Brian Grazer Says THE DARK TOWER Budget Trimmed

Producer Brian Grazer, screenwriter Akiva Goldsman and director Ron Howard are still talking up the possibility of The Dark Tower actually being made despite Universal cancelling the project this year and do you know what it reminds me of more than anything? The same kind of chatter that Peter Jackson was making in 2006 just after he lost financing on an epic Halo project and it sounded like he was trying to convince himself it was going to be made at another studio rather than convincing us. But anyway, Grazer spoke to The Playlist at press rounds for Tower Heist yesterday and is claiming that they have worked out a way to trim the budget that might just see their adaptation of Stephen King's magnus opus happen;

€œWe found a way to cut out $45 million out of the budget without changing the scope and actually giving it a good ending, In the $140 million draft, the ending wasn€™t quite as satisfying. Now, we€™ve got $45 million, $50 million out of the way and a really satisfying ending. It€™s gonna get made.€

Presumably Grazer is referring to the budget for the first film, the adaptation of The Gunslinger, which will now carry something like a $90 million budget, which seems much more realistic for a property that whilst has a very loyal and considerable following, it's not Tolkien or Rowling big. The original idea for The Dark Tower and what eventually was deemed way too ambitious was for three epic feature films and at least one, but probably two, t.v. series€™ in between birthed from the sci-fi, western, fantasy saga that would be a Universal and NBC collaboration. I imagine Howard, Goldsman & Grazer are now selling the idea that if they can secure the money for one movie then they will play a wait and see approach on the rest of the novels. They always were ambitious trying to get a studio to give them Harry Potter-style guarantees to get all the books adapted before they had proved their was an audience for this with the first movie. Of course The Dark Tower is still a package that surely must be appealing to a studio somewhere, especially with Javier Bardem staying loyal and keeping his name attached. We've already suggested to Warner Bros that The Dark Tower could plug that Harry Potter gap, especially if they were smart and connected it with The Stand adaptation that they are working on right now hoping Ben Affleck will direct. Characters such as Randall Flagg appear in both novels and there's over cross-overs and they could easily build a fantasy style The Avengers universe here. Meanwhile Ron Howard is directing the Niki Lauda F1 movie Rush next with Chris Hemsworth, Daniel Bruhl and Olivia Wilde. Previously; Stephen King €˜Trusts€™ Ron Howard Will Make THE DARK TOWERUniversal Kills THE DARK TOWER But Why It Could Be Next Harry Potter At Warner BrosJavier Bardem In Final Talks For THE DARK TOWER€ And THE DARK TOWER awaits Ron Howard for T.V. and Film!!!