CBS All Access is bound to get a lot scarier in the not-terribly-distant future thanks to the coming adaptation of Stephen King's The Stand. An adaptation of the popular novel has been in the works for a long time, and it's finally slated to premiere next year. With a 2020 premiere date, The Stand surely needs to start casting sooner rather than later, and now reports indicate that some very big names are attached, including Westworld's James Marsden. Here's what we know.
The Stand is slated to run for ten episodes and debut at some point in 2020, led by Fault In Our Stars and X-Men: New Mutants writer/director Josh Boone. CBS All Access has not yet confirmed any castings for The Stand, but Collider cites multiple agency sources with information about the cast for the adaptation.
According to these sources, The Stand will star James Marsden of Westworld, Amber Heard of Aquaman, Whoopi Goldberg of The View (although she took a break earlier this year due to illness), Greg Kinnear of House of Cards and Little Miss Sunshine, Odessa Young of Assassination Nation, and Henry Zaga of The New Mutants.
We can't be 100% sure of what to expect until an official casting announcement is released, but reports indicate who these actors are in talks to play on the show. Read on for a breakdown!
James Marsden is reportedly in advanced negotiations to tackle the role of Stu Redman. Stu hails from Texas and was the first man discovered to have a natural immunity to the virus that killed the majority of the people on Earth. He ultimately becomes a leader who must face off against Randall Flagg, a Stephen King villain who has appeared in a number of his works. In the 1994 ABC miniseries of The Stand, Gary Sinise played Stu.
Amber Heard, known for playing Mera in 2018's Aquaman, is said to be in negotiations to play a private school teacher by the name of Nadine Cross, who also happens to be a virgin. Nadine is of the opinion that she has a unique destiny... attached to Randall Flagg. Nadine was played by Laura San Giacomo in the ABC miniseries.
Also reportedly in talks for The Stand is Greg Kinnear as professor Glen Bateman. Glen suffers from arthritis and joins forces with Stu as he works to meet somebody by the name of Mother Abigail. (More on her lower.) Ray Walston of Fast Times at Ridgemont High brought Glen to life for the miniseries.
Who is in allegedly talks to play the all-important Mother Abigail? That would be none other than Whoopi Goldberg. Mother Abigail is the leader of survivors of the plague who are definitely not supporters of Randall Flagg. Like Stu, she is immune to the virus. Unlike Stu, she claims that she's a prophet of God. Ruby Dee originated the role on the ABC series.
The character of Nick Andros, originally played by Rob Lowe, will reportedly likely be played by Henry Zaga. Nick is a deaf and mute young man who is also a grifter. In Stephen King's book, Nick wore an eye patch for much of the story. Rob Lowe did not for the miniseries.
Finally, we have Odessa Young, who is said to be in talks to play a pregnant woman named Frannie Goldsmith. After her community is devastated by the virus, she moves on with a man known as Harold Lauder as her traveling companion, but she ultimately falls for somebody else. Molly Ringwald played Frannie in the series on ABC.
Will these actors ultimately sign on to play such characters for the Stand miniseries? Only time will tell. Hopefully CBS All Access will make an announcement one way or the other in the near future. Stay tuned to CinemaBlend for the latest in TV and Movies news. If you're looking for some CBS All Access scares sooner than 2020, you can find the reboot of The Twilight Zone streaming now.
