Warner Bros. and CBS Films are teaming to adapt the novel, which in many ways set the bar for a generation of post-apocalyptic stories and influenced works
The companies will co-develop and co-produce the feature film, with CBS having the option to participate in co-financing. Warners will handle worldwide marketing and distribution.
The novel had been previously been adapted as a 90’s TV miniseries that starred Gary Sinise, Molly Ringwald, Rob Lowe, Ruby Dee and Jamie Sheridan. There are some things I liked a lot about the Mick Garris directed miniseries. But there were some performances that went a bit over the top for me (Sheridan as Randall Flagg, for one) and I suppose there is room for improvement. But there was a lot more to like than to dislike. (I actually thought the following Garris-King collaboration, The Shining, was much better)
If the plan is a series of films over a number of years, that’s a good idea. The bad idea comes in when the first half calls for a quick pace to set up the event of the superflu (“Captain Trips”) but then the story fconcentrates on the struggle between those that follow Mother Abigail (a side for good) and those who line up with the demonic Flagg. It is more of a dramatic struggle than an action one. Think abut how he heroes defeated Flagg. The way Hollywood tends to think—that’s the problem. The guys walking to Vegas and the main protag is left behind…?
Good luck with that.
It’s another adaptation, I know, but I’m a bit skeptical on this.
Your thoughts?
I loved the miniseries as well, and loved Gary Sinese as Stu, but just some ideas for casting:
Stu – The guy who plays Rick in The Walking Dead series OR Thomas Jane
Frannie – Evangaline Lily, maybe
Trashcan Man – Cillian Murphy
Randell Flagg – Hugh Jackman
Mother Abigail – Oprah (ha!)
Have you read the book? The miniseries of The Stand is about 99% spot-on.
The Stand is such an awesome book that I’m somewhat interested in a remake, but I’m not optimistic, for the following reasons:
– Gary Sinise *is* Stu Redman – he plays the part absolutely flawlessly and I can’t imagine anyone else in the role. Trying to get another actor to play Stu is borderline heresy. Ditto for Rob Lowe as Nick Andros and Matt Frewer as Trashcan Man.
– Condensing such a long and complex story into anything less than 4 hours will just be a clusterfuck. If they wanted to make it *longer* than the original, I’d be into that.
I really liked the miniseries… but I’m a sucker for end of the world stories. The Stand in a 2 hour movie? That’s a tough sell… it’s probably going to be the Stand in name only.
It’s too bad they’re going for the remake… I’d rather see the Dome adapted. Great book.
Way I understand the pitch is that It will be like two or three films taken from the book.
While The Stand miniseries wasn’t the greatest, it was WAY better than the Shining remake.
While I will always be fond of the Kubrick version and its iconic images and scenes, the remade miniseries was far better in my view. Perhaps it was due to King writing the teleplay for the miniseries- and thus being closer to the source material. I found The Shining miniseries to have better character development, more suspense, and more surreal. Did I miss blood rapids gushing down hallways, and steadicam (which that and steadiglide I am a huge fan of as far as cinematography goes)? “Here’s Johnny!”? Yes, I suppose so. But I got so much more in return and I have to confess I love both versions.
The Shining remake was horrible. It didn’t touch the original in terms of suspense, terror, cinematography, music, acting, etc. The only thing I can say about the remake that you point out is that it is closer to the source material. But ultimately that becomes irrelevant when everything else about the remake was inferior to the original. I read the book and loved it, but Kubrick absolutely nailed the transition to the screen whereas the remake failed. Regarding The Stand as a movie, I think it could work, but because the novel is so huge, I think another miniseries, preferably done on HBO would be a better fit.
Didn’t care one bit for the shining remake. I guess the stand could benefit from a retelling. Depends on casting and maybe they should make two films out of it and go a little tougher on the content, to match the Intensity of the book.