Paul Sparks joins Castle Rock as Kiefer Sutherland’s Stand By Me character

Last Updated on August 2, 2021

The Stephen King-inspired Hulu series Castle Rock may not be based on any one specific King story, but it is set in and around the fictional Maine towns he created and features characters from his works, as well as actors who have previous King experience. For example, the first season featured IT's Bill Skarsgård and CARRIE's Sissy Spacek in the cast, plus King character Alan Pangborn and a young woman called Jackie Torrance, the niece of Jack Torrance from THE SHINING.

Following suit, the now-filming second season has THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION's Tim Robbins in the cast and will feature Lizzy Caplan in the role of Annie Wilkes, the antagonist from King's MISERY.

Another King character who will be featured in Castle Rock season 2 is John "Ace" Merrill, who was introduced in the short story The Body and was played by Kiefer Sutherland in that story's cinematic adaptation, STAND BY ME. Just a few weeks ago we heard that Garrett Hedlund would be playing Ace on Castle Rock, but the role has since been recast. Ace is now set to be played by Paul Sparks (pictured above), whose credits include the shows House of Cards and Boardwalk Empire.

Ace is a 

legendary bully who is taking over his uncle’s (Tim Robbins) businesses and jeopardizing the unsteady peace with nearby Jerusalem’s Lot. 

The recasting is said to be a "creative decision" that was made after Hedlund had shot a handful of scenes as Ace. Those scenes will be reshot now that Sparks is on board.

John "Ace" Merrill was also in King's novel NEEDFUL THINGS, but did not make it into the film adaptation.

In the second season of Castle Rock, 

a feud between warring clans comes to a boil when budding psychopath Annie Wilkes, Stephen King’s nurse from hell, gets waylaid in Castle Rock.

Yusra Warsama, Barkhad Abdi, Elsie Fisher, and Matthew Alan are also in the cast.

A collaboration between Bad Robot Productions and Warner Bros. Television, Castle Rock was developed for television by Sam Shaw and Dustin Thomason, who serve as executive producers alongside J.J. Abrams, Ben Stephenson,Vince Calandra, Liz Glotzer, and Stephen King.