The Dark Tower Has Finally Begun Filming After Years of Development Hell

Sony Pictures Entertainment's The Dark Tower has started filming, Stephen King announced Wednesday.

Based on King's seven-book multi-genre series series, The Dark Tower film stars Idris Elba and Matthew McConaughey on the main roles of the gunslinger (Roland Deschain) and the man in black (Walter Padick), respectively.

Efforts to adapt King's novels have been going on since 2007, having gone through three different phases of planning: initially with J.J. Abrams from 2007 to 2009, then with Ron Howard from 2010 to 2015, and currently with Nikolaj Arcel (with Howard remaining in a producing role).

"The thing is, it's been a long trip from the books to the film," King said when the film adaptation entered production. "I'm delighted, and I'm a little bit surprised."

King has described The Dark Tower as his magnum opus, wherein he developed a world that connects together many of his novels. The Dark Tower is said to take place during the events of just the first book of King's series.

Directed by Nikolaj Arcel (A Royal Affair), The Dark Tower set to release in theateres on January 13, 2017.