Why Matthew McConaughey Rejected Marvel For A Disastrous Stephen King Adaptation

The mid-2010s have been a good time for Matthew McConaughey, who discovered himself gaining a newfound stage of respect as an actor for his one-two punch of “True Detective” and “Interstellar” in 2014. The executives over at Marvel appeared to pay attention to The McConaissance, which is why they requested him to hitch the solid of “Guardians of the Galaxy: Quantity 2.” He would’ve performed Star Lord’s father, Ego, and we’re positive he would’ve accomplished an ideal job at it. (Not that we now have any complaints about Kurt Russell’s efficiency, thoughts you.)

However McConaughey declined the provide, opting as an alternative to star in “The Darkish Tower,” a fantasy film that additionally got here out in 2017. Whereas “Guardians of the Galaxy: Quantity 2” was a giant essential/field workplace success, this film was a complete flop. Followers of the e-book it was adapting (“The Gunslinger”) hated it, critics hated it, and common viewers discovered it forgettable. The movie made again its finances on the field workplace, however nonetheless earned nowhere close to sufficient to justify a sequel. It actually looks as if it was the flawed alternative for McConaughey, however he had some good causes for the choice. 

“I like ‘Guardians of the Galaxy,'” he informed the Unbiased on the time, “However what I noticed was, ‘It is profitable, and now we have got room to make a colourful half for one more big-name actor.’ I would really feel like an modification.” In the meantime, he’d get to be the co-lead of “The Darkish Tower,” serving as a significant a part of the collection from day one. “I could be the creator, the creator of the Man in Black — a.ok.a. the Satan — in my model of this Stephen King novel,” he defined. 

The logic is admittedly a little bit unusual. I do not know any “Guardians of the Galaxy” followers who’d describe Kurt Russell’s Ego as an “modification,” for one. The character served a significant, memorable position within the trilogy, then left when the time was proper for the character. In the meantime, the “Darkish Tower” books function a transparent instance of how characters could be added within the sequels with out feeling like amendments. Two of its finest, most necessary characters — Eddie and Susannah — do not present up till e-book 2, and readers love them.

Ultimately, it is possible the primary cause McConaughey picked “The Darkish Tower” was as a result of the film merely appealed extra to his style. He described the film as, “A unbelievable thriller that takes place in one other realm, an alternate universe, however it’s very a lot grounded.” He later added, “I loved approaching my character as if I have been the Satan having time, getting turned on by exposing human hypocrisies wherever he finds them.” 

It is simple to see what he means; his and Idris Elba’s performances have been one of the best components of the film, the one parts nobody can complain about. The film itself might not have accomplished a lot justice to the supply materials, however McConaughey did justice to the Man in Black, in any other case generally known as Walter Padick, or Randall Flagg. (He is received loads of names.) If issues had gone in response to plan, McConaughey’s character would’ve returned within the sequels to proceed wreaking havoc. 

As an alternative, any sequel plans the collection might have had have been put to an finish shortly after the film launched. “Darkish Tower” followers spent the following few years with none hope of , trustworthy adaptation, earlier than Amazon introduced that a TV adaptation was within the works in 2022. This one shall be run by Mike Flanagan, who has beforehand tailored “Physician Sleep” and “Gerald’s Sport” with nice success. The main points on the undertaking are nonetheless sparse, however they’re going to possible be casting somebody new in the primary roles. The way forward for the “Darkish Tower” collection in Hollywood continues to be vivid, however sadly on the subject of McConaughey’s position within the collection, it looks as if the world has moved on.