Stephen King to pen a new ending for CBS All Access’ The Stand series

Last Updated on July 30, 2021

CBS All Access is moving forward with their adaptation of "The Stand," Stephen King's 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. The streaming service confirmed the main cast of the upcoming 10-episode series in a press-release today (more on that later) which also contained the rather interesting reveal that Stephen King himself will be penning the final chapter of the series.

There's not much more information than that at this point, only that the author will be providing a new coda which won't be found in the book. Consider me intrigued. As I mentioned, the press-release also announced who will be leading the CBS All Access series, which confirms reports from a little over a month ago. James Marsden (SONIC THE HEDGEHOG) will star as Stu Redman, "an ordinary working-class factory man in an extraordinary situation with a damaged quality to him that belies his exterior," with Amber Heard (AQUAMAN) playing Nadine Cross, "a deeply conflicted woman who feels the consequences of her actions, but is still compelled by her allegiance to Randall Flagg, the Dark Man," Odessa Young (ASSASSINATION NATION) playing Frannie Goldsmith, "a pregnant young woman navigating a strange new world, who also has the foresight to recognize that there is evil lurking beyond the Dark Man," and Henry Zaga (13 Reasons Why) playing Nick Andros, "a young deaf and mute man who finds himself in a position of authority when the unthinkable happens. He has a habit of risking his own well-being for the safety of others."

Written by Josh Boone (THE FAULT IN OUR STARS) and Ben Cavell (SEAL Team), The Stand takes place in an apocalyptic world which has been decimated by plague and is embroiled in an elemental struggle between good and evil. The fate of mankind rests on the frail shoulders of the 108-year-old other 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. Josh Boone has been attached to write and direct the project since 2014, and after numerous delays and frustrations, it's gratifying that 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.

Production on The Stand is expected to kick off this fall for a 2020 release on CBS All Access.