Filmmaker Abrams mounting King's "Tower"

By Borys Kit and Tatiana Siegel

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - Stephen King and J.J. Abrams are in talks to bring King's "Dark Tower" book series to the screen.

The screen's size, though, has yet to be determined. On first glance, King's tale -- which sprawls across seven books as it blends the fantasy, sci-fi, horror and Western genres -- might seem better suited for a multiple-episode television treatment. On the other hand, its potential cost might call for a large-scale cinematic treatment.

Sources say a number of entities have been chasing "Tower" but that King is looking for strong filmmaker involvement, which is where Abrams ("Mission: Impossible 3") enters the picture. It is unclear whether Abrams would take on the project solely as a producer or whether he would direct as well.

But King hasn't been shy about admitting that he's a huge fan of Abrams' television series "Lost." In fact, he recently participated in a round-table for Entertainment Weekly with Abrams and "Lost" executive producers Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse. During the discussion, "Tower" was mentioned several times. Lindelof even brought along a rare first edition of "The Gunslinger," Book 1 of the "Tower" series, for King to sign. It all sounded like the sort of mutual admiration society that could lead to a genuine collaboration.

Reuters/Hollywood Reporter