Although it still may be hard for some to believe, Stephen King's epic "The Dark Tower" series is finally getting an adaptation after nearly a decade of stalled plans. 2017 will see the release of the first film, followed by a spin-off television show for the following year, and while info for both has been somewhat scarce, fans finally have some major news for the TV tie-in.

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Entertainment Weekly reports that "The Dark Tower" episodes will center on "Wizard and Glass," the fourth book of the series, and will co-star Idris Elba as The Gunslinger himself, Roland Deschain. The extent of Elba's role in the show might not be quite as large as in the theatrical film, as EW notes that he will serve as a narrative framing device for flashback events that take place before the movie. No name on who will be playing the much younger Deschain, although the emphasis will probably be on "younger," since this particular story in the saga happens while the Gunslinger is a teen.

The possibility for Matthew McConaughey to reprise is role as the mysterious Man in Black is in the cards, and although "the character will be in the show...he may be inhabiting the shape of another actor." "The Dark Tower" director Nikolaj Arcel and co-writer Anders Thomas Jensen will provide at least some of the scripts for the show's 10 to 13 episodes, although they will not be serving as showrunners.

Dark Tower Illustration

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EW also mentions that there might be future films and show seasons in the works, but it's all dependent on the success of the first rollout of material. By that point, the entirety of the novels should be covered and completed, but apparently the author himself has a number of ideas on where to take the tale from there, including Marvel's "The Dark Tower" comic book series, which delves into some other stories of Deschain and his compatriots as they navigate treacherous characters and lands.

A mix of horror, fantasy, sci-fi and western influences, Stephen King's popular series tells the story of “The Gunslinger” as he makes his way across the decaying “Mid-World” armed with a pair of revolvers in search of a mysterious antagonist known as the Man in Black, and the tower that serves as a portal through space and time.

Audiences will finally get to experience the first steps in Deschain's cinematic journey when "The Dark Tower" hits theaters on February 17, 2017.

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(via io9)