THE DARK TOWER RUSTLES UP A NEW LEAD

If they can keep the tv stuff prequel-ish, they can designate the movie Roland to Crowe and use a younger actor for the boob tune (with possibly Crowe narration or bookends). No way Crowe's committing (aka "stepping down") to TV. He's not yet at Costner career state. Much of the prequel-ish stuff (especially in Wizard and Glass) isn't terribly necessary in big screen form.

That would make the most sense, but doesn't seem to be the road that Howard is taking.  Unless things have changed that is.  By his own admission, "present day" Roland's tale would encompass all three films and the first miniseries as well.  It certainly WOULD make more sense to have the TV aspects cover the prequel ground detailed in Wizard & Glass, The Wind Through The Keyhole, and the on-going comics series.  That way you aren't expecting your entire audience to have an HBO subscription so they can keep up in-between the first two films.  Let's just hope that smarter heads prevail when they meet with WB in two weeks or so and someone is smart enough to bring this up. 

Then, in terms of Roland & Co.'s quest, make it FOUR films instead of THREE.  A four-film adaptation of the quest and a double-miniseries adaptation of the backstory sounds like a great way to adapt all 8 novels (and the comic side stuff).

I still maintain that none of this will see the light of day.  

In a perfect world, it WILL see the light of day...

...just not with Ron Howard and Akiva fucking Goldsman steering the ship.

I have a feeling it might happen though, if they can keep the budget down.  Like I said, WB seems to have a massive hard-on for King properties right now and they've always had a nice relationship with Howard.  Both are pluses in its favor.