Five Seasons, Two Movies: Mike Flanagan’s Upcoming Prime Video Fantasy Series Has an Ambitious Long-Term Plan

A plan for the full saga

Mike Flanagan is developing The Dark Tower as an epic dark fantasy series for Prime Video. In an interview with The Process Unlocked, via IGN, he said the plan is to adapt Stephen King’s books faithfully.

The proposed run would consist of five seasons and then two movies. The books total more than 4,000 pages, depending on format and edition, making the adaptation a substantial undertaking.

Why the scale matters

The article points to Game of Thrones and The Wheel of Time as examples of adaptations that left viewers disappointed: the former’s final seasons drew criticism, while the latter was canceled before completing its story. Flanagan has argued that entering a story midway can overwhelm viewers unfamiliar with its fictional world. The Dark Tower’s length, however, means a faithful adaptation would require a long commitment.

Flanagan’s adaptation experience

Flanagan’s Prime Video adaptation of Carrie was renewed for a second season after it became a hit. That renewal marked the first time one of his television projects would receive a sophomore season.

His earlier Netflix series The Midnight Club was canceled after one season, despite a cliffhanger intended to lead into another outing. That follow-up was meant to adapt Christopher Pike’s Remember Me and resolve major plot threads.

Success is not assured

The Dark Tower would be much larger than Carrie, which has two seasons. Flanagan’s previous acclaimed shows were standalone successes, though the article notes that this was not always his choice.