Aaron Paul wants to be in Dark Tower

Oct 16, 2012   By: Michael | #Aaron Paul  #Cast  #Damon Lindelof  #Eddie Dean  

A few days back Aimee, who’s always lurking in our comments section, posted a link to news that Emmy winner Aaron Paul dreams of taking on the role of Eddie Dean (reformed junkie turned gunslinger) in the adaptation of Stephen Kings, The Dark Tower.

Aaron, well known for his parts in Breaking Bad and HBO’s Big Love, responded “Trust me. HUGE dream of mine” to a fans tweet, “if theres a Dark Tower movie you gotta promise me you’ll play eddie dean.” If you reckon Aaron would be perfect for the part of Eddie then you’re not alone as even Damon Lindelof thinks he “…would be the best Eddie ever.”

Of course, we’re still yet to find out if the movie will be made at all.

Last we heard, Warner Bros dropped out of the running and Media Rights Capital are rumored to be interested in taking over the reigns. There’s still no official word and with Ron Howard knee deep in editing his upcoming Formula 1 movie, Rush, we’re unlikely to hear much till next year.

A big thanks to Aimee for posting the link to CinemaBlend.com who discovered the original tweets.

Follow Aaron on Twitter @aaronpaul_8

125 responses

You are very welcome. LD&PN :)

Aimee – October 16th, 2012
Yes a very big thank you to Aimee indeed! Hopefully this will lead to a revival of this project!

It’s actually pretty funny how well he would suit that role. I have never watched either breaking bad nor big love. But I watched a random clip of him in BB a while back (probably more like a year ago) when someone mentioned him for the role. I was immediately sold. He IS Eddie Dean for crying out loud.

Now: how to get Daniel Day Lewis to tweet the same thing… Hmm… :D

LD&PN

Dida-chick? – October 16th, 2012
I can’t recall ever seeing him in anything, but he definitely looks the part. I hope this draws some much needed attention to the project.

Aimee – October 16th, 2012
Aimee, Just watch Breaking Bad, he is by far the best choice for Eddie Dean. Its almost like the creator of BB used Eddie Dean IMO

nitsuj – October 16th, 2012
I have it in my Netflix Q, I will start watching it this weekend :) I hear that from a lot of people.

Aimee – October 16th, 2012
Let’s palever. I’ve been waiting for this to be a movie for a long time. Do ya ken’it. But Aaron from BB would be a perfect fit if the wheels of ka let’s it be.

Any way dirty harry come on he is Roland. Blue bombardier eyes an ever thing. Any way one can only hope

jon – October 17th, 2012
Just getting notified of new posts…

I wanna see him get into his first gun fight naked

jon – October 17th, 2012
@Amiee You and I touched on this story already but I neglected to say thank you. I hope my delayed appreciation has caused no scorn between us ;). Oh and thank you very much!

Aloenam – October 18th, 2012
Yeah.

I’ve been watching Breaking Bad and I think he could be a very good Eddie Dean.

Now, I’ll twit William Fichtner to do the same to play Roland :p

David – October 18th, 2012
No reason to cry pardon Sai. You are very welcome Sai :)

Aimee – October 18th, 2012
Viggo Mortenson as roland

kat – October 19th, 2012
i think he would be the perfect Eddie…all i know is that it needs to be completed..im just dying inside to watch it!!! ive read the series over like 4 times..cant get enough!

Kathy – October 20th, 2012
That would be perfect! I’m fully on board for Aaron Paul as Eddie.

Josh Turner – October 22nd, 2012
I hope the movie gets made. I was thinking, watching Breaking Bad, that Aaron Paul would be perfect for Eddie, for obvious reasons. Ron Howard: Russell Crow couldn’t be more wrong for Roland. The only good mentions of ‘known actors’ have been, in order of preference, Daniel Day Lewis (yeah right), then Javier Bardem (would also be awesome but would never commit), or Vigo Mortensen. Also, Ron Howard is great. But I’m not sure if he could really ‘pull off’ the correct tone for the series, which is dark, dark, dark. with a little humanity thrown in, somewhere, on the side.

J Carlson – October 22nd, 2012
It seems the general consensus is that we are all dying to see Aaron Paul as Eddie. I really hope this helps the movies gain attention and momentum. Maybe this is Ka at work :)

Aimee – October 22nd, 2012
I still think Daniel Day-Lewis and Aaron Paul would be the perfect pair to play Roland and Eddie, figuring out how to coexist in Mid-World and beyond. Their chemistry onscreen would probably be eerily accurate to the characters in these beloved books. Priceless.

Glad to see that Aaron would be all about this!

LD & PN

Maestro208 – October 23rd, 2012
Oh wow please make the movies. All the books are GREAT. I am reading them know and so into them. Roland , jake, Eddie, Susanna. We are ready.

Alida – October 23rd, 2012
well its funny how someone mentioned aaron paul for playing eddie dean cause today i woke up thinking about the guy who plays rick from the walking dead playing roland and his son carl from the series playing jake just a thought but i feel that the guy who plays rick kinda looks the part as does the kid who plays carl for jake chambers

gunslinger57 – October 24th, 2012
This excites me about Aaron Paul. At least he would consider the idea of being Eddie(which is who he is in BB)so I like all the ideas about Roland posted here, do I want to suggest something I havnt seen yet… Bryan Cranston as the gunslinger. He fits long tall and ugly to a tee, has the desert, weather worn ageless looks, can be a badass, and probably dance the commala. I know the eye color would have to be “done”, but the chemistry is there already between Paul and Cranston. Just my two cents… Hope to see these books made into film. LD&PN.

Constant reader – October 25th, 2012
Perfect fit, couldn’t find a better actor for this particular role. He is awesome in BB, and plays a junkie, he is the age, profile from a looks standpoint and if you see BB he has the charisma and funny man comical attitude of Eddie. I think the person who cast him as Jesse for BB read the DT and was thinking of Eddie…..

Now we just gotta get someone to make this damn movie/tv series.

Steve – October 26th, 2012
Also agree either Daniel Day Lewis, or the Bryon Cranston mention. They could both be Roland and would work perfectly with Aaron playing Eddie

Steve – October 26th, 2012
I can totally see DDL playing Roland. He really looks the part, and his acting in Lincoln was amazing. I love the idea of Aaron Paul as Eddie. Zoe Saldana as Susannah. Not sure about Jake yet. I want to see Tim Curry playing Gasher, I think he would be perfect.

LD&PN

Aimee – October 27th, 2012
Thandie Newton as Susannah. Gary Oldman as Pere Callahan. Mickey Rourke or Harvey Kietel as Cort. Christopher Lee as Henchick of the Manni. Whatcha think People?

Dave Blakey – October 29th, 2012
once again….the dark tower movie project holds on by the skin of its teeth….in the wake of Star Wars going to Disney…..and several other media conglomerates passing on the DT…..I now think its time….the economy in general is in tethers…but the movie industry is blowing up….people need a distraction…people need to escape….its time Roland and crew provide that for us…..Do it….

matt – October 31st, 2012
Aaron would be fantastic as Eddie. Breaking Bad is one of (if not the) best shows on television. Most of that is due to Aaron as Jesse. And that Cranston guy ain’t too shabby an actor either.

Rab – October 31st, 2012
never saw him act…but, based on his appearance, I’d say he’d be perfect!

conniemerie – November 4th, 2012
AP would be my second choice for Eddie Dean…

Don’t get me wrong, AP is a GREAT choice, but my first choice would be a skinny version of Christian Bale..

Doesn’t need to go all the way down to his “Mechanic” weight, but if he got down to where he was in “The Fighter” i think he would be perfect.

dmc – November 8th, 2012
Personally, I see Daniel Day Lewis as more Marten than Roland. He’s always been at his best in bad guy roles. (Gangs of New York and There Will Be Blood anyone?)

Roland has always been tough to cast in my minds eye. Unfortunately, the one man who is perfect for the part is now getting up there in years, though I could see him playing Roland near the end of his journey, And of course, that man is the incomparable Clint Eastwood (empty chair jokes aside)

For Eddie Dean, I had always seen Jared Leto, personally, but seeing this now Aaron Paul is perfect for the role. I’d also like to see Chandler Riggs, who plays Carl on one of my other favorite AMC shows, The Walking Dead as Jake.

Susannah Dean would in my estimation be well played By Tracie Thoms. She has that ability to play a softer person, but in my estimation could blend that well perfectly with ‘Dat Bitch Detta Walker.

For Roland, Russel Crowe is kind of a tough sell. On one hand I can see it working, as he could play that sort of quiet, aloof gunslinger attitude really well. He was pretty much the best part of “The Quick and the Dead” which sold me on that. That said, I was never entirely sold on Javier Bardem.

Here’s my list of actors that could portray Roland well, not only for their acting ability, but also because they have the right look for the part. Or at least could be made to look right for the part.
1. Andrew Lincoln-Another Walking Dead cast member, this one being the main character. The man has for three seasons portrayed a good man in an increasingly desperate and growing darker situation, trying to hold his family together at steadily more adverse odds. (sound familiar?) His portrayal of Rick Grimes has sold me on his ability to portray our favorite Gunslinger.
2. Clint Eastwood.-His entire film career. The man’s a legend in hollywood, and he’s brilliant, both on and off camera. The man has literally probably forgotten more about the craft than some people who will make this list might ever know. The downside is his age. Clint’s up there now. I could see him playing the role in Roland’s later years, near the end of the quest. Or even for flash forwards where Roland remembers the others as he nears the Tower.
3. Michael Fassbender. This is a guy who gets a lot of play recently and for good reason. I first found out about this guy from watching a BBC series with my Ex, where he played a Demon. Show was called Hex and was pretty entertaining. The actor intrigued me, so when I saw him later in Inglourious Basterds, and then X-Men First Class, and recently, Prometheus I was hooked. I can see him able to pull off that stone cold gunslinger stare about as well as anyone out there could.
4. Anson Mount-Another AMC cast veteran, who plays one of the coolest protagonists of a western I’ve seen in a long time, Cullen Bohannon. Anson Mount might be my first choice for the Roland Character. He can play tough, quiet, and he just gets the look down. It’s worth mentioning, I’ve said for a long time that Quinten Tarentino needs to do a remake of Clint Eastwood’s man with no name trilogy, which in no small part inspired Stephen King’s creation of The Dark Tower. If Tarentino did do a remake of that series, Anson Mount would be the best actor to play the title character.
5. Tom Hardy. Last, but not least, is Tom Hardy. This is a younger actor that seems to just grasp the craft and dives into a part perfectly. When he wasn’t being easily one of my favorite characters in Christopher Nolan’s Inception, He was playing Bane in The Dark Knight Rises. The really funny thing is this. The guy has been around for some time. He’s showed up in various shows and movies, sometimes in just cameos or bit parts since the early two thousands. I spotted him in a Cameo while Rewatching “Band of Brothers” and went. “Oh, snap. That’s Tom Hardy.” I immediatly started going back to see if I could spot him in anything else, which included the highly forgettable Star Trek Nemesis as Shinzon. Still, guy’s been around for a while and he could play the part well enough.
Oh. I lied. One last actor. Just because. And admit it, you want to see it happen too.
1. (The Dark Horse candidate?) Nathan Fillion. Known for playing mostly light hearted characters, (Rick Castle) It should also be (obviously) remembered that he played one Malcolm Reynolds in Firefly, easily the most awesome show that was cancelled before it’s time. It’s easy to remember all the goofy moments with Mal on that show, which were not be ignored. But it was the darker moments with Reynolds that really stood out, and gave credence to Fillion as an actor. His growl of “They stay where they lay” in Serenity in response to the bodies of friends showed that he could play a man willing to make the hard choice in order to accomplish the mission (Go then, there are other worlds than these) A
Anyway, that’s my thoughts. Sorry for ranting/rambling.
Joe – November 8th, 2012
First time poster, and long-time fan of the Dark Tower series. I’ve read them through several times. Just wanted to toss in my thoughts on the movie/series…. I truly hope this gets made in a way that does the books justice.
As for Roland, seeing Javier in the Bond movie makes me think…well, maybe… Someone on the board mentioned Josh Brolin, good thought. The way he looked as Jonah Hex (minus the hole in his face) is truly “long, tall and ugly.” Aaron Paul as Eddie ? Brilliant ! Here’s my thought for Susannah/Odetta - Viola Davis, I think she’s got the acting and appearance range to nail the role. Thinks there’s a place in this for James Cromwell ?
Long days and pleasant nights.

Tim – November 10th, 2012
I’d say you couldn’t go wrong with Daniel Day Lewis playing Roland, I have to say that he probably is my favourite actor, and he’s so intense in films such as Gangs of New York and There Will Be Blood. Also, he doesn’t necessarily play the bad guy in these, but he plays a rather ambiguous good guy, who is kinda ‘on a quest’ of their own and willing to sacrifice those they love dearly to get it. I could also see Josh Brolin simply for his performance in NCFOM. My wildcard would probably be Guy Pearce, they’d have to rough him up a bit but I think he could do it. Aaron would be great as Eddy, as people have mentioned, his character in BB, especially if you take Cranston to represent Roland, is basically Eddy.

Well, we just have to cross our fingers and hope the film actually gets made, and soon!

Francis – November 12th, 2012
@Tim, welcome to the Ka-Tet :) I truly wish we could get some news from MRC…but there will be water if Ka wills it.

Aimee – November 12th, 2012
Walter White as the gunslinger and Aaron as Eddie, could it be? It’s a big franchise so forget daniel day lewis, he only acts in movies one every 7 years. To bad clint eastwood is to old for the role, maybe Daniel Craig? He’s also a badass.

Eddie – November 12th, 2012
Anson mount is Roland & Tara from trueblood is Susannah & Eddie is…Susan Delgado is…cort is…it’s tough & should go to the most obsessed-can’t’ wait!

Lisa and David Green – November 12th, 2012
Christopher Nolan could make it happen in a miniseries or an,all out series. I just think it’s such a massive universe… You could get through the gunslinger alright, would be a lot of parts cut down for time but it could work but then what? How could you condense drawing of the three into a two hour movie? It’s a giant project…

jd – November 12th, 2012
I never considered Aaron Paul as Eddie Dean. After discovering Breaking Bad, my immediate DT casting revelation was Brian Cranston as Randall Flagg. Could a DT movie support two BB Alums? The two would never share scenes, but it would certainly be worth the price of admission.

Clint – November 14th, 2012
Never share scenes? Really? Have you read Wizard and Glass?

Dave Blakey – November 14th, 2012
Aaron Paul is not who I picture while reading the novels. I don’t want to discredit him, he did very well as the character on breaking bad. You can’t just exchange one junkie for another, Eddie is a completeley different junkie, you need to get someone with an east coast background. I haven’t seen Aaron Paul play a strong enough character to play Eddie.

james – November 16th, 2012
Look wise, I would say Aaron Paul is a good choice, but acting wise, I honestly couldn’t say. There is so much more to Eddie than just the “junkie”.

The problem with these movies for me is that there are no actors that scream “Roland” for me, outside of Clint Eastwood. I just cannot think of anyone that could do him justice. The same thing could be said for Jake, who is my second favorite character of the series. I don’t know why, but Jake for me is how I imagine Roland would have been as a kid, if he had been born in Jake’s when.

We all have our images of the ka-tet in our minds, and finding that one person who to play the individual roles that is going to make all of us combined so “Oh! They’re perfect!” is an impossible task.

Hear me, I beg. For me, Roland is just so complicated, and if an actor cannot play his part perfectly, it would not even be worth watching. Maybe I am biased because Roland, by far, is my favorite fictional character of all times (Followed closely by Jack Sawyer from The Talisman and Black House). It is just too hard to picture anyone fitting into that role. That is just my opinion.

Long days, and pleasant nights. =)

Tina – November 16th, 2012
You can please some of the people some of the time, but you can’t please all the people all of the time. There are no casting choices that will please everyone. That is the sad truth.

Aimee – November 18th, 2012
Just discovered this site. I am currently reading the DT series for only the second time. I’m generally not too much in favor of ANY book, especially really good ones, being made into movies. Despite the things they can do in movies these days, which is just about anything - no special effect or perfect acting can replace the imagination, and everyone’s is different. I love the Lord of the Rings movies, but I also curse them because now I see those actors in my head when I read the books.

That being said, and having read through all the threads of comments, I agree with those who want the HUGE stars to play bit parts (ie. Mickey Rourke for Cort, Tom Hardy for the Tick Tock Man) and lesser, but still capable, stars for the main characters. I also agree with casting a Roland who actually is tall, lanky, and rugged looking. Daniel Craig is a tiny, albeit ripped, man. Russell Crowe is short too, and he’s not lanky.

Anyway, I will not be holding my breath waiting for these movies… because they will replace my imagination. But I will go see them, perhaps several times if they are good, and buy them on Blu Ray, and then re-buy them when they come out as a set with extra bonus features - like everyone else.

It makes me wonder what Stephen King and other authors who live to see their creations made into movies think. Is the money worth seeing your imagination bastardized into someone else’s vision? I suppose it’s probably different for every author…

I will always remain a “read it before you see the movie” fan. Say thankya for all the fun reading tonight!

Eric – November 18th, 2012
Well said, Eric! Long days and pleasant nights! Corey Felman as Henry Dean…think about it.

Tom – November 23rd, 2012
Tom…I totally could see that !!!

zentune – November 23rd, 2012
I am sorry but Feldman as Eddie would be terrible. That would be like saying Arnold Schwarzenegger should play Roland. Aaron Paul all the way.

Aimee – November 25th, 2012
sorry dude, but that role belongs to Colin Farrell. Nobody could be a better Eddie Dean than Colin Farrell (in my opinion)…

eliza – November 27th, 2012
@Eliza, while I think Colin Farrell is a descent actor I just can’t see him in this role. I don’t think he has the acting abilities to pull it off.

Aimee – November 28th, 2012
I think we can all agree that Clint Eastwood would have been perfect for Roland… but unfortunately he’s too old for it now. I hadn’t previously thought of Aaron Paul for Eddie, but after seeing him mention it on Twitter, I have to admit he’d be great in the role - he can be a smartaleck, as Eddie is, but he can be more serious as well, and both traits are a definite part of Eddie Dean.

I actually like Christian Bale for Roland. I like some of the other suggestions proffered here (Tom Hardy, Daniel Day Lewis, Bryan Cranston - Nathan Fillion is an interesting idea), but I kind of think Bale would do better in the role (except DDL). Another idea I had was Damian Lewis. He looks the part (except maybe the red hair, but that’s easily remedied). After seeing him in “Homeland” and “Life”, I think he’s a good enough actor to play the complexities of Roland’s character quite well.

And now on to Walter. I would love to see John Malkovich in this role. It probably wouldn’t really work though… so my nomination for the part of Walter goes to James Spader. But that could just be me :P

Lastly, there’s too much story here for a movie, or even several movies. I see TV as the way to go here. Otherwise, too much detail and story ends up being sacrificed.

Ligaia – November 29th, 2012
This doesn’t relate to the dark tower but wanted to share anyway. I hear that CBS is looking into making Under the Dome a t-v series. Not sure how I feel about that. I am a little worried that it will not be up to par, but I guess I will have to wait and see lol :)

LD&PN

Aimee – November 30th, 2012
Ah the wheels of Ka have finally spun me back here and I couldn’t be more excited to here this news! I believe I was actually the first person to suggest Mr. Paul as Eddie on one of the old comment boards over a year ago (yes that sound is me tooting my own horn :-) ) so I couldn’t be happier to hear that he’s very interested in the part. With Breaking Bad coming to an end next year the timing should be right if this project finally becomes a reality in the coming months.

After reading even more suggestions on who should play the Gunslinger himself I’m more convinced than ever that the right actor hasn’t even been discovered yet. Somewhere, someplace there must be an actor that was born to play this part, we just don’t know who he is yet.

Pokes23 – November 30th, 2012
@ Pokes23: Well, if we’re gonna toot our own horns, I might as well say that great minds think alike! Haha! Now, if Daniel Day-Lewis miraculously gets offered the role of Roland and then accepts the challenge, we will be two-for-two. :) In all honesty, I think you’re correct, though - ka’s wheel is turning, and the right actor of relatively unknown origin will emerge out of nowhere and truly “be” this character. Here’s to that!

LD & PN

Maestro208 – November 30th, 2012
Aimee, I must disagree….Feldman was (is?) a druggie, who (keep an open mind) can act….it takes one to KNOW one (druggies)…

Thankee, sai

zentune – November 30th, 2012
As a follow up…Feldman also portrays a wise-cracking smarta** in many of his roles…just sayin

zentune – November 30th, 2012
Just so you guys are sure. Feldman was suggested for HENRY Dean, not Eddie.

Also, Michael Fassbender has been suggested for Roland, and I think that would be a good choice.

But, we are forgetting the most important casting - who will play Oy?

Dave Blakey – November 30th, 2012
Just a crazy late night thought here but what about Kim Coates from soa as Rowland.

Rachael – December 1st, 2012
Cry your pardon, Dave:( I mis-posted… But I lyyyyke it!!!

zentune – December 1st, 2012
Somehow it seems autocorrect changed Roland to Rowland.

Rachael – December 1st, 2012
@maestro208-good to see you still hanging around here and indeed great minds do think alike!

So I just had a thought- how about Disney for the Dark Tower movies? I remember mentioning long ago that to do these movies correctly certain copyrights would have to be secured to make these movies correctly such as the wolves resembling Dr. Doom and carrying lightsabers so the House of Mouse makes alot of sense in my mind since Marvel and Lucasfilm now belong to Disney. While this project is definitely alot darker than the typical Disney fare but they’re willing to take risks, they have more money than Gan and im pretty sure they have a studio that releases more adult themed movies (Dreamworks maybe?). It may be a long shot but I personally think it would be awesome. Any thoughts or comments I’d love to hear them. Long days and pleasant nights to all :-)

Pokes23 – December 2nd, 2012
@Pokes23 I can’t see Disney coming near this project. I think it is too dark for their taste. While it would be wonderful to have someone with so many funds available, I just don’t see them signing on. But you know what they say, there will be water if Ka wills it :)

Aimee – December 3rd, 2012
i love these books. i have always wanted them to become movies. theres a lot to them but it could be done. hope it gets done. that would be worth going to the theater for.

linda – December 3rd, 2012
i have to change my comment, a tv series would be the way to go. soooo much invloved a movies may not come across well.leave to much out. yep tv series i would watch.

linda – December 3rd, 2012
A friend and I were discussing who we thought could pull off the gunslinger Roland while reading the series….we both came up with Hugh Jackman….taking into account both his acting skills and his looks….3 days growth, gunslinger hat…..needs someone who looks a bit like Eastwood back in the day….reckon he’d pull it off and be an awesome candidate….never put much thought into who’d play Eddie but I think Aaron Paul would do a great job

Jade – December 3rd, 2012
Hugh is a fine actor…and looks somewhat like a young Eastwoood…

zentune – December 5th, 2012
I think Jensen Ackles would be an interesting choice for Eddy. He has the perfect ratio darkness/humor for this role. I would also put Joseph Fiennes as Roland. :-)

Bellatrix – December 5th, 2012
Here’s a new one for ya…A young D.B. Sweeney (fire in the sky) as Eddie…

zentune – December 5th, 2012
I´m not sure there is anyone out there better to play Eddie Dean than Christian Bale. And if Robert Redford wasn’t 76….

braddor25 – December 5th, 2012
Is anyone familiar with David Morrissey (plays the Governor on the Walking Dead)? I don’t know what anyone else thinks but this guy would make a interesting Roland of Gilead. He’s the right age, build, and height and those of us who have read the books know that Roland resembles a cross between Clint Eastwood and Stephen King (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Morrissey). Also, he has great acting skills and could play the obsession Roland has for the Dark Tower with ease. FYI - I agree with the consensus on Aaron Paul as Eddie - GREAT actor and absolutely perfect for the part!

JJame69 – December 10th, 2012
@JJames69: How about having him play Walter/Marten/The Man in Black? I could see that. I think David Morrissey’s strength as an actor is how he plays characters with sinister undertones and who have something to hide (such as his character as the Governor in TWD). Thoughts?

LD & PN

Maestro208 – December 10th, 2012
I have had the firm belief for a while now(at least 2 or 3 years) that Aaron Paul would make the ideal Eddie Dean. If I could choose anyone for the role, it would be he.

Now all it will take is Jon Hamm to play Roland and I will have attained eternal happiness.

MitchLinnen – December 17th, 2012
Vincent cassel as Roland!!! Check out the movie ‘Blueberry aka Renegade’, doesn’t Vincent look and sound a lot like Clint Eastwood?

JOHNI – December 17th, 2012
Never thought about Aaron for the job, but its obvious. Daniel Day Lewis would be great as Roland, but he doesn’t seem the type to take the role. I actually think John Hamm (Mad Men) could pull off the role. Grumpy, hard sense of humor.

Bill – December 22nd, 2012
Please consider Paul Bettany as Roland! Piercing blue eyes and he plays “tortured” so well. See Priest and his role as Dustfinger in Inkheart. Yes, he is blonde but hair can be dyed and he is quite long and lanky. And I always heard Roland with a bit of an accent.

Patti – December 22nd, 2012
And Naomie Harris as Susannah!

Patti – December 22nd, 2012
Patti- Paul Bettany may not be such a bad idea. I saw Priest and enjoyed it greatly. I am still voting for Zoe Saldana as Susannah.

Aimee – December 23rd, 2012
Aimee - he also played Michael (archangel) in Legion and he played the albino in The DaVinci Code. So talented and so underrated.

Patti – December 23rd, 2012
This is SO crazy. My fiance and I are huge fans of Breaking Bad and I was just telling her the other day that I thought that Aaron Paul would make the perfect Eddie Dean. It’d be like getting 1975 Clint Eastwood to play Roland.

But I did like the idea of Javier Bardem, and Russell Crowe is a pretty cool idea too, for Roland. And he’s probaby too old now, but Daniel Day-Lewis would make an awesome Roland too. I used to think Thandie Newton would make a great Susannah, but she’s probably a bit too old for that now since Susannah is supposed to be in her late 20s.

Jonathan – December 26th, 2012
Timothy olyphant from justified for roland

Justin – January 1st, 2013
I still think that Daniel Day Lewis would make a spectacular Roland Deschain. The thought of Aaron Paul playing Eddie Dean made my day :)

Katie Monroe – January 3rd, 2013
After all the comments i totally see Aaron Paul as Eddie! i have little hope of this becoming a movie/tv series anytime soon. Roland trully is my favorite charactor of all time, a close second would have to be Shadow from “American Gods”… With that being said no actor will ever be good enough for either of those charactors for me, because i’ve grown so close to them and my idea of them. Someone will have to just do and hopefully do it well enough.

Jess jess – January 3rd, 2013
I think you should also consider Jensen Ackles as Eddie; he is a natural smart ass and can also be cutting. You would just have to uncute him a bit. I really like him in Supernatural, he’s great with action and he is very likeable.

lea charron – January 3rd, 2013
I have read the DT series a few times and seen every minute of BB and Aaron Paul never occured to me until I saw this post. Sometimes the most obvious answers are right in front of us.

Aaron is absolutely, 100%, Eddie Dean!

CJ – January 3rd, 2013
@ Katie: Two thumbs up to you! That has been my dream team for Roland and Eddie. It’s a long shot, particularly with Daniel Day-Lewis, but you never know….

LD & PN

Maestro208 – January 4th, 2013
I like Jeffrey Dean Morgan for Roland (height is 6 ft 1.5 in), looks a lot like Javier but 5 inches taller. He’d have to slim down a bit, but he has the stare down pat. How about Chandler Riggs for Jake (Carl from walking dead). Zoe Saldana for Suzanna/Detta/Odetta. I can see Aaron Paul as Eddie, but it’s off a bit, I like Ben Foster better, Jensen Ackles too. Tyler Mane for Tick-Toc (sabertooth from first X-Men). James Cromwell for Father Calahan again? Not sure about that… Happy new year, hope this thing gets some traction soon! LD & PN

Mike D19 – January 4th, 2013
Yes, Yes, Yes! Aaron Paul is perfect casting for Eddie! Make it happen, pls.

d5th – January 6th, 2013
Anson Mount from Hell On Wheels is Roland all day long Aaron Paul would be perfect

nitsuj – January 9th, 2013
for the love of god, viggo mortensen was meant to play roland. he was perfect as Aragorn in LOTR.

Thomas – January 10th, 2013
I’d heard great things about Breaking Bad, but this post forced me to actually watch it & I’d be absolutely cool with Aaron Paul as Eddie!He looks very little like how I personally pictured Eddie, but Aaron’s acting chops & personality would be spot on!

Aaron Paul can be a hot head, badass, loyal friend, joker, lover, oh and junkie! Any scene where Jesse breaks down is heart wrenching, and sometimes within the same episode, I’m laughing my ass off at him. He has my vote!

NEVERWELL19 – January 13th, 2013
I think WB is ridiculous for dropping out of this possibly HUGE project. I think it could even become the next Matrix or LotR. Have they ever read any of the Dark Tower series? I personally out of respect and admiration couldn’t see anyone else play Eddie besides Aaron, he’ll bring the right mixture of seriousness plus some comedy. Hopefully someone picks this movie up. Also saw ‘IT’ is gonna be remade, with the graphics now-a-days I can’t wait to see that one.

Tim – January 19th, 2013
Breaking Bad is a dark epic unto itself. Do yourself a favor and watch this show. I concur wholeheartedly, Aaron Paul is perfect for the role of Eddie Dean.

Indrid Cold – January 24th, 2013
Paul would be believable as Eddie!

Craig F – January 24th, 2013
Indrid Cold…love the handle!! What do I have in my right pocket?? ;)

zentune – January 24th, 2013
How about Norman Reedus playing Roland? I think he could pull it off! And Danai Gurira as Susannah? Agree with AP as Eddie…was thinking an opus of this magnitude would have to be handled by someone with a proven track record for multi films…look no further than Peter Jackson!…I think Weta would also do an awesome job of pulling of Mid World, Oy, etc…

Jeremy – January 30th, 2013
When reading Eddie’s character I always pictured James Ransome, aka ziggy from the wire, and this was even before he existed on tv

hunter – February 14th, 2013
I like Stephen Moyer or Andrew Lincoln for Roland, but I despise Russel Crowe, and his presence would ruin the the series for me.

I love Rutina Wesley For Susannah

Daniel Day Lewis for Walter

Aaron Paul’s got my vote (if he grew his hair out) for Eddie.

Jackson – February 28th, 2013
If you’re going to be so fortunate as to get Daniel Day Lewis on board for this, then he absolutely has to play Roland, our main protagonist in this epic journey. As I’ve lobbied for years now, he is perfect for the role, and it would be a godsend to land him for the part. Not just fanboys/girls would love it, but he would bring a wider-sweeping appeal and a reality to these fantasy worlds within Stephen King’s imagination. Just seeing him emerge as Abraham Lincoln, and out and about among the Oscars hub-bub, etc., it reminds me more and more how great a fit he would be. Just like Aaron Paul for Eddie. DDL is very unlikely, unfortunately, but maybe we can go 1-for-2 with these guys.

LD & PN

Maestro208 – February 28th, 2013
Daniel Day Lewis is a chameleon and proved himself able to play one of the most threatening and convincing bad guys ever put to film, and while he has what it takes to play Roland easily, he would bring far more color on the other side of the table. I don’t think he looks right for Roland either. It is difficult to find someone who actually looks the part, so I continually contend Stephen Moyer, Andrew Lincoln, or Viggo Mortenson for Roland, as Anson Mount is too pretty, Timothy Olyphant is too Charsmatic and Russel Crowe is just the worst choice imaginable.

Jackson – February 28th, 2013
i think dylan mcdermott (the practice, american horror story, etc) would be a perfect Roland..

gabrielruiz18125 – March 29th, 2013
We need more news. Where do we stand as of today?

Jeff – March 29th, 2013
I’m seriously starting to suspect that this will never get made. Maybe that’s for the better, they would probably have f’d it up anyway..

Ka like the wind. One day hope was there, the next it was gone..

LD & PN fellow towerjunkies, I’ll return here if some other media one day tells me it’s time to.

Dida-chick? – April 4th, 2013
Hello fellow Gunslingers, this is off topic, but I’m just posting to most recent date. I’ve been enduring the new JJ abrams show “Revolutions”. Nowhere as good as “Lost”. But Dark Tower references is starting to crop up. The bad guy is Randell Flynn, Stephen King’s “The Stand” was prominantly displayed in the last episode, and most significant, Elizabeth Mitchell’s character last line of the last episode has to do with “the Tower”. Then I realized that the title “Revolutions” not only could mean “rebellion” but “the turning of a wheel” like in “ka is a wheel”. Could the world of “Revolutions” be one level of the “Dark Tower” world? The world has definitely “moved on.” The main characters all were following a path up to this point, maybe another “Path of the Beam” with another “Beam”?

Slow Mutant – April 4th, 2013
I think Nicholas Cage would make a great Roland. He can pull off that stone cold look perfectly and I think he’s just perfect for it.

Gangus – April 14th, 2013
I’d caution against hoping for a certain actor to play someone just because you saw him play a character with related issues.

Mike – April 17th, 2013
Thank you, Mike. Exactly. Please, let’s stop with the Viggo Mortensen suggestions, if only because millions of people out there forever see him as “Aragorn”. Like the Lord of the Rings tale, that ship has truly sailed. I would still love Daniel Day Lewis or Michael Fassbender solely based on their abilities and personal make up and qualities, one of which is of utmost importance - onscreen charisma. But, I can dream. A no-name who steals the screen and our hearts would be awesome (a la Lost), though, but I do understand the desire for SOMEone to lead this thing and be a “draw” to the theaters, tv ratings, etc. But the typical “cowboy” role actors out there… ehh. Anson Mount LOOKS the part, but… I think too many people would struggle with also thinking, “Wait, is this Hell on Wheels V.2??” That, and I personally believe DDL and Fassbender are on another level than him.

And throwing out names like Nicholas Cage? Fair enough, this is a free forum, but… are you really serious, Gangus? I mean, do you also want Keanu Reeves to play Eddie? To playfully steal one of King’s/Roland’s lines, if you are serious about Cage, then you have forgotten the face of your father, my friend. ;)

LD & PN

Maestro208 – April 20th, 2013
Rlly hope that ka leelets this go through n soon big fan of bb n think aaron woukd be an awesome eddie dean as for clint eastwood or DDL playin roland they r both oviously top choices but both highly unlikly i think they should deff push for vigo morteneson total underated actor n dont think yud hav to wrry about him over doin thd part gary oldman as callahan 4 sure the kid from waljing dead as jake zoey saldana as sussanah and micheal fassbender as are favorite villain randall flag lol also they could maybe cast some new nobody guy(if they cann find one good enough) for the part of roland sumone upincoming that coukd define their career with one of the greatest stories ever , rlly hope this happens all tower fans keep pushin for progress and there will be water if god wills it thankee sai

soprano19 – April 29th, 2013
holy zombie jesus. i got shills with the thought of him playing Eddie. he would be perfect

Jack – May 3rd, 2013
Now cast Bryon Cranston as The Man in Black (Walter)? and we are rockin.

Charyou – May 4th, 2013
I’m only mid-way through season 2 of Breaking Bad but I must admit, Aaron Paul may be the best Eddie I’ve seen so far. I can defiantly see him as Eddie, assuming he could adopt a New York accent, as presented in book 2. However I’m not sure I’ve seen the “Deep Steel” half of Aaron Paul yet and until I do, I have 3 more seasons to watch after all, then I cant say that I’m completely sold on Aaron Paul just yet. Also Eddie’s character, as well as everyone in the ka-tet, goes though a significant growth through out the books. At half-way through season 2 of breaking bad I’m still questioning if Aaron Paul has enough “depth” as an actor to pull off Eddie Dean.

Aloenam – May 24th, 2013
Only reason people are saying he’d be perfect for Eddie is because that is the same role he plays in Breaking Bad.

ROBERT – September 5th, 2013
Just to jump back on this discussion of who plays Roland–has anyone watched AMC’s Hell on Wheels? Anson Mount is the first actor I’ve actually been excited about as a Roland possibility. He has the right build, and just enough experience to give him legitimacy in tackling this role–while still being unknown enough to not be pigeon-holed into playing the role a certain way. (Which is unfortunately what I see happening with the ever-popular Viggo or Russell choices.)

Just putting that out there.

KNelson – October 7th, 2013
Thought Aaron Paul would be perfect for Eddie since seeing him on Breaking Bad. It was the first thought that jumped in to my head. Has anyone thought about Karl Urnam for Roland? We know he can act from LOTR and from Star Trek. He also fits the part physically. Look at some of the pics of him as Black Hat from the movie Priest. Not one of my favorite films, but it made me think of him fitting the part. Thoughts?

atillathehunny – October 22nd, 2013
Add my vote - Aaron Paul would be a perfect Eddie Dean - a little whiney but tough when needed.

Mike – November 21st, 2013
black hair hazel eyes cough?

dob – December 15th, 2013
I always imagine Eddie Dean to look like Sam Rockwell (the mental one from the green mile). I’ve only seen Aaron Paul in BB but he doesn’t seem hard enough. Not sure for Roland though- definitely NOT Rusel Crow, that would be the worst casting since TomCruise for Jack Reacher

Tom – January 12th, 2014
Why does no-one want Arnie as Roland. I know he isn’t the best actor but Roland wouldn’t have an awful lot of dialogue would he? Arnie seems perfectly suited - I say this because of the bit on one of the books, where the guy in modern day New York witnesses Roland in action, then he goes to the cinema to watch The Terminator, and almost has a heart attack because the guy he sees on the screen is Roland!

Phil – January 21st, 2014
Sorry to be the nay sayer people, in my opinion a good Eddie would be josh hartnett. He has the look and the ability to play a deeply struggling Attica and the seriousness to play a prentice gunslinger. Roland however would be hard to cast, I cannot lie that when I read these novels I think of Clint Eastwood but due to reality he is far to old, except for latter in the series but his son Scott Eastwood would be perfect considering he’s both an actor and east woods twin almost!!

Kyle – February 3rd, 2014
Exelent Eddy Dean, loved him in breaking bad and compares to my vieuw of Eddy Dean in the Dark tower series.

I see a lot of names and actors passing for Roland… i think most are to young and vital… I see Roland more as a father figure..and Especially after his beach encounter with the sea monsters…

sunny – February 15th, 2014
Or get Bryan Cranston as roland and give the story a complete new dimennsion….

Eddy we need to cook!

sunny – February 15th, 2014
The only way anyone can do this series justice is to keep it a series. I’m sure Ron Howard would make a great film. Its just going to disappoint a lot of fans when 80% of the story goes untold. As for casting, a lot of names have been thrown out there. But, the actor that makes the best Roland isn’t going to be some big name actor who is already heavily established into a different role. It will have to be an unknown. First of all. I can’t see Bryan Cranston pulling it off and although Andrew Lincoln is a great choice. He is already firmly planted as Rick on the Walking dead. Aaron Paul might be great as Eddie Dean or he could disappoint, I just haven’t seen his range as an actor. I have nothing bad to say about him. He was great on Breaking bad and has some of the components to make a fine Eddie, but Eddie Dean has a great depth that Jesse Pinkman didn’t have. My number one pick for The Dark Tower is AMC. Their shows are killing it, and they have a casting prowess that’s rarely matched. Maybe I’m just being greedy though.

Long days and pleasant nights

Unkle – February 24th, 2014
He would be great for the Eddie Dean role!

Carol McCrarey – June 23rd, 2014
Wow! I can see now that there isn’t much hope for this project. Especially, if ANYONE thinks that Aaron Paul can pull off Eddie Dean, let alone act. I made it to the end of Breaking Bad only because everything but A.P. was top shelf. I don’t know how many times I got a sandwich, went to the john, fast forwarded, muted, or tuned out during scenes with him in it. Just the sound of his voice makes me want to vomit. As nice of a guy as he may be, I have no interest going to see “Breaking Tower”. This part needs an unknown actor. Too many “big” names spoil the pot. (Not that A.P. is a big name. Just a lousy actor.)

JC – July 13th, 2014
I think Paul would be a decent fit for Eddie, persona wise. Not so sure about looks.

JC, I don’t know if my source is accurate, but from what I’ve heard, Paul is a pretty damn intelligent, decent dude. And I’ve known plenty of junkies and roughneck punks in my life, to say that he plays one, really well.

This is the only idea for a character I’ve seen and went, “Yeah, that could work, dude.” I could also see Javier working for Roland. But I had to think about it for a bit. Everything else makes me facepalm more facepalmy than Picard’s facepalm.

Sassie J. – August 2nd, 2014
In my minds eye I still see Viggo as Roland without a doubt!! Maybe Daniel Day Lewis! But what about Taraji P. Henson for Susannah! She’s hot right now and a great actress that would bring some fans and Cranston for Walter! Eddie is abosolutely Aaron Paul…. But I would like to see Christopher Walken in some role maybe as Walter also!!

Rona – September 12th, 2014
michael fassbender - roland, yes. javier bardem - marten yaya dacosta- susannah yes. ezra miller -eddie dean (ruthless intelligence and charismatic enough to pull off)

sissy – January 16th, 2015
How about Scott Eastwood for Roland Deschain?…

obeah – April 20th, 2015
Jada Pinkett Smith has to be Suzanne

Nancy – November 26th, 2015
No way Jada Pinkett Smith as Suzanne. We need quality actors as our heros. She is no where near the quality.

Andy the Robot – January 10th, 2016
Ben Feldman as Eddie Dean or bust.

leigha – February 5th, 2016