AceShowbiz -

Academy Award winner Matthew McConaughey is in early talks to star in "The Dark Tower", the adaptation of Stephen King's fantasy Western book. According to TheWrap, the "Dallas Buyers Club" star is eyed to play gunslinger Roland Deschain. Meanwhile, another source suggests that he's up to play the villainous Walter Padick a.k.a. Man in Black.

Representative for Sony and MRC declines to comment, but sources say that McConaughey is interested in taking on the project. Nikolaj Arcel, who directed the Academy Award-nominated "A Royal Affair", is on board to helm "Dark Tower".

Akiva Goldsman and Jeff Pinkner have written the screenplay which is said to be primarily based on the first book in King's series, "The Gunslinger". The book centers on Roland Deschain, part of a knightly order of gunslingers, who is on a quest to find the tower before evil invades and destroys it.

Brian Grazer and Erica Huggins will produce for Imagine Entertainment along with Goldsman and his Weed Road banner. Plot details and other cast members have yet to be announced. The adaptation is set to open in the U.S. on January 13, 2017.

McConaughey recently wrapped production on the Stephen Gaghan drama "Gold". He will next be seen in "Sea of Trees", which will arrive stateside later this year.