The Stand Adaptation Confirms Cast, Reveals Stephen King Wrote New Chapter for Series

Stephen King’s large library of compelling stories has resulted in a number of his classic tales being adapted for live-action projects, the first of which being Carrie in 1976, just two years after the debut novel was published. In the decades since, dozens of his novels and short stories have been the inspiration for movies and TV series, with recent years seeing an increase in adaptations as audiences have a growing number of platforms on which to view these titles. Earlier this year, it was announced that CBS All Access would debut a new adaptation of The Stand, which has just confirmed its cast and revealed that King himself will be writing an all-new last chapter for the series.

Per press release, “CBS All Access, CBS’ digital subscription video on-demand and live streaming service, today announced James Marsden, Amber Heard, Odessa Young, and Henry Zaga have joined the cast of its original limited event series The Stand, based on Stephen King‘s bestselling novel of the same name, and Stephen King will write the last chapter of the series, providing a new coda that won’t be found in the book. The announcements were made by Julie McNamara, Executive Vice President of Original Content for CBS All Access, during the service’s bi-annual Television Critics Association presentation.

“James Marsden will portray Stu Redman, an ordinary working-class factory man in an extraordinary situation with a damaged quality to him that belies his exterior. Most recently seen on the hit dark comedy Dead to Me, Marsden’s other television credits include Westworld and 30 Rock, and he will also appear in FX’s upcoming Mrs. America. In film, he will soon star in the live-action/animation hybrid film Sonic the Hedgehog and The Comeback Trail opposite Robert De Niro, Morgan Freeman, Tommy Lee Jones, and Zach Braff.

“Amber Heard will play 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. She recently starred in Warner Brothers’ Aquaman opposite Jason Momoa which was a massive box office success. She can currently be seen in Alex Ross Perry’s Her Smell alongside Elizabeth Moss. Other film credits include: Justice League, The Danish Girl, Pineapple Express, Magic MikeXXL, among others. Additionally, Heard is an activist and uses her platform to advocate for human rights issues. She is an ambassador for Women’s Rights for the ACLU, a Human Rights Champion of the United Nations and is actively involved with SAMS (Syrian American Medical Society), The Art of Elysium, among other organizations. Heard is also a L’Oréal Global Spokesperson.

“Odessa Young will play 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. Young will next be seen opposite Elisabeth Moss in the film Shirley. Her other film credits include Assassination Nation, A Million Little Pieces opposite Aaron Taylor-Johnson, and The Professor.

“Henry Zaga will portray 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. Zaga can be seen in the television series 13 Reasons Why and the upcoming Trinkets as well as Looking for Alaska, which is currently in production. He will also be seen in Josh Boone’s The New Mutants.

“The Stand is Stephen King’s apocalyptic vision of a world decimated by plague and 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.”

Stay tuned for details on the new adaptation of The Stand.

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