Stephen King Has Teased A New Dark Tower Book, But What Could It Actually Be About?

Stephen King has teased a new book in The Dark Tower universe, which raises the question of what the new installment could focus on. The first Dark Tower book, The Gunslinger, was published in 1982 and introduced the story of Roland Deschain. More than two decades later, King ended the series with the publication of The Dark Tower in 2004, which culminates Roland's journey. He later wrote an additional novel, The Wind Through the Keyhole, which was published in 2012 and takes place between the fourth and fifth books.

King has now teased a new Dark Tower book as he shared that he is "back in Mid-World...and the Territories" and that while he is unsure of what this venture will amount to, "it's good to be back." In addition to the eight novels and "The Little Sisters of Eluria" novella in The Dark Tower series, the books also connect to many of King's other works, including Salem's Lot, The Stand, The Talisman, Black House, and The Eyes of the Dragon. Given The Dark Tower's vast scope, there are many possibilities for what the new book's story could be.

Could The Dark Tower Continue After The 2004 Ending?

This Wouldn't Be The First Time It's Happened

Since The Dark Tower concludes with Roland beginning yet another quest to the titular destination, the new book could take place after the 2004 novel's ending. It could show what happens to Roland on his next journey to the Dark Tower, this time with the Horn of Eld in his possession, or another future version of the quest given the loop that he is stuck in. This could potentially answer whether this time will actually be different for Roland, or if he will be forever stuck in the same cycle.

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However, these answers could potentially undermine The Dark Tower's powerful conclusion, which is Stephen King's best ending. A sequel of Roland's new journey was also already attempted in the 2017 Dark Tower movie adaptation, starring Idris Elba as Roland, and it did not do well, as the movie was poorly received. While King would do a better job with this kind of narrative than the movie did, it is unlikely that he would simply tell a different version of the story he already spent decades telling and bringing to a satisfying ending.

Where Else Could Another Dark Tower Book Fit In The Timeline?

The Wind Through The Keyhole Offered A Compelling Approach

With The Wind Through the Keyhole set between Wizard and Glass and Wolves of the Calla, the next Dark Tower book could take place between some of the existing installments as well. The Waste Lands begins five weeks after The Drawing of the Three ends. A new book could fill in the gaps of those five weeks as Roland and his newfound allies, Eddie and Susannah Dean, continue their journey through Mid-World. The main focus could be on Roland, Eddie, and Susannah growing closer during this time and before Jake Chambers joins their ka-tet.

Similar to The Wind Through the Keyhole, it could be a story within a story, with the majority of the book being a tale from his past that Roland tells Eddie and Susannah. Most of the other books leave little room for an in-between story. This includes The Drawing of the Three beginning only hours after The Gunslinger, Wizard and Glass starting with the Blaine the Mono cliffhanger from The Waste Lands, and The Dark Tower beginning where Song of Susannah ends.

There is more narrative room in the timeline prior to The Gunslinger. Wizard and Glass, The Wind Through the Keyhole, and "Little Sisters of Eluria" have all explored Roland's past, but the new book could provide further exploration, perhaps with further insight into the fall of the gunslingers and Gilead. There is a Fall of Gilead graphic novel, but it is not written by King. More of the gunslingers' history or the history of Mid-World could also be explored, even before Roland was born, perhaps going back to the time of Arthur Eld.

What Else Could Stephen King's Dark Tower Book Tease Be About?

It May Not Focus On Roland And His Ka-Tet

Since there are many other books related to The Dark Tower, the new story could have nothing to do with Roland and his ka-tet and instead just be connected to The Dark Tower's multiverse. This is a more likely scenario given King's mention of the Territories in his tease, with the Territories being a parallel dimension that is important in The Talisman and Black House. Stephen King's return to the Territories could result in a third Talisman book, and it would not be the first time he has written a sequel decades later.

The next book could focus on one or both of Stephen King's best villains from The Dark Tower series, the Crimson King and Randall Flagg. The Crimson King already connects to Black House and Flagg is a villain who is just as effective an antagonist in The Dark Tower as he is in The Stand and The Eyes of the Dragon, and would undoubtedly be adapted well in a new story, regardless of the setting. No matter what the focus ends up being, for now, it is simply exciting that Stephen King is returning to The Dark Tower multiverse.

The Dark Tower

The Dark Tower is a multimedia franchise based on Stephen King's epic series of eight novels. The story follows Roland Deschain, the last of the Gunslingers, as he embarks on a quest to reach the Dark Tower, a mystical structure that stands at the center of all worlds and realities. The series blends elements of dark fantasy, horror, science fiction, and Western genres. Over the years, the franchise has expanded beyond the original books to include a film, comic books, and upcoming TV adaptations, making it one of King's most ambitious and interconnected works.

Upcoming TV Shows The Dark Tower