For all of the fanfare surrounding Sony’s upcoming adaptation of Stephen King’s The Dark Tower, the film is still shrouded in mystery.
A new teaser released by the studio last night during the BET Awards, however, is hoping to clear up some of the confusion. One of the most interesting parts of the video comes toward the end, which includes new footage of the Gunslinger, the film’s main protagonist played by Idris Elba, and the Man in Black, an antagonist played by Matthew McConaughey. The two men, wielding the weapons they have at their disposal, show off what they’re capable of in ways that we haven’t seen until now.
The Dark Tower follows Roland Deschain, the last of a line of men known as gunslingers, who journeys across a post-apocalyptic world to track down an evil figure known as the Man in Black. The only thing the Man in Black wants to see is the total destruction of Earth and it’s up to Deschain to stop him.
Paired with the new footage is behind-the-scenes interviews with McConaughey, Elba and King, who each give their take on what the movie means to them. At one point, King says that it’s “really incredible” to see the Gunslinger come to life with Elba. Prior to Elba being cast, King said he envisioned a Clint Eastwood-type playing his core hero, but has applauded the studio’s decision to bring on Elba. Since then, King has become one of Elba’s biggest fans, admitting that he can’t think of anyone else who could do the job better.
“I think [Elba's] a terrific actor, I think he's one of the best actors working in the business now," King told Entertainment Weekly. "And Matthew McConaughey is a terrific actor. They're both great. And the idea of seeing the two of them in opposition of each other is very exciting to me.”
The Dark Tower will be released on Aug. 4.
