He definitely has the look for the part. However, unless someone can come up with some sort of reverse aging device or serum, I doubt I'll be able to go see these movies. I love this series of books so much, and have pictured Clint Eastwood, in his youth, as Roland for so many years, that I don't think I could possibly enjoy the movie with someone else in the role. It would be like going to see a remake of The Godfather with Homer Simpson as Don Corleone.

Beamer, I always did that too, my head would be filled with Eastwood's image but there's just no way that he could possibly play the part now.

How bout Hugh Jackman?

Bale would be perfect in the role. Hope that's one bit of casting that comes off.

Mitch, that's a good suggestion, although I was thinking more of Guy Pearce.

all i know is they need to get Rutina Wesley from True Blood to be Susannah. She would totally be able to pull off the Detta Walker persona to a T.

What about Jon Hamm for Roland?

I had a look and he's not a bad choice. Nestor Carbonell, Richard from Lost, could be another. Anyone who has that look I guess.

I do think Tom Welling from "Smallville" would make a good, and believable Eddie Dean, as for Roland? It's impossible for me to guess. I definately think that Rutina Wesley would be a good choice as far as spitfire goes, but I don't know if she fits the role of Odetta, maybe Detta, but not both. Paul Walker could make a good Cuthbert for the Jericho Hill scene, but who would play him as a boy? I think Peter Stomare would make an excellent Randall Flagg/Marten Broadcloak as well.

My thoughts are:

Halle Berry for Detta, Odetta and susannah

Edward Norton for Eddie Dean

As for Roland I don't know if I like Bale in the part and I am a big fan of Bale. I think like everyone else here I just see Clint when I think of Roland. Hugh Jackman would be o.k. but not really feeling that either. We will just have to wait and see.

Edward Norton, great choice for Eddie Dean.

However the most inspired piece of casting here has to be Peter Stomare for Flagg. I love that idea.

Daniel Craig has the blue eyes and the way he plays bond without hardly cracking his face would carry over to the role of the gunslinger well. Also i dont think the gunslinger should have an american accent after all in the books roland is a direct decendant of King arthur

I just saw the first few episodes of Tru Blood, and the actor who plays the lead vampire in there looks like he could really pull off the role.

Stephen Moyer. I don't know how he turns out later on in the series, but for the first few that's all I thought, Roland.

Roland: Viggo Mortenson
Walter O'dim: Rufus Sewell
Eddie Dean: James McAvoy
Susannah Dean: Vivica A. Fox

I don't know about everyone else, but I like these choices myself.

no way can christian bale be Roland. The key to getting a good Roland is to get an unknown actor who nobody can project their memories onto him from another movie. Who knows who it'll be, just not christian. Personally the only character i think would be good would be the black lady from CSI miami for Susannah.

No way!!
IMHO, Bale is an extremely overrated actor (Not bad, but overrated... Extremely.) & Hollywood has just decided he's the hot stuff lately. To be honest I have no idea who would make the perfect Roland but I know one thing for sure, It ain't Bale. I'd say go for an unknown, but please make sure he can act!

I also second for Stephen Moyer, having watched him as 'Bell' on HBO's "True Blood". I believe he's got the right look, and would give a very memorable performance as 'Roland Deschain of Gilead'.

Yeah! Thanks Roger, someone finally agrees. I think he'd be perfect.

I think Hugh Jackman would be a good Roland. He's tall and he has 'the look'.

As for the others, i doubt there will be many big name actors. There are way too many characters that die too fast. It's not like they're going to pay Nicole Kidman to be Alice of Tull for about twelve minutes.

And people, if you love the books, i would advise you don't see the movie. It cannot be captured to its full extent on screen. You will most likely be disappointed.

PS: Jake...?

Eddie- maybe Daniel Radcliff has the look, if he was older...? Maybe not the acting skill though....

PPS: I swear to god, my captcha was "astin 19,990,000" The world truly is going nineteen. (the last bit was sarcasm, i'm not one of the crazy people that thinks the books are real. Although that really was my captcha.)

Along with the majority of Dark Tower junkies, I'd always hoped to see Clint Eastwood play Roland in any film version of The Dark Tower.

The recent association of Christian Bale to the character role prompted this thought....given Arnold Schwarzenegger’s (sort of) cameo appearance in the new Terminator film.

How logistically possible would it be to have Clint voice the role while a body double and face masking is used. It could give the whole proceeding an extra kind of other worldly feel while bringing a sense of fulfilment that the role is being cast to the actor who was destined to play him.

Ooh I don't think that's a good idea, especially with the technology now. We'd either end up with the whole film motion captured, or looking like the Arnie CGI effect in Terminator Salvation.

I think they're better to go with a real actor, and I still stick by Stephen Moyer from True Blood.

I know everyone is crying about it not being a time travelling young clint eastwood, but why couldn't clint maybe be Steven Deschain? Or even Arthur Eld in flashbacks?

You know who would really work for Roland if he could pull the accent off is Daniel Craig. He's got the cold eyes...

Bale hmm. I think not. Viggo Mortensen would be the best choice, making Daniel Craig a close second. Remember Roland is suppose to be "double ugly" not in a physically unattractive way. Craig kind of has that quality. When he smiles his face contorts. Viggo has the same quality not as much as Craig but Viggo can pull the part off smoother. (Why can’t we make Eastwood young again? DAMN) Sorry Halle but your out. Norton is a good choice for Dean. He can be vulnerable and a badass. This is essential for the character. Now as for Jake that’s a tough one.

Whoever said James MacAvoy for Eddie Dean has it right. He's perfect. As for Roland, I think it should be an unknown, nobody too famous. I don't know if Christian Bale would be right.

I think Zachary Quinto, the one that plays Sylar on Heroes, would fit the part perfectly. He's got the whole rugged good/evil look to him that would, in my mind, be the best fit for Roland.

Quinto might look the part but is he too well known for his role in Heroes and subsequently Star Trek?

I see Jon Hamm, Josh Brolin or Dylan McDermott as Roland. But I'd probably be ok with Bale.

Please for God's sake get someone who can actually act to play Roland. If anyone is going to make this movie (and by this movie I mean these movies) I hope they don't half ass it and cast some mediocre TV or HBO star as the main character. I'm a fan of True Blood, I've seen every episode, but just because Stephen Moyer looks the part of Roland doesn't mean he can play the part. In fact it would serve in the movie's best interest to make sure that ALL of the main characters can act.

Christian Bale is a pretty good actor, I mean most of the movies he's in are good ones, but Bale is simply too young to play Roland.

Viggo Mortensen would be good to, but he already did the Lord of the Rings movies in a pretty similar role.

Yeah, Danieal Craig has blue eyes. He also has blonde hair, so no fucking way.

Hugh Jackman looks the part, but he already did the X-Men movies so he is too easily recognizable.

Even though Roland is a descendant of King Arthur, Stephen King created the character in the image of the "Man with No Name"(Clint Eastwood's character in "The Dollars Trilogy"), so he needs to speak in an American accent. Of course, this doesn't rule out actors from outside the states, it just rules out accents.

Daniel Day-Lewis would make an excellent Roland. He's a great actor. He's old enough to play the part. He looks the part, and he isn't recognizable because he plays very different characters in all of his movies (like most good actors do).

The actor who would play Eddie Dean needs to be someone who can pull of the New York accent and is the right age. Edward Norton would be a good cast if the movie was made ten years ago. Leonardo DiCaprio is my favorite, but I don't think he would agree to do the movie. James McAvoy isn't a bad choice either.

Rutina Wesley from True Blood was a great suggestion for Susannah. I think of her playing Detta every time I watch that show. Zoe Saldana from the Star Trek movie would be good as well. Let's face it, Halle Berry wouldn't do this movie.

I honestly can't think of a kid to play Jake.

Now lets start with my favorite character, The Man in Black. If any character in this movie needs to be played by someone who can act its him. He is the primary antagonist, not the Crimson King who appeared for like ten pages in the entire seven book series.

The best actor for Walter/ Randal Flagg/ Marten/ The Man in Black is Johnny Depp. Depp is the best there is at playing crazy, unique, and memorable characters. Plus who wouldn't see this movie if Depp was in it?

Now if they were going make these movies they would need to make them all at the same time like they did the Lord of the Rings Trilogy. That way when parts of Roland's past are revealed to us in the first and fourth books the actors playing younger Roland, Cuthbert, Alain, and Susan Delgado wouldn't age dramatically.

Finally I would like to close on who should be the movie's director. J.J. Abrams is a good choice, but no one would do a better job at capturing the wild west aspect of the novels like Quentin Tarrantino. He's also the only director who could assemble the A-list group of actors that I've named.

My preference for Roland, would not be Christian Bale. I do not like him as an actor. He has killed Batman and the Terminator for me. Please no Bale. Never thought about Guy Pearce, but I could see that or even Stephen Moyer from True Blood (Bill Compton).

Roland-Stephen Moyer or Guy Pearce (really starting to like that one)
Susannah/Odetta-Sanaa Lathan (but it will probably be Zoe Saldana)
Eddie Dean-James McAvoy YES
Jake-Colton Parsons

Roland Deschain: Daniel day Lewis. 'period'

Eddie dean: Jason lee pulls off the smart ass attitude perfectly

Jake chambers: Haley Joel Osment would have been great six years ago

Detta/ Odetta/ Susanna dean: Alfre Woodard or Jennifer Hudson or Kimberly Elise, i think any of them would be be good

remember if youve read all the books.you have that mental picture of what roland would look like. its hardly christian bale is it.and hugh jackmans an even worse shout.difficult to say who it could be,unless clint eastwood wakes up tomorrow 40 years younger.use your imaginations just as everyone could have been sparticus.each one of us could be roland.

Roland - Javier Bardem (minus 25 lbs)
Jake - Freddie Highmore
Eddie Dean - James McAvoy
Detta/Odetta - khandi alexander

Dream team

Calyton Froning is Eddie Dean. He aims with his heart.

Josh Hartnett as young Roland, Daniel-Day Lewis as mature Roland

Josh Hartnett=young Roland
Daniel-Day Lewis=mature Roland
Rosario Dawson=Odetta
Casey Affleck=Eddie Dean
Max Pirkis=Jake Chambers
Jeremy Irons=The Man in Black
James Cromwell=Father Callahan

Please oh please not another crappy Star Trek film first! They have gotten worse and worse (see redlettermedia).

Clint Eastwood? I never pictured him while reading the books. Just a different feel. Anthony Hopkins would make a great Randall Flagg.

And for those who don't know, it's all real. The world is going 19.

well there are a lot of good suggestions but plz!!
bale to play roland! no way! i would go for john hamm he seems like a perfect badass gunslinger, daniel day lewis would be great also, craig has de cold blue eyes and badass attitude for the job, and maybe mortensen, this would be my choices, zaldana to play sussanah, great!, but bale, hes a good actor but cmon! i just can picture it

@Gilead

I very much approve of your list! I might swap in Willem Dafoe or Zeljko Ivanek for Walter, but if push comes to shove, I would take your list in a heartbeat.

I can see Roland in Day-Lewis. That fury and smoldering rage in the eyes is something that he can totally pull off. Affleck is a fine choice for Eddie and Rosario for Susannah is perfect.

CHRISTIAN BALE would be perfect. and we all know he is a superb actor! Not to mention, he looks great too!

Limitations reside only in our minds. However if we make use of our creativeness, our choices become unlimited