Anything with Stephen King’s name attached to it seems to be gold right now in Hollywood. So many of the author’s novels have been recently adapted into films and TV series, with most of them turning into hits for the studios involved. For CBS and its All Access streaming service, the big King project on the slate is a nine-episode limited series based on King’s “The Stand.” And apparently, the series is hoping to break new ground by having the author return to write a new ending for his beloved novel.
According to CBS (via Deadline), the network has hired King to pen the last episode of the series, and in doing so, he’s expected to write a new ending for the series that will continue the story past where the novel ends. The report says that the new addition to the story will actually be a significant part of the final episode and not just some extra epilogue to drum up publicity.
“The Stand” tells the story of a group of survivors in a post-apocalyptic world, where much of the population was wiped out due to a plague. Now, the group has to battle to stay alive and keep clear of the evil Randall Flagg, the Dark Man.
CBS All Access EVP Julie McNamara said, “For fans of the book who have wondered what became of the survivors of the stand, this episode will contain a story that takes us beyond the book to answer those questions. A continuation to ‘The Stand;’ we can’t wait to share that with the world.”
“The Stand” is set to star James Marsden, Amber Heard, Odessa Young, and Henry Zaga. The event series is written by Josh Boone and Ben Cavell. The report says that while writing the series, the duo decided that there needed to be a better finale than what the book offered, and approached King to pen the addition.
There’s no premiere date for the new miniseries based on “The Stand.” But clearly, this is a project that CBS All Access has high hopes for.