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

Mike Flanagan, known for his exceptional adaptations of Stephen King's works such as *Doctor Sleep* and *Gerald's Game*, has set high expectations for his upcoming project: an adaptation of King's epic fantasy saga, *The Dark Tower*. Flanagan has promised a faithful rendition of the sprawling narrative, ensuring that fans of the novels can anticipate an authentic experience. Adding to the excitement, IGN has exclusively revealed that Flanagan has enlisted none other than Stephen King himself into his creative team, referred to in the King universe as his "Ka-tet."

During a roundtable interview promoting *The Monkey*, IGN posed the question to King about contributing new material to Flanagan's *The Dark Tower* project, similar to his involvement with the 2020 Paramount+ limited series *The Stand*. King intriguingly responded, "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 tantalizing hint suggests that King is actively crafting new content for Flanagan's adaptation, which bodes well for fans eager for more of the *Dark Tower* universe.

The Essentials: Stephen King's Dark Tower Multiverse

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*The Dark Tower* stands as one of King's most beloved and personal creations, with the first novel, *The Gunslinger*, beginning its journey in 1970. The extent of King's involvement in Flanagan's adaptation remains a subject of speculation. Previously, King contributed an epilogue to the Paramount+ series *The Stand*, enhancing the closure for the character Frannie Goldsmith. Given the expansive nature of *The Dark Tower*, which intertwines with nearly all of King's fiction, the potential for new material is vast and exciting.

Flanagan's commitment to staying true to King's vision is clear. In a 2022 interview with IGN, he emphasized that his adaptation would "look like the books" and warned against transforming *The Dark Tower* into something it's not, such as *Star Wars* or *Lord of the Rings*. He stated, "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 promise is especially reassuring following the disappointing 2017 film adaptation of *The Dark Tower*, which starred Idris Elba and Matthew McConaughey and haphazardly rearranged elements from King's seven novels.

While the release date and format of Flanagan's *The Dark Tower* adaptation remain uncertain, fans can look forward to more Stephen King content in the meantime. Flanagan is also working on an adaptation of King's short story *The Life of Chuck*, set to premiere in theaters in May, and a *Carrie* series for Amazon, based on King's 1974 novel.