MovieChat Forums > The Dark Tower (2017) Discussion > Very risky choice for director + the bud...

Very risky choice for director + the budget is too low

posted 8 years ago by Grenn78
20 replies | jump to latest

Why the hell didn't they go for one of these guys?

Gore Verbinski (great with western/desert stuff and practical effects, gets entertaining performances out of actors and he's good with CGI)

Chan-wook Park (the master at the sort of pacing that The Dark Tower deserves)

Alfonso Cuaron (great at atmosphere, pacing and combining practical/CG elements)

Ang Lee (again, very good at the sort of pacing the books do.. Life Of Pi is proof of this)

Other choices which would have been interesting:
Alejandro González Iñárritu
David Fincher
Darren Aronofsky
Spike Jonze
Martin Scorsese

I really don't think the studio believes in this enough.. they're cutting a lot of corners and I hate to bring this up but Idris Elba as Roland? 99% of the fans wanted a white Roland, many wanted Aaron Paul (though i'm not sure about that)

In my opinion, Matthew McConaughey should have been Roland.. kind of frustrating he'll be in there as a different character.

I want this to be good.. but the studio really should have got a more seasoned director, especially someone who's good at combining CG/practical elements and can do action too. Nikolaj Arcel has not shown himself to be capable of either of these. They should bring in Gore Verbkinski for reshoots if the test screenings don't do well (serious)

Anyway, fingers crossed.

[–] 8 years ago

[deleted]

[–] Grenn78 8 years ago

I wouldn't want a white guy playing Blade.. does that make me "racist" too?

[–] bigbenjr48 8 years ago

...I didn't.

Black History Will Now Be Accepting Martyrs👮

[–] 8 years ago

[deleted]

[–] Sawyer_Lost 8 years ago

Sums it up perfectly @bigbenjr48, and may I add:

Arcel has not shown himself to be capable (even though I haven't seen a single one of his movies....waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!

Books are a uniquely portable magic. ~Stephen King

[–] joannatn 8 years ago

99% of the fans wanted a white Roland

Is that kind of like 99% of all statistics are made up? I'm pretty sure 99% of the fans wanted an actor that could actually portray Roland's spirit moreso than a white one. If I had to choose between a skilled black actor and a crap white actor, I'd go with the black actor every time. Idris Elba is an amazing talent, and until I see the movie and I can see whether or not he's done Roland justice, I choose to remain optimistic and rather excited.

[–] ButcherOfTull 8 years ago

The Budget is damn smart. DT won't end up like Assassin's Creed. It will make a decent profit. Hopefully the quality of the film won't end up Like assassin's creed though Lol. Apparently Arcel is a pretty big fan of DT. Plus people who have read the early draft of the script say its good and VERY DT. So that gives me hope.

[–] Spider198 8 years ago

Well in Elba we've got someone who is the wrong race for Roland and lacks the ability to play the part.
And the false assumption in your post is that there are no white actors that can play the part, and that Elba is the only one capable. Which is not true. There are many white actors that could have played the part, they just wouldn't have given them the ability to play the racism card that the PC casting of Elba does (who is infact very crap, and plays the same part in everything).

[–] Captain_Wesker 8 years ago

99% of the fans wanted a white Roland

"99% expected a white Roland" is probably the better statement (as I doubt many fans were specifically hoping and wishing for the last gunslinger of Gilead to be a Caucasian/white dude).

That said, I doubt the veracity of that statistic either way .

---
It is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing .

[–] Grenn78 8 years ago

Even the black readers expected a white guy for the role, lol.

This film is not what Stephen King envisioned. Would people be cool with a woman playing as Han Solo? A Japanese Tyler Durden in Fight Club 2?

[–] Captain_Wesker 8 years ago

Ooh ooh. If we're suggesting incorrect actors for specific roles, how about "Anyone mature to play me" for your biographical film?

---
It is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing .

[–] bigbenjr48 8 years ago

Even the black readers expected a white guy for the role, lol.

Lol. Let me just walk outside to the porch and ask black pedestrians about this assumed conclusion.

Betcha I can complete my black-people survey quicker than you.

Black History Will Now Be Accepting Martyrs👮

[–] Grenn78 8 years ago

He should be white

[–] sugrnspyce4 8 years ago

Even the black readers expected a white guy for the role, lol.

Most probably did. But many DT fans - black and otherwise - are on board with Idris Elba as Roland.

This film is not what Stephen King envisioned.

As far as I know, King has stated that he's "excited" about the film. And as for the casting, he's fine with it.

https://twitter.com/StephenKing/status/675472836455227393

[–] bigbenjr48 8 years ago

You would be hard-pressed to find shock in the black community when blacks portray non-black characters these days.
I think what killed all future shock for us was when Will Smith portrayed James West in the Wild Wild West movie (made famous by Robert Conrad).

That shock was perhaps the straw that broke the camels back for blacks.

Now we just LOL instead of WTF.

Black History Will Now Be Accepting Martyrs👮

[–] Grenn78 8 years ago

http://cdn.movieweb.com/img.news.tops/NE08s6xq9rTB31_1_b.jpg

[–] bigbenjr48 8 years ago

A comic-book drawing holding a rose.

-VS-

Real flesh and bone.

http://media.thecelebrityauction.co/picture/c/05/CwMdBE5KXQQSFFwGEQ8SCx0ABhoKSwAdCFsUB0QXGwsGFgsXXRAEDxgIEAdKQENUVV1VQ0wxLzorMR0EABEtIRURHDYnAAQAADok/JyArU0BYREVTLUZXUkNSQ1NBRx4EAg==.jpg

Drops the mic🎤.

Black History Will Now Be Accepting Martyrs👮

[–] sugrnspyce4 8 years ago

You would be hard-pressed to find shock in the black community when blacks portray non-black characters these days.
I think what killed all future shock for us was when Will Smith portrayed James West in the Wild Wild West movie (made famous by Robert Conrad).

That shock was perhaps the straw that broke the camels back for blacks.

Now we just LOL instead of WTF.

Ha - very true. I wouldn't really say "shocked," but maybe "pleasantly surprised." They could've easily gone for a white actor just based on the books' physical description of Roland. But honestly, the filmmakers going for such an interesting choice for the role has me looking forward to seeing how he'll embody the character.

[–] Spider198 8 years ago

Keep telling yourself that. Won't make it true.

[–] sugrnspyce4 8 years ago

I assume you're talking to me, Spider? As I told you before, it's hard to tell since you never quote who you're talking to and I don't always get reply notifications. But if so, once again: Le sigh.