While authorStephen Kinghas always been known as the master of horror, screen adaptions of his books have always been hit-or-miss with general audiences. Some films have become beloved icons, such as Stanley Kubrick’sThe Shining(despite King’s lack of enthusiasm for that particular adaption). Others fail to garner the same love, such asThe Langoliers, and become the subject of debate among fans with differing opinions. Yet the upcomingMax adaption ofSalem’s Lothas many buzzing, thanks to the focus on the unique timeline and the chilling cinematography featured in the trailer of the film. Yet, there is a more significant connection the film shares with Stephen King and his loyal readers, and that is its connection toThe Dark Towerseries.
The epic fantasy series sprawling eight books and connected to dozens of other Stephen King works,The Dark Tower,has been getting attention lately. Mike Flannigan, director and creator of hit shows and films likeHush,The Haunting of Hill House, andLife of Chuck(anotherStephen Kingbook adaption), is set to adapt the books into an onscreen series. Readers are eagerly awaiting updates on the direction the acclaimed director will take with the franchise. One thing that many casual fans may notunderstand is how many of King’s works, includingSalem’s Lot, connect to the overall story and theme ofThe Dark Tower. With that in mind, should the upcoming Max adaption ofSalem’s Lotshare a connection to Mike Flannigan’sThe Dark Towerseries?
Salem’s Lot and The Dark Tower, Explained
Both of these stories can exist simultaneously without needing to cross over. However, there are characters and elements of the books that do intersect, and it is important to understand these stories in order to understand why they must connect.
Salem’s Lottells the storyof a small Maine town that becomes overrun by vampires. Once Richard Straker and his master, Kurt Barlow, arrive in town, the disappearance of two young boys begins a chilling mission of survival. Members of the town, from acclaimed author Ben Mears to teacher Matt Burke, Father Callahan and young Mark Petrie, all come together to stop the vampire threat from spreading further.
However, things don’t go according to plan. Once one of their allies becomes infected and Barlow begins targeting other members of the group, the heroes find themselves facing nearlyan entire town turned into vampires. Some flee to regroup and recover from the attack. Others perish in the battle, but not before they are able to stop Barlow himself once and for all. Later, the survivors return to the town, determined to end the threat once and for all. However, the story leaves readers with an open-ended final scene that leaves the fate of the Lot up in the air.
Meanwhile,The Dark Towerseries is an epic fantasy that tells the story of Roland Deschain, the last known survivor of the group of warriors known as The Gunslingers. Initially alone in his pursuit of the Man in Black, Roland begins a journey tofind the elusive Dark Tower, a nexus point that connects all universes and realities together. Along the way, he befriends and trains an unlikely band of heroes from versions of America in different timelines. Each one has a haunting past that this mission helps bring clarity to. Together they face powerful threats, from a homicidal talking train, to robotic soldiers, to monstrous creatures. Their ultimate foe is an evil villain leading theeffort to topple the Dark Towerand create a reality of chaos, The Crimson King.
One person they manage to pick up to aid in their journey is the aforementioned Father Callahan, who escaped Jeruselm’s Lot and ended up in Roland’s world after much suffering. Father Callahan takes his place among Roland’s makeshift family to find redemption for his inability to stop Barlow all those years before.
Salem’s Lot Needs to Connect to The Dark Tower
There is little doubt thatMike Flannigan’sThe Dark Toweris one of the most ambitious projects coming up in the next few years. The difficulty in trying to bring this project to life cannot be understated, as the story is so epic and long that it cannot be told in a single film. The previous attempt to make this film possible failed because it didn’t touch upon the many other Stephen King stories that made this series possible. From Randal Flag fromThe Standbecoming Roland’s nemesis, to Ted Brautigan inHearts of Atlantiscoming into conflict with The Crimson King’s forces, known as the can-toi, the works of Stephen King are crucial to bringing the vision ofThe Dark Towerto life.
Salem’s Lotfalls directly into that category. The vampire story on its own is terrifying, and will be sure to scare audiences thanks to its all-star producers who helped bringItto life before. However, the film could perfectly serve as an example of what a Stephen King Cinematic Universe looks like. It would allow for characters like Father Callahan to come toThe Dark Towerseries later on, while also expanding upon the vampire lore by including the various types of vampires that are classified in futureDark Towerbooks. These connections are what made theDark Towerbooks so compelling and elevated Roland’s story. With Marvel Studios showing what a shared universe could do for storytelling, it stands to reason bringingStephen King’smultiverse of stories to life in such a connected way will reflect on the overall story in bothSalem’s LotandThe Dark Toweras well.
