Javier Bardem signs on to play Roland in 'The Dark Tower'

The man in black fled across the desert, and Javier Bardem followed.

Javier Bardem

Yes, after months of speculation, Bardem has officially signed on to play Roland Deschain in Ron Howard's massive adaptation of Stephen King's epic fantasy western, "The Dark Tower" series.

In September, Universal Pictures and NBC Universal Television announced King's seven novel series would be adapted into three movies, with a television miniseries in between each of the films. The New York Post's Page Six is reporting Bardem has only signed on for the first film and miniseries so far.

The first film is set to open in theater on May 17, 2013.

'The Gunslinger' was published in 1982.

"The Dark Tower" series began with the publishing of "The Gunslinger" in 1982. The book introduced Roland as he pursues the unnamed Man in Black, during which he meets a variety of strange characters, including a young boy named Jake who is seemingly from our world. From there, the series continues as Roland gathers his ka-tet, a group with a shared goal, and they travel ever forward in search of the fabled Dark Tower. The seventh novel was published in 2004, although elements of the series have permeated into King's other works and vice versa, such as "Hearts in Atlantis" and "The Talisman."

Bardem is an interesting choice for Roland. The actor has proven his talent and skill time and time again, but this is just one of those roles where nobody is going to feel perfect, at least until we get to see him on screen.

This is an unprecedented project, involving years of work to produce three films and two television series and make it all feel like a single narrative. Good luck to all involved.