The pilot for the planned “Dark Tower” series adaptation currently in the works at Amazon has cast two lead roles.
Sources say that Jasper Pääkkönen and Sam Strike have both been cast in the pilot, which is based on the Stephen King book series of the same name. Strike will play Roland Deschain, also known as The Gunslinger, while Pääkkönen is believed to be playing The Man in Black, also known as Marten Broadcloak and Randall Flagg. The series is said to tell the story of how Roland became a gunslinger and his first encounter with the villainous Man in Black.
Amazon declined to comment.
Strike most recently starred in the Syfy series “Nightflyers,” based on the George R.R. Martin novella. His other recent credits include “Mindhunter,” “Timeless,” and “EastEnders.” He will also appear in HBO’s upcoming miniseries “Chernobyl.”
Pääkkönen recently starred in Spike Lee’s Oscar-winning film “BlacKkKlansman” and will reunite with Lee in the film “Da 5 Bloods.” He is also known for his role in the History series “Vikings” and Finnish films like “Heart of a Lion,” “Frozen Land,” and “Bad Boys.”
Pääkkönen is repped by ICM Partners and Subtitle Talent in Europe. Strike is repped by Gersh, Circle of Confusion, and The Artists Partnership in the U.K.
The project is produced by Media Rights Capital (MRC). Glen Mazzara is attached as the executive producer and showrunner. The series was originally intended to tie in to the long-gestating 2017 film that starred Idris Elba and Matthew McConaughey, but the plan now is for the series to be a more faithful adaptation of the book series.
“The Dark Tower” is one of several high-profile projects that Amazon has in the works as the streamer looks for “Game of Thrones”-esque content that it can sell internationally. Other major projects on Amazon’s development slate include a “Lord of the Rings” series, which has already received a two-season commitment. JD Payne and Patrick McKay are attached to develop that series.
