Stephen King's magnum opus, a fantasy-horror series known as The Dark Tower, is once again on the path toward being turned into a movie series. Deadline reports that Sony Pictures will finance and distribute the first movie in what is intended to be a larger franchise. There are eight books in the series, which is about a "gunslinger" in a magical, Western world who's trying to find a weakening tower that's keeping the world together. The first film will be based on the series' first book, The Gunslinger, and is being written by Akiva Goldsman, who previously co-wrote I Am Legend, and Jeff Pinkner, who recently co-write The Amazing Spider-Man 2.

"This is a brilliant and creative approach to my books."

"I’m excited that The Dark Tower is finally going to appear on the screen," King says in a statement. "This is a brilliant and creative approach to my books."

While there have been attempts to bring The Dark Tower to the screen before, it sounds as though this one may actually happen. Deadline reports that The Dark Tower is being put on a fast track and that Sony already intends to start searching for a director. It's no surprise to hear of Sony's interest, either: the studio really wants franchises, and this seems like a decent shot at one. Media Rights Capital is reportedly co-financing the project. It's also developing a TV spinoff on the side.