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Stephen King's 'The Stand': Release date, plot, cast, trailer, and everything you need to know about the Amber Heard-James Marsden starrer

As the second television adaptation of the novel, King has already announced that the CBS version featuring James Marsden and Amber Heard will have its ending rewritten

Stephen King's highly revered novel 'The Stand' came out some 40 years ago, but the post-apocalyptic thriller - with all its eerie, not-so-pretty- aura, is still a hit among enthusiasts of the genre. That's probably why the book's on-screen adaptation might be the next big thing to watch out for this year, all thanks to CBS. As the second television adaptation of the novel, King has already announced that the CBS version featuring James Marsden and Amber Heard will have its ending rewritten. So before all you Stephen King nerds go berserk losing your sh*t trying to crack the revamped ending, here's all you need to know about the upcoming adaptation.

Release date:

As of now, no official release date has been assigned for CBS' 'The Stand'. It is expected to release on CBS All Access, and this comes 15 years after the first television adaptation of the story arrived in 1994 as a four-part miniseries starring Gary Sinise and Molly Ringwald.

Plot

According to the official synopsis of the show, 'The Stand' has been described as "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 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."

Reportedly, King has rewritten the ending, as a continuation of the original story, for the plot of the CBS show. Julie McNamara, CBS All Access EVP told Deadline: "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," she said. "A continuation to 'The Stand': we can’t wait to share that with the world."

Creator

Based on the original book of the same name by King, the miniseries will come from the director of 'The Fault in our Stars' and 'The New Mutants', Josh Boone. Boone will be developing the project with SEAL Team executive producer Ben Cavell, and also co-write and direct the 10-episode adaptation.

Cast

The upcoming miniseries will feature James Marsden from 'Westworld' as Stu Redman, a common man who survives the apocalyptic event that pits men and women against each other in the battle of good versus evil in the dystopian setup.

Amber Heard, who recently appeared in 'Aquaman', will play Nadine Cross, the recurring King nemesis Randall Flagg's ally.

'A Milion Little Pieces' star Odessa Young plays Frannie Goldsmith, who is described as "a pregnant young woman navigating a strange new world". '13 Reasons Why's Henry Zaga plays Nick Andros, "a young deaf and mute man who finds himself in a position of authority when the unthinkable happens."

Trailer

Unfortunately, a trailer hasn't come out yet. Watch this space for more updates. 

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