Amazon's slate of upcoming TV shows just keeps getting bigger. The company has acquired the rights to a number of high-profile properties, including The Dark Tower and Wheel of Time. Fans have been waiting for TV adaptations of both book series for years.
The planned Dark Tower series was intended to be a spin-off of the 2017 film starring Idris Elba. However, after the film's poor performance at the box office, it was reported that the series would be a complete reboot. Though production is expected to start this summer, there hasn't been much news regarding the series. Another series that's being quietly worked on is Wheel of Time, based on the fantasy book series by Robert Jordan. Fans rejoiced when it was announced that the TV show was being produced by Sony.
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Deadline reports that The Dark Tower and Wheel of Time are in development at Amazon. Both shows are based on popular fantasy novels. Stephen King's The Dark Tower tells the story of Roland, a Western gunslinger living in a bizarre world where he must protect the Dark Tower, a mystical structure that holds the universe together. The film was a box office failure, but fans are holding out hope that the TV show will do the books justice.
Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time is a series of 14 novels noted for creating one of the grandest, most unique fantasy worlds of all-time. Every book in the series has appeared on the New York Times best sellers list. At the center of the Wheel of Time's diverse cast of characters, is Rand al'Thor, a seemingly average young man who is the reincarnation of the Dragon, a great hero from the distant past. The problem is that the Dragon eventually went mad, and Rand, as the Dragon Reborn, is fated to follow in his footsteps.
Amazon is keeping busy when it comes to adapting books to the small screen. Amazon is already developing Snowcrash, Lazarus, and Ringworld. It's most anticipated project, however, is Lord of the Rings. Amazon's decision to develop J.R.R.'s Tolkien's beloved saga has been highly controversial for fans, and how it chooses to handle the show will be closely watched. It was recently announced that Amazon is also working on a TV adaptation of Conan the Barbarian. Robert E. Howard's Cimmerian warrior has been the subject of three films, numerous comic book titles, and video games.
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Source: Deadline