The Stand is Stephen King‘s longest novel and, some (me) would argue, his best book. The post-apocalyptic tale, about a virus that wipes out 99 percent of the population and the survivors who choose between siding with 108-year-old Mother Abigail or the “Dark Man” Randall Flagg, has dozens of characters and numerous settings, which is why a big-screen adaptation has been stuck in development limbo for decades. (There was, however, a decent made-for-TV miniseries starring Gary Sinise in 1994.) We never get a Stand movie, but CBS has greenlit a 10-episode event series for its streaming service, All Access.
“I’m excited and so very pleased that The Stand is going to have a new life on this exciting new platform,” King said in a statement. “The people involved are men and women who know exactly what they’re doing; the scripts are dynamite. The result bids to be something memorable and thrilling. I believe it will take viewers away to a world they hope will never happen.” The series will be overseen by writers Josh Boone (who first read the book “under my bed when I was 12, and my Baptist parents burned it in our fireplace upon discovery”) and Ben Cavell, who will also direct. Here’s a brief CBS-provided synopsis.
“The fate of mankind rests on the frail shoulders of the 108-year-old Mother Abagail and a handful of survivors. Their worst nightmares are embodied in a man with a lethal smile and unspeakable powers: Randall Flagg, the Dark Man.”
The Stand limited series is expected to debut in 2020, following the release of other works based on King’s books, including Pet Sematary (April 5), It: Chapter Two (September 6), and The Shining sequel Doctor Sleep (January 2020).
(Via Entertainment Weekly)
