Director Ron Howard is close to finalizing a deal with Warner Bros. to release the first film based on the Stephen King post-apocalyptic western book ‘The Dark Tower,’ Deadline is reporting. The studio expressed interest after Universal Pictures turned down the option to make three films and two limited-run TV series based on the book series. Javier Bardem may still appear as gunslinger Roland Deschain, with Akiva Goldsman, who wrote the script, on board to produce with Brian Grazer and King.

Goldsman is reportedly working on a rewrite of the script, and production is set to begin in the first quarter of 2013. The development comes after ‘The Dark Tower’ began searching for new backing after Universal dropped it last July. The news of Universal pulling its support came two months after the studio decided to postpone the production for a summer shoot, in an effort to cut the budget.

At the time, Universal only committed to the first film, which led to Howard taking the project back elsewhere to show it elsewhere. While Universal denies that it was only willing to make the film, ‘Heroes’ and ‘Battlestar Galactica’ writer-producer Mark Verheiden was brought on board to co-write the TV component with Goldsman.

Written by: Karen Benardello