[Jimdon]

Director Ron Howard wants Javier Bardem to play troubled hero Roland Deschain in his adaptation of Stephen King’s The Dark Tower. Imagine Entertainment confirms the news first reported by Deadline that the No Country For Old Men star has been offered the lead role in the horror-fantasy-western adaptation, which is currently planned as a big-screen trilogy along with a TV series. (Busy week for Bardem — first he was nominated for an Oscar, then his beautiful wife gave birth to a genetically perfect child, and now this.) The Dark Tower series comprises seven books and forms the connective material between much of King’s work, so there has been much anticipation for the film/TV series. (Early rumors had indicated that fan favorite Viggo Mortensen was also in the running.) The first Dark Tower film is currently scheduled for summer 2013.