Stephen King’s The Stand at CBS All Access: Everything to Know About the New Series

Stephen King‘s The Stand is heading back to the small screen — this time, with a 10-episode streaming series coming to CBS All Access. King’s 1978 novel is one of his most popular titles ever and centers on a group of survivors who have managed to make it through the catastrophic plague that cost the other 99 percent of the world their lives, but who must still contend with Randall Flagg, aka the Dark Man.

CBS All Access announced a straight-to-series order for The Stand in January 2019, which marks the first time the story has been adapted since 1994, when it debuted as a four-episode miniseries on ABC. The new take on The Stand has since begun to take shape, so to keep you up to speed with everything ahead for this eerie apocalyptic series, here’s a look at everything we know about The Stand so far.

The coronavirus pandemic made filming a strange experience. James Marsden, who was tapped to star as Stu Redman in the series, revealed that the outbreak of COVID-19 happened while the series was still being filmed in Vancouver as of early March, and he noticed some striking similarities between reality and what was being filmed.

Marsden told Variety in a podcast, “There are scenes in the beginning of The Stand where as soon as you see someone who looks normal sneeze or cough into their arm, everyone’s eyes in the room darts towards them. I see that in public now, and everyone kind of takes a few steps away from the person. It’s crazy. We’re in full panic mode right now.”

Stephen King himself even shared a chapter of his book to demonstrate how viruses spread — although, he was quick to point out the difference in lethality between his fictional disease and reality. Needless to say, the relevance of this story hasn’t been lost on the author, and he even apologized to those readers for that spooky connection.

The release date has not yet been revealed. It is unclear at this time if production was completed before the widespread production shutdowns which commenced amid the pandemic. However, Marsden has indicated that the pandemic may affect the series’ release. He told Variety, “Obviously, no one would ever want to capitalize on something as horrible as this, but it certainly makes it relevant.”

Stephen King is very into the scripts. Alongside the announcement that CBS All Access would help breathe new screen life into The Stand, the story’s scribe himself offered high praise for what he’d seen of the series so far. “I’m excited and so very pleased that The Stand is going to have a new life on this exciting new platform,” King said in a statement. “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.”

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King is also going to rewrite the ending. Think you know how The Stand ends? Think again. According to CBS All Access, King “will write the last chapter of the series, providing a new coda that won’t be found in the book.” This new coda is obviously top secret and gives fans a new reason to tune in.

The script for that final episode is written. I was glad Josh Boone gave me the chance, because that final story has been in my mind for 30 years.

— Stephen King (@StephenKing) August 2, 2019

The producers are major fans. Writing and producing The Stand for CBS All Access are Josh Boone and Ben Cavell. Boone is known for his work behind the camera for 2014’s The Fault in Our Stars, while Cavell is known for his work on series like Justified, Homeland, and SEAL Team. Upon being announced as the power team behind the new adaptation, Boone revealed a very long-standing connection to King and the story of The Stand, revealing that it was the book his parents burned when he was a child. “I stole my Dad’s Fed-Ex 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,” said Boone.

The cast is coming together. During CBS All Access’s TCA presentation in August, it was confirmed that the ensemble cast would include Marsden along with Amber Heard as Nadine Cross, Odessa Young as Frannie Goldsmith, and Henry Zaga as Nick Andros. In September, Stephen King joined Whoopi Goldberg on The View to announce that she’ll be playing Mother Abagail, the leader of the good survivors. Along with Goldberg, four more cast members were announced: Jovan Adepo as Larry Underwood, Owen Teague as Harold Lauder, Brad William Henke as Tom Cullen, and Daniel Sunjata as Cobb.

Musician and actor Marilyn Manson also told Revolver that he will be acting in the series, in addition to contributing to its music with a cover of The Doors’ “The End.” Meanwhile, Alexander Skarsgard — brother of Bill Skarsgard, who plays Pennywise the Dancing Clown in the IT movies and starred in Castle Rock — will play Randall Flagg, the leader of the evil survivors, and Nat Wolff will portray Lloyd Henreid, his loyal sidekick.

In October, it was announced that the streaming series has added Kat McNamara as Julie Lawry, a woman who hooks up with Lloyd Henreid in Las Vegas; Eion Bailey as Teddy Weizak, a survivor of the superflu who part of the body crew with Owen Teague‘s Harold Lauder; and Hamish Linklater as Dr. Ellis, an infectious disease specialist with the military who wants to cure the epidemic that’s infected the world. Heather Graham will play Rita Blakemoor, a wealthy woman who is ill prepared for the end of the world and attempts to escape superflu-infested New York City. And Greg Kinnear will play Glen Bateman, a widowed professor whose cranky exterior masks a heart of gold.

The Stand is the latest of several scripted series to come to CBS All Access, which is also home to The Good Fight, No Activity, Strange Angel, Tell Me a Story, Star Trek: Discovery, The Twilight Zone, and Why Women Kill.

Stephen King, The StandPhoto: Getty images/Doubleday Books