At long last, the very first trailer for the long-in-development adaptation ofThe Dark Towerhas arrived. The movie comes out in just a few short months and we now have a good sense of what Stephen King’s epic fantasy series looks like in live-action form. Those who have read the books know thatThe Dark Towertakes a lot of lore from other Stephen King books and ties it all together. So, quite appropriately, there are a few Easter eggs inThe Dark Towertrailer to other Stephen King works, such asITandThe Shining.
Sony’s first trailer forThe Dark Towerhas quite a few people excited, but die hard fans of the novels will be quick to notice that the movie is going to be very different. That is because it isn’t adapting any of the eight books directly. Instead, the movie is taking place after the events of the final novel, so there are a lot of scenes and sequences in this trailer that aren’t in the novels. But there are still several very interesting Easter eggs in the trailer, such as one that directly referencesIT.
At one point in the trailer, we see Jake Chambers, played by Tom Taylor, wandering through a very foggy and creepy forest. He stumbles upon a huge, old sign that says Pennywise in bold lettering. That is the name that the child-eating clown fromITis known by. In the same shot, there is also some floating balloons, which also happen to be another trademark forIT. With the newITmovie coming out not long afterThe Dark Towerhits theaters, this is probably a pretty smart Easter egg to throw in the movie.
One of the other major Easter eggs in the trailer comes in the form ofThe Overlook Hotel. That just so happens to be the main location in Stephen King’sThe Shining. The actual hotel isn’t featured in the trailer, but there is a picture of The Overlook Hotel on the desk of Jake’s psychiatrist. What is really interesting is that this segment of the trailer takes place on Earth and not in the realm that much ofThe Dark Towertakes place in. There is no telling what this could ultimately mean in terms of connective tissue between Stephen King’s works, but this is something to pay attention to when the movie comes out.
Lastly, there is a very quick reference toThe Crimson King, but it is a possibly important one. At one point inThe Dark Towertrailer, Matthew McConaughey’s The Man In Black, the villain of the movie, taps on a wall covered in graffiti that reads, “All hail The Crimson King.” Stephen King fans may know that is a terrifying evil from stories likeBlack HouseandInsomnia. The Crimson King also has ties to Randall Flagg, who is the main villain fromThe Stand. This is a significant name drop and one that could help setThe Dark Towerup as a movie that pretty much creates the Stephen King cinematic universe.
The Dark Toweris directed by Nikolaj Arcel and is set for release on June 29, 2025. The cast for the movie includes Idris Elba, Matthew McConaughey, Tom Taylor,Katheryn Winnick, Abby Lee, Nicholas Hamilton, Claudia Kim and Jackie Earle Haley. In case you missed it, or if you just want to get a good look at these Easter eggs, you can check outThe Dark Towertrailer for yourself below.
