What Movies Have You Seen Lately?

Quote: zippyboy

I didn't read the book, haven't seen the movie, but who cares if the Gunslinger is black? Gunslingers can't be black??

Jeez. Am I the only one here who's read the
books? He's NOT BLACK, and it's important
to the story. Roland's piercing blue eyes are
mentioned many times in the books. Does that
sound like the character is interchangeable or
King wrote him without race?

One review:

"Far from a land of the East I came, brothers, the Land of the Frogs...To tell ya, how much my heart is bleeding. I read science fiction, fantasy, since I'm a child and Dark Tower series is one of my all time fave. I have not a problem with a main character to be black. But I have a problem with him being black if he comes from a novel where he is white and it has an importance in the story like Roland's relationships with Susannah...Remember Roland saw a movie poster with Clint Eastwood as man with no name and thought that it looked like a twin brother of him. If in the novel, Roland had been black, then no problem I would have loved the novels all the same and I would be very excited right now. But he was NOT. He looked like an italian western anti-hero with a jaded, badass face and bombardier blue eyes. Do they think that they will promote antiracism this way ? They don't. They just promote stupidity. I was waiting for thoses movies. I wanted them to do those movies, wanted so hard. And they have ruined it, totally ruined it. I will not give one Euro (remember I'm a frog) for that bullshits."

Another:
Face it, Roland looks like Clint Eastwood, complete with piercing blue eagle-eyed glare. Clint Eastwood, that is, circa 1970 ... Clint isn't really available to play the role, so whatcha gonna do? Clint is always going to be Roland when I read the books and I don't think there's anything that Elba can do to replace that."

Another:

When Roland and Eddie meet Stephen King in The Dark Tower, the resemblance between Roland and King himself is remarked upon. The whole, Roland being part of Stephen King's projection of himself, now doesn't work. Nonsense.

I am shocked - SHOCKED - that EB is upset about a black Gunslinger.

Stephen King is a die hard leftie. He had approval over the casting. He was fine with Idris Elba as the Gunslinger (honestly - why wouldn't he be?!). End of story.

Gunslinger was considered unadaptable as it traversed sci-fi, fantasy, horror, Westerns and Arthurian legends while connecting many of King’s most iconic works

It will be lucky to break $20 million this weekend.

Quote: rxwine

Whites as Indians --is as dumb as making all the Southern plantation slave owners of the blacks as black people disguised as Whites.

Although the idea makes for interesting satire.

But I don't recall gunslinger being a race either way, so I don't think it matters.

Tonto was played by a white actor.

Quote: kenarman

Tonto was played by a white actor.

Didn't do well at the box office either.

Quote: Pacomartin

Gunslinger was considered unadaptable as it traversed sci-fi, fantasy, horror, Westerns and Arthurian legends while connecting many of King’s most iconic works

It will be lucky to break $20 million this weekend.

Reviews are awful. This feels like a movie that needed to be adapted by a skilled director with lots of experience. Not some newcomer who's never helmed a big movie before...

Yup, looks just like Clint Eastwood. LOL! This movie
will fail miserably, the fans of the book are staying
away in droves because of the black Roland. It
ruins the entire story, what morons thought this
was a good idea.

Quote: ams288

Reviews are awful. This feels like a movie that needed to be adapted by a skilled director with lots of experience. Not some newcomer who's never helmed a big movie before...

It did have big name directors attached, but they bowed out. The project has been ongoing since 2007 with periodic reports and official announcements. The film adaptation went through three major phases of planning: initially with J. J. Abrams from 2007 to 2009, with Ron Howard from 2010 to 2015 and finally with Nikolaj Arcel, with Howard remaining in a producing role.

J. J. Abrams (2007–2009)
Ron Howard (2010–2015)
Nikolaj Arcel (2015–present)

In reality Sony Pictures is on one of the worst streaks of any studio in recent memory. Compared to four other recent Sony pictures releases for similar budgets, there is some indication that it may do better than any of them. Emoji movie had a better opening day, but Gunslinger may do better overseas.

The Dark Tower | Production Budget: $60 million ($7,725,000 opening day)
Smurfs:The Lost Village | Production Budget: $60 million ($4,100,320 opening day)
The Emoji Movie | Production Budget: $50 million ($10,025,217 opening day)
Life (2017) Production | Budget: $58 million ($4,406,810 opening day)
Inferno | Production Budget: $75 million ($5,575,613 opening day)

Well, the first Hobbit attempt was pretty underwhelming. Fortunately someone successfully pulled it off, and more, later on.

Unfortunately a poor reception means no one will be willing to invest anytime soon in a remake attempt.