Stephen King's THE STAND Series Has Been Ordered By CBS All Access with Director Josh Boone
Director Josh Boone has been developing an adaptation of Stephen King’s The Stand for years! It started out as one film, then turned into multiple films, that eventually evolved into a 10-episode series at CBS All Access, which has officially greenlit the show, which is super exciting!
I’ve been looking forward to seeing Boone’s vision of this story because I’ve liked everything that he’s had to say about it over the years. He has been developing it alongside SEAL Team creator and executive producer Ben Cavell and Boone will direct all ten episodes.
The Stand is King’s apocalyptic vision of a world decimated by plague and embroiled in an elemental struggle between good and evil. 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.
King released a statement regarding the news, excitedly saying:
“I’m excited and so very pleased that The Stand is going to have a new life on this exciting new platform. 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.”
Boone, who is a longtime fan of King, shared a great little story:
“I read The Stand under my bed when I was 12, and my Baptist parents burned it in our fireplace upon discovery. Incensed, I stole my Dad’s FedEx account number and mailed King a letter professing my love for his work. Several weeks later, I came home to find a box had arrived from Maine, and inside were several books, each inscribed with a beautiful note from god himself, who encouraged me in my writing and thanked me for being a fan. My parents, genuinely moved by King’s kindness and generosity, lifted the ban on his books that very day. I wrote King a cameo as himself in my first film and have been working to bring The Stand to the screen for five years. I’ve found incredible partners in CBS All Access and Ben Cavell. Together with Stephen King, Owen King, my longtime producing partners Knate Lee and Jill Killington, we plan to bring you the ultimate version of King’s masterwork.”
That’s a great story and it’s so cool that after all these years King and Boone are working together to bring the story of The Stand to life in the best possible way. The Stand was previously adapted for TV as a four-part miniseries which aired on ABC in 1994. I actually really enjoyed that series. It was good! But this next one will be even better.
Julie McNamara, EVP, Original Content, CBS All Access added her two cents:
“With over 400 million books sold around the world, Stephen King is one of our greatest living authors and The Stand is widely considered the crown jewel of his work. Millions of fans have been waiting for a modern interpretation that delivers on its depth, scope and ambition. We are thrilled to be working with Stephen, Josh, Ben and a dedicated team working passionately to bring this brilliant material to life.”
Boone is currently working on the X-Men horror series, The New Mutants. He’s in post production on that film and when he’s done with it, he’ll start production on The Stand.
