The conversation regarding a new film adaptation of Stephen King’s epic novel The Stand is not a new one. First, it looked like the project was moving forward as a three hour long R rated movie. Then last month, an update hit stating it may now be two films. Now Warner Bros. has officially gone all in as the adaptation of the 1,000+ page novel will exist as a four-film series. Writer/Director Josh Boone was a guest on Kevin Smith’s Hollywood Babble-On podcast and spilled the spooky beans on this epic film adaptation. From SlashFilm:
I really wanted to do an A-list actor, really grounded, credible version of the movie. I sold them on that and they hired me…I sold them on a single, three hour movie. I went and got [Stephen] King sold on it, everybody’s really excited… I told the story non-linear and that was the way I was able to compress that book and get everything into that script.
They came back and said “would you do it as multiple films?” and I said “f*ck yes!” I loved my script, and I was willing to drop it in an instant because you’re able to do an even truer version that way. So I think we are going to do like four movies. I can’t tell you anything about how we’re going to do them, or what’s going to be in which movie. I’ll just say we are going to do four movies, and we’re going to do THE STAND at the highest level you can do it at, with a cast that’s going to blow people’s minds. We’ve already been talking to lots of people, and have people on board in certain roles that people don’t know about. We’re looking to go into production next year, maybe in the spring.
Well damn, Warner Bros. is definitely on the right track here! Maybe this adaptation will finally dropkick that ’90s ABC mini-series out of our collective memories for good. And if Matthew McConaughey is on board to play Randall Flagg, I will lay in an unmade bed and spoon a clown for an hour without crying. And I really hate clowns.
