just have to vent. I don't begrudge them that. I'm pragmatic about it.

...I know and appreciate that....I'm just exercising my curmudgeonly rights.........and after you finish reading this, get offa my lawn!.....

 

[Saigrim]

You have met the internet haven't you? All jokes aside, this is our wailing wall. Of course people are going to be irritated and comment on it. I'm not happy about it at all. I understand the die is cast and nothing we say will alter things, but sometimes people just have to vent. I don't begrudge them that. I'm pragmatic about it.

A man who understands the big cry babies like me need a grownup, any grownup, to pay attention while they're throwing a fit!

 

[Senor_Biggles]

Aaron Paul for Eddie Dean?

The Dark Tower Movie: Aaron Paul Cast as Eddie Dean? | Den of Geek

 

[swiftdog2.0]

SwiftDog is beyond bummed about the awful casting

I can only pray for a quick theatrical death and reboot in a few years.........