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

Mike Flanagan, renowned for his faithful adaptations of Stephen King's works such as Doctor Sleep and Gerald's Game, is set to bring the epic fantasy saga The Dark Tower to life with a promise of staying true to the novels. This commitment to authenticity is further reinforced by the news that Stephen King himself is joining Flanagan's creative team, or Ka-tet, to contribute new material for the project.

In an exclusive interview with IGN during the promotion of The Monkey, King hinted at his involvement, 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." This revelation adds significant weight to Flanagan's promise of fidelity to King's original vision.

The Essentials: Stephen King's Dark Tower Multiverse

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The Dark Tower series, which King began writing in 1970 with The Gunslinger, is one of his most celebrated and personal works. The series' vast mythology intersects with nearly all of King's fiction, offering numerous opportunities for King to expand upon his established universe. His previous contribution to the Paramount+ series The Stand—an epilogue for the character Frannie Goldsmith—demonstrates his willingness to enhance his stories in adaptations.

Flanagan's dedication to preserving the essence of King's work is evident in his statement from a 2022 IGN interview: "it would look like the books" and that "the way not to do The Dark Tower is to try to turn it into something else, to try to make it Star Wars or make it Lord of the Rings." He emphasized the story's core themes, saying, "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 a welcome contrast to the 2017 film adaptation of The Dark Tower, which was criticized for its deviation from the source material. Flanagan's commitment to authenticity, coupled with King's direct involvement, promises a deeply respectful and immersive adaptation.

While the exact timeline and format of Flanagan's The Dark Tower project remain uncertain, fans can look forward to other King adaptations in the meantime. Flanagan's adaptation of the short story The Life of Chuck is scheduled for release in May, and he is also developing a Carrie series for Amazon based on King's 1974 novel.