Matthew McConaughey might have actually been born to play this villain

You may have never imagined Matthew McConaughey and Stephen King in the same universe, but it may very well happen. Though nothing has been made official, the actor is being eyed to play the role of The Man In Black in Sony and MRC’s adaptation of King’s The Dark Tower franchise. *insert creepy music here*

McConaughey has “just received the script” according to Variety, and hasn’t confirmed whether he’ll be playing the demonic sorcerer who the protagonist, Roland the “gunslinger,” is after. In a twist, he was originally also offered the role of Roland. . . but McConaughey’s feelin’ the dark side, according to TheWrap. If he were to take the villainous role, this would be his very first film series, which is kind of a big deal.

If you haven’t read this eerie King tale, it’s a fabulous blend of fantasy and horror in which Roland / the gunslinger is on a quest to locate the Dark Tower, the center of the universe, before “evil invades and destroys the tower, ending all existence,” as TheWrap eloquently puts it. So, you know, no pressure, Roland.

The director of the film will be Nikolaj Arcel, who co-wrote the Swedish version of The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo and directed A Royal Affair; the screenplay has been written by Akiva Goldsman (A Beautiful Mind) and Jeff Pinkner (The Amazing Spider-Man 2). It’s been said that the film will also have a TV component, and although it’s unclear whether McConaughey would be involved in the show, we’re sure he’d rock the small screen role (hello, True Detective).

“I’m excited that The Dark Tower is finally going to appear on the screen,” King said previously about the adaptation, according to ComingSoon. “Those who have traveled with Roland and his friends in their search for the Dark Tower are going to have their long-held hopes fully realized. This is a brilliant and creative approach to my books.”

The film is set to hit theaters January 13, 2017. Let’s do this!

(Image via Shutterstock)