Few novelists have as great a relationship with Hollywood as horror master Stephen King. He has written, produced and directed adaptations of his own work and it seems that more of his novels have been turned into films than haven’t. But of all his work, perhaps none is as cinematic as his “magnum opus” The Dark Tower.

Yet for years Hollywood has tried and failed to bring the series of sci-fi westerns to the big screen. Now that’s set to change as Ron Howard and Brian Grazer are teaming up with Oscar-winning screenwriter Akiva Goldsman to adapt the fantasy books.

The Hollywood Reporter reveals that Mission: Impossible III and Star Trek director, J.J. Abrams, had held onto the rights for years, with plans to develop the novels into a television series with the producers of Lost. When those plans were scuttled, the rights were returned to King. Now Howard and his entourage intend to develop a feature film that can act as a sort of lead off for their own TV series.

Built around the character of “The Gunslinger,” The Dark Tower series so far measures seven novels and is King’s attempt to tie all of his work together into one universe.  A popular series of graphic novels has also been spun off from the books.

There’s no deal on the table just yet, but with Howard, Grazer and Goldsman on board such things are a mere technicality.