Casting Matthew McConaughey as The Man in Black for the film adaptation of Stephen King's The Dark Tower just might go down as one of the greatest casting choices in history. With his charming nature, the ability to intimidate with a slight vocal modulation, and the right threads, his version of King's legendary baddie could be one of the best villains in film history. Of course, without a proper hero, the man also known as "Walter" wouldn't be as effective, and Idris Elba's gunslinger, Roland Deschain, is the perfect opposite of Walter's black hearted nature. Though his heart does seem to have an affinity for Roland, as he values his competition more than anything else in life.
During an interview that's part of Entertainment Weekly's current barrage of all things Dark Tower, McConaughey had nothing but kindly evil words to speak about his cinematic nemesis. You can almost hear his lyrical southern drawl spill forth the following quote, detailing just what Roland means to The Man in Black:
I revere him. He's really the only true adversary I have...He's very precious to me. I almost don't want to see him go...My love, my adoration, my muse, my shadow, is Roland.
Much like the Joker and his obsession with Batman, The Man in Black is both a source of antagonism and encouragement in The Dark Tower, as Matthew McConaughey went on to mention how his character does all that he can to keep Roland pursuing him. Of course, Walter has his own motivations, as he's on a quest to destroy The Tower and collapse all of the universes connected to its presence, paving the way for the force known as The Crimson King to rule all the worlds connected by The Tower. All of this, in exchange for a seat at the right hand of the ultimate evil in the Dark Tower universe.
Reading all of Matthew McConaughey's remarks on just how crazy The Dark Tower is going to be is enough to hype us for the film's release next February. Much like Roland, this Man in Black is pumping us up for the battle to end all battles, and the more we read, the more we're looking forward to this long awaited cinematic adaptation. It's hard to believe that in the span of a few short years, we went from losing out on a huge TV / Movie adaptation of the books to a trilogy of films that might tell the story in a new and exciting way. And at the center of it all is two of the finest actors of our modern time, chasing each other throughout wastelands and cities, fighting the fight of good and evil.
The Dark Tower unfolds its secrets to us all on February 17, 2017.
