Jackman, Craig for 'The Dark Tower' lead

Director Ron Howard has hinted that the likes of Daniel Craig and Hugh Jackman are under consideration for the lead role in his film adaptation of Stephen King's The Dark Tower series.

The Apollo 13 director, who is heading up the project with producer Brian Frazer and screenplay writer Akiva Goldsman, admits that it will be a difficult task finding the right actor for the role of gunslinger Roland Deschain.

"Sure, [Craig and Jackman] are some names, and on The Dark Tower fansites they're all about Viggo [Mortensen]," Howard told the Los Angeles Times, when asked about the actors he was considering.

Although the project is yet to be given the official greenlight, Universal Pictures and NBC have announced plans to showcase the series as a multimedia project across both film and television.

"We're moving quickly now, as quickly as we can, and I feel challenged in the most exciting ways," Howard added.

The Dark Tower, a series of seven titles which began in 1982, is often thought of as Stephen King's magnum opus, and has spawned both a spin-off game and comic book series.

The first film in the series is currently targeted for a release in 2013.