Watch: ‘The Dark Tower’ Trailer

Time for a confession: even though I’m a huge Stephen King fan, I could never get into his Dark Tower series. I tried — I swear I did! I made it all the way to Wizard and Glass before pulling the plug. But King’s fantasy saga is wildly popular with many, and a film adaptation of the books has been making the rounds through Hollywood for years. Now, Nikolaj Arcel is adapting the series for the big screen, and he’s clearly taking some liberties with the material. But The Dark Tower has two great leads — Idris Elba, a wonderful actor who just can’t seem to find the right film role, and Matthew McConaughey, who has experienced a bit of a lag following his big comeback but is still able to deliver when he feels like it. The marketing for The Dark Tower has been slightly troubling, as has the fact that the film has been pushed back several times before settling on its current August release date. At last, the first trailer for the film is here, and you can check it out below. The Dark Tower opens August 4.

Roland Deschain (Idris Elba), the last Gunslinger, is locked in an eternal battle with Walter O’Dim (Matthew McConaughey), also known as the Man in Black. The Gunslinger must prevent the Man in Black from toppling the Dark Tower, the key that holds the universe together. With the fate of worlds at stake, two men collide in the ultimate battle between good and evil.