Matthew McConaughey

The years-in-the-making adaptation of Stephen King’s epic fantasy series finally comes to the screen. But was it worth the wait?

The world approaches a great cataclysm in the latest trailer for the upcoming adaptation of Stephen King’s fantasy novel The Dark Tower, but the specific nature of that cosmic upheaval, I know not what. Not having read the source novel, I’ve decided to go into the film cold when it premieres on August 4, and so far, I’ve done a pretty solid job of keeping myself unsullied by plot revelations. The new international trailer does me a favor, too, by playing all of its details of plot close to the vest. There’s a whole lot of ominous talking, stars Idris Elba and Matthew McConaughey appear to have some manner of beef that could decide the fate of the known universe, but beyond that, I’m in the dark (tower).

By this point in a big film’s marketing cycle, we typically would have seen a couple trailers, a ton of posters, lengthy magazine pieces, the works. In contrast, there has been so little concrete info out there on The Dark Tower, which opens in theaters in almost exactly three months, that some people (like, y’know, me) began to doubt whether the movie would open on time, or even if it existed at all.

If I haven't mentioned it before, I love to spend time with my grandchildren. So yesterday I decided to take my oldest granddaughter out for lunch at any place she wanted to go in Owatonna and then to see the movie Sing. She was so excited to be able to spend a day with just Grandpa that she even wore her new dress and some fancy shoes...