Matthew McConaughey has entered preliminary talks to take on THE DARK TOWER, an adaptation of Stephen King’s vastly popular horror/fantasy series. Sony wants the Oscar winner to star as the villainous Walter Padick–also known as the Man in Black–an antagonist who seeks to stop gunslinger Roland Deschain from reaching the tower, a nexus of many universes.
Sources caution that the True Detective star had his interest piqued by the role, though has only just received the script and is far from an official commitment. If he accepts the role, McConaughey would surely have to bow out of another King adaptation, The Stand. Set up at Warner Bros., the Dallas Buyers Club star was previously in talks for the villain role in that film as well, which in King’s novel is the same character as Padick
Sources also confirm that McConaughey was offered either the role of Roland or Padick, but found himself more drawn to the demonic sorcerer. Nikolaj Arcel is directing the film, which the studio sees as a franchise with global potential, spanning both features and connected television series.
The first book in the bestselling series, The Gunslinger, was adapted by Akiva Goldsman and Jeff Pinkner. Goldsman and Imagine Entertainment’s Brian Grazer, Erica Huggins, and Ron Howard are producing, while Pinkner executive produces.
McConaughey has notably avoided any major franchises thus far, recently turning down a role in Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy 2. He just wrapped on the dramas Gold and Free State of Jones, but will next be seen in Gus van Sant’s Sea of Trees.
He’s repped by CAA.
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Clark Allen | Associate Editor
