James Marsden in talks to lead CBS’ adaptation of Stephen King’s The Stand

Last Updated on August 5, 2021

In this age of the Stephen King renaissance, a few King projects which have languished in development hell are finally moving forward. One of those is an adaptation of "The Stand," the best-selling post-apocalyptic novel which takes place in a world which has been decimated by plague and embroiled in an elemental struggle between good and evil. After many years of flip-flopping between feature film and/or TV series, CBS All Access green-lit a 10-episode series which will come from Josh Boone (THE FAULT IN OUR STARS and Ben Cavell (SEAL Team).

Casting on the series is kicking off and it seems that James Marsden (SONIC THE HEDGEHOG) is in talks to play Stu Redman, "a former military man who is immune to the virus. He found patient zero in the original quarantine zone but never got sick so the government was precious with him in order to try to find a vaccine from his blood." In the 1994 mini-series adaptation, Stu was played by Gary Sinise. Collider also has a few more details on just who may be joining Marsden in The Stand. Amber Heard (AQUAMAN) is reportedly in negotiations to play Nadine Cross, a private-school teacher who is drawn to the evil Randall Flagg, with Whoopi Goldberg (NOBODY'S FOOL) also in talks to play Mother Abagail, the leader of the "good" survivors who also claims to be a prophet of God. Other actors apparently in talks to join The Stand include Greg Kinnear (The Twilight Zone) as Glen Bateman, Odessa Young (ASSASSINATION NATION) as Frannie Goldsmith, and Henry Zaga (THE NEW MUTANTS) as Nick Andros. We'll have to wait until something more official is announced to see if these pan out.

"I’m excited and so very pleased that The Stand is going to have a new life on this exciting new platform," said Stephen King in a statement when the project was announced earlier this year. "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." Ben Cavell and Josh Boone will both write and executive produce the series with Boone serving as director. Josh Boone has been attached to write and direct the project since 2014, and after numerous delays and frustrations, Boone's time has finally come.

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 hasn't revealed a premiere date just yet, but it's likely that we'll get to see Stephen King's post-apocalyptic tale play out in 2020.