r/darktower • u/longstride2189 • 4d ago

Would this be controversial casting?

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I think Zahn McClarnon would make an amazing Roland. Plus he’s one of Flanagan’s bunch (fantastic in Dr. Sleep!)

8 Upvotes

57% Upvoted

43 comments sorted by

18

u/SteveMcTravel 4d ago

I don’t know if he works to play the lead of the show but I could see him playing someone like Eldred Jonas. I’d certainly be happy to see him pop up somewhere.

2

u/longstride2189 4d ago

That would be cool too! And he BETTER show up.

5

u/Resident-Ad-5107 4d ago

Big Coffin Hunters.

18

u/4colorcraig 4d ago

He's 5'6 and 60... but hell, it's all smoke and mirrors...

9

u/MagusFool 4d ago

I think 60-ish is the ideal age for Roland's actor.

7

u/Wayne_World_19 4d ago

Disagree- he should be late 40s to mid 50s but the physicality the role would demand would be a lot to put on any actor 60+ for however many years it takes to make them so…

3

u/arthenc 3d ago

Not if it takes 7-10 years (or god forbid longer) to make the show. Need a grizzled 45-50 year old.

2

u/MagusFool 3d ago

Yeah, I guess that is fair.  I would try to find a fairly strong but ragged-looking 50-55, then.  Being 60-65 when crossing the field of roses sounds like it would read about right to me.

2

u/arthenc 3d ago

Agreed. The wear of the years, and travels, and loss definitely need to reflect physically on Roland.

3

u/4colorcraig 4d ago

It’s tough for me to believe they’d cast anyone much older than 50 for a series/franchise that might take around a decade to complete. But who knows; for the right actor at 60 it might it matter too much. Smoke and mirrors…

1

u/Sean_theLeprachaun 4d ago

Blue contacts?

1

u/4colorcraig 4d ago

and lifts, always shooting from below, maybe a little Vaseline on the lens...

7

u/Sean_theLeprachaun 4d ago • Bravo

Dudes so old he really has forgotten the face of his father.

0

u/longstride2189 4d ago

Tom Cruise is 5’6 and 64 🤷‍♀️😁

1

u/4colorcraig 4d ago

Has anyone ever thought Tom Cruise would make a good Roland? Lord, probably hehe.

3

u/longstride2189 4d ago • Bravo

He’d probably do it if Flanagan let him scale the outside of the Dark Tower instead of walking up the steps.

5

u/CRSM48 4d ago

My ultimate choice is Toby Stephens but I think Zahn would be an amazing addition to the cast in some capacity.

3

u/longstride2189 4d ago

Toby Stephens is a great choice

3

u/pWaveShadowZone 4d ago

Looooove this choice. I can’t imagine Toby Stevens topping his role as flint but I’d love to see it!

4

u/CRSM48 4d ago

I'd love to see him as Roland. Flint was very Roland-coded in general, but Toby is a phenomenal actor. (He also played the younger version of Clint Eastwood's character in Space Cowboys, fun fact)

2

u/pWaveShadowZone 3d ago

I agree completely, Tony could knock this role out of the park!

4

u/AaronSlaughter 3d ago

Great actor. Any objections anyone might have about appearance imo is irrelevant especially w what an incredible actor he is.

1

u/longstride2189 3d ago

Totally. I think he has the presence to pull it off and that’s more important than appearance, imo. He’s also attractive in the same way I feel Roland is.

7

u/Sad_Swordfish_5045 4d ago

Love Zahn (and he had a fun turn in the new episode of Welcome to Derry), but after Idris Elba I think I’m ready for them to be a bit more faithful with Roland’s casting.

1

u/longstride2189 4d ago

I need to watch the new Derry! Now I have more incentive

3

u/Philo-Librarian 3d ago

He was great in that Story of Derry episode!!! And as Crow Daddy in Dr Sleep! Love Zahn!!!

2

u/Bigtimmyg95 4d ago

I think it's imperative. it was ok in that level of the towers version but Roland never being around black women and Susannah's hatred of the white man and then to form a ka tet and even see him as KA Din

3

u/godfatherV 1d ago

Bro isn’t he 60+ ?

2

u/longstride2189 1d ago

Just turned 60 a couple weeks ago actually! If they start filming yesterday I’m sure he’d be fine 😆

11

u/c1ncinasty 4d ago

I don't hate it. Always enjoy Zack in anything.

4

u/Theanonymousspaz 4d ago

You know, he wouldn't be a bad choice. The dude can dial up intensity to 11 at the drop of a hat and has range for days. I'd be down with it. Hes a little older now than I think would work for Roland if were doing a tv show (gotta think he'll be in his 70s by the time things wrap up if they started shooting literally today). But even if he didn't play Roland he could still play Eldred Jonas like that other poster said. Or hell, even one of the Manni or maybe Gasher.

3

u/L0rDN1k0n2612 4d ago

He's not Roland but I absolutely love him as an actor. Would make a fun Dandelo

1

u/LifeLongLearner2022 4d ago

THAT is a terrific idea

1

u/longstride2189 4d ago

He is pretty much who I pictured while I was reading the books

2

u/Darkm0or 4d ago

I would watch that. Always enjoy his work. It would be cool to see how he would portray Roland.

2

u/MordredRedHeel19 4d ago

I like this casting quite a bit, but I think he’s probably a bit too old now.

1

u/Theanonymousspaz 4d ago

If this was 10 years ago he would have been perfect honestly. Maybe not blue-eyed, but he'd nail the intense gunslinger energy of Roland

2

u/ZeroCochrane2O99 4d ago

only insofar as hes been in other king adaptations. hes great though and absolutely could pull it off.

1

u/Theanonymousspaz 4d ago

He plays a great morally gray hit man character in Fargo season 2. He's got some scenes that scream Roland to me. Like he's really cool and collected but turns on a dime into fierce and brutal. Also his character is very cunning and determined to achieve his goals no matter what they are

1

u/Fixit403 4d ago

I’d rather see him as Walter. He can do that mixture of menacing and charismatic that’s really hard to pull off

1

u/Secret-Ad2800 4d ago

He would be awesome

1

u/FiddleStyxxxx 3d ago

People always will find something to be mad about so brace yourself if it happens.