Roland Deschain (Idris Elba) and Jake Chambers (Tom Taylor) walking down the street in The Dark TowerCredit: Jessica Miglio/Columbia Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection
By
Dhruv Sharma
Published Feb 21, 2026, 9:30 PM EST
Dhruv is a Lead Writer in Screen Rant's New TV division. He has been consistently contributing to the website for over two years and has written thousands of articles covering streaming trends, movie/TV analysis, and pop culture breakdowns.
Before Screen Rant, he was a Senior Writer for The Cinemaholic, covering everything from anime to television, from reality TV to movies.
After high school, he was on his way to become a Civil Engineer. However, he soon realized that writing was his true calling. As a result, he took a leap and never looked back.
Sign in to your ScreenRant account
Add Us On
Summary
Generate a summary of this story
follow
Follow
followed
Followed
Like
Like
Thread
Log in
Here is a fact-based summary of the story contents:
Try something different:
Show me the facts
Explain it like I’m 5
Give me a lighthearted recap
Once Mike Flanagan has adapted his upcoming takes on The Mist and Carrie, he must finally double-down on his highly-anticipated take on a Stephen King story.
Mike Flanagan's journey as a horror filmmaker is about to get even more exciting with his new adaptations of Stephen King's The Mist and Carrie. While he has dabbled with Stephen King adaptations in the past, these upcoming projects have a lot more mainstream appeal because they have been remade multiple times.
It is hard not to be excited about what Flanagan will bring to the table with his new Stephen King show and movie. At the same time, though, as a fan of his work and Stephen King's books, I cannot help but hope he will soon return to his "holy grail" Stephen King project.
The Mist & Carrie Can Be Perfect Stepping Stones For Mike Flanagan To Adapt The Dark Tower
Mike Flanagan is no stranger to Stephen King adaptations. In the past, not all of his takes on Stephen King's works have been massive hits. However, almost all of them have earned critical acclaim. He has already adapted the "unadaptable" Gerald’s Game. Even his take on the impossible sequel, Doctor Sleep, is considered one of the best Stephen King movies. He also managed to get the genre-bender, The Life of Chuck, right.
With his Carrie adaptation, he seems all set to prove that, regardless of how many times a Stephen King book has been adapted before, he can bring something new with his unique filmmaking vision.
Mike Flanagan has called The Dark Tower his "Holy Grail of a project." (via Deadline)
Similarly, if his upcoming adaptation of The Mist works out well, it could prove that Flanagan can also get out of his comfort zone and dabble with more Lovecraftian horror. Owing to this, both Carrie and The Mist seem like the perfect stepping stones for Mike Flanagan to level up his Stephen King adaptation game before he can finally double down on giving us a Dark Tower TV series.
Why Mike Flanagan’s Dark Tower Adaptation Is Taking So Long
Link Image
As Mike Flanagan has himself revealed, Dark Tower is more of an oil tanker in terms of development because of all the logistical challenges he must overcome to make it happen. Since Dark Tower includes an entire hub of Stephen King characters, Flanagan requires access to the rights to several characters that are owned by different studios.
Given how The Dark Tower cannot be wrapped in one or two seasons, it is one project that will require long-term commitment from the director.
Owing to this, Flanagan will first have to clear his schedule and complete several other adaptations and remakes that are already under his belt before he can focus on The Dark Tower. An adaptation of The Dark Tower books will also have prestige TV potential and will be met with high expectations.
Subscribe for deep dives on Flanagan's King adaptations
Get the newsletter for in-depth coverage and analysis of Mike Flanagan's Stephen King adaptations - thoughtful breakdowns of The Mist and Carrie, informed takes on Dark Tower's prospects, and broader context for King adaptations and horror filmmaking. Subscribe By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.This is why Mike Flanagan cannot take the Stephen King adaptation lightly and must approach it with the same patience and long-term storytelling commitment that the sprawling source material demands. Still, though, after Carrie and The Mist, it is hard not to hope Flanagan will double down on his efforts to make The Dark Tower happen.
The Dark Tower
Created by
Stephen King
First Film
The Dark Tower
The Dark Tower is a multimedia franchise based on Stephen King's epic series of eight novels. The story follows Roland Deschain, the last of the Gunslingers, as he embarks on a quest to reach the Dark Tower, a mystical structure that stands at the center of all worlds and realities. The series blends elements of dark fantasy, horror, science fiction, and Western genres. Over the years, the franchise has expanded beyond the original books to include a film, comic books, and upcoming TV adaptations, making it one of King's most ambitious and interconnected works.
Upcoming TV Shows The Dark Tower Cast Idris Elba, Matthew McConaughey, Tom Taylor, Dennis Haysbert, Claudia Kim, Fran Kranz, Abbey Lee, Jackie Earle Haley, Katheryn Winnick, Michael Barbieri Expand Collapse-
Mike Flanagan
-
Carrie
-
Stephen King
Subscribe for deep dives on Flanagan's King adaptations
Get the newsletter for in-depth coverage and analysis of Mike Flanagan's Stephen King adaptations - thoughtful breakdowns of The Mist and Carrie, informed takes on Dark Tower's prospects, and broader context for King adaptations and horror filmmaking. Subscribe By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime. Trending Now
HBO's Game Of Thrones Replacement Will Show The Rings Of Power How It's Done
Fallout 5's Setting Is Already Dividing Gamers, But We Back It
10 Fantasy Books Better Than Harry Potter
