Earlier this month, fans of The Dark Tower were given a ray of hope when Warner Bros. expressed interest in picking up the ambitious project after Universal turned it down. The studio received a new draft of the screenplay by Akiva Goldsman, with Russell Crowe in contention to play Roland Deschain. Today, we have word that Warner Bros. decided to pass on the project.

To be honest it’s not that surprising, as director Ron Howard has incredibly ambitious and expensive plans for the adaptation, which would be a massive risk for anyone who wants to take it on, especially as the director wants any financier to sign on for the whole project, rather than just seeing how things go as they go along.

The plan is to produce a trilogy of movies, with two limited-run TV series between each movie. Director Ron Howard and producer Brian Grazer will still try to shop the project to other studios, although it isn’t known if Russell Crowe will still be available to star. The story centres on Roland Deschain, the last in a line of gunslingers who journeys to The Dark Tower, in a last-ditch effort to save humanity. (Source: Variety)

Ron Howard has grand plans for The Dark Tower, initially setting up it up as a trilogy at Universal Pictures, with two limited-run TV series’ to air between the movies. However the studio was nervous and wouldn’t commit to the entire thing, and so they dropped it.

More recently Warner Bros has been sniffing around and now Deadline reports the studio is about to receive a new version of the script by Akiva Goldsman, and that Russell Crowe may be stepping in to play Roland Deschain, a role previously set for Javier Bardem. The studio will make their decision on whether or not to give a green light to the ambitious project within the next two weeks.

Crowe’s involvement isn’t definite yet, but the actor has been discussing it with Ron Howard and Brian Grazer, and getting an A-list star may be a key component in getting this ambitious project off the ground. The film is about Deschain, the last in a long line of gunfighters, who journeys to The Dark Tower in a last-ditch effort to save humanity, based on Stephen King’s seven-part book series.

After years of The Dark Tower being passed from pillar to post through various studios and filmmakers, but never getting close to being made, it finally seemed ambitious plans were coming together at Universal, with Ron Howard directing three movies, which would have bridging TV series. However then the studio looked at the costs, wouldn’t commit to more than a single film, and so the whole thing fell apart last July.

Since then Howard and his producing partner Brian Grazer have been looking for a new home, and it seems they may have found one in Warner Bros, according to Variety. Howard has already agreed to slightly split the project up, with HBO handling the TV part, and now Warner hopefully coming on board for the film. As both Warner and HBO are part of the same company, it makes sense for them to work together on this.

JavierBardem has long been attached to star in The Dark Tower as Roland Deschain, a nomadic gunslinger who discovers he is humanity’s last hope, as he goes out in search of The Dark Tower. With all the uncertainty, Javier Bardem is only loosely attached to the role now, and his participation hinges on his schedule. If a deal is made with Warner Bros., it is believed that production may start in early 2013.