Officially, Universal Pictures' adaptation of the Stephen King novel series The Dark Tower is still moving forward, although insiders claim that the studio is considering dropping the project altogether.

Universal is reportedly considering plans to put the project into turnaround, since problems with the budget have recently come up. The studio along with Ron Howard and Brian Grazer's Imagine Entertainment are apparently considering whether to shop the project to another studio, either to co-finance with Universal or to completely take over The Dark Tower.

The studio would not comment, although studio sources indicate The Dark Tower is still moving forward as planned. Javier Bardem is close to finalizing his deal to portray the lead of Roland Deschain, a nomadic gunslinger who roams the countryside in search of The Dark Tower in a last-ditch effort to save mankind.

Back in September, Universal announced a unique strategy for The Dark Tower series, which calls for the first movie's release in 2013, to be followed by an NBC TV series which bridges the gap between the first and second novel. Ron Howard is directing The Dark Tower from an adapted screenplay by Akiva Goldsman.