Did you know that Stephen King is the most adapted author currently still alive? And he’s not resting on his laurels, with yet another adaptation on the way. CBS All Access is producing a 10-episode version of King’s epic post-apocalyptic novel The Stand.
King seems quite keen on this particular adaptation:
“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.”
For those who’ve never read the book, The Stand is about a world in which a weaponized version of influenza kills off 99% of the population, and the survivors are constantly at war with one another.
Josh Boone and Ben Cavell will write the script, and have been working on the project for some years. Boone will be directing the series, and has a great story about Stephen King in a statement:
“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.”
CBS All Access is likely looking for another eye-catching show to bring people to the platform. Star Trek: Discovery certainly has its fans, but one show cannot lift up an entire streaming service. If this goes well, it could be the show that elevates CBS to a real contender. No word yet as to when it will be available to watch.
