One of Stephen King's most beloved novels not involving a killer clown or creepy hotel is making it to CBS All Access in the not-too-distant future. The new adaptation of The Stand has been in the works for quite a while, but fans could only speculate about who the streaming service would land to bring the characters to life. The cast of the of 1994 adaptation, including Gary Sinise and Rob Lowe, made for a great ABC miniseries. Who would tackle the roles for 2020?
Well, rumors began to circulate earlier this year about actors who could tackle those roles, but nothing definitive was confirmed... until now. CBS All Access revealed four stars who will appear in The Stand, and the news reveals that earlier rumors were on the money. Read on to learn who will appear in the new miniseries adaptation!
James Marsden - Stu Redman
Westworld's James Marsden will star as working-class factory man Stu Redman. He winds up in extraordinary circumstances, but he has a level of damage to him that others may not pick up on right away. The character in the book is the first man discovered with a natural immunity to the virus that killed the vast majority of humans on Earth, and he must become a leader to counter the threat of multi-work Stephen King villain Randall Flagg. Marsden has experience in comedies like 30 Rock and Dead to Me as well as dramas like Westworld, so it should be interesting to see what he brings to The Stand as an actor.
Amber Heard - Nadine Cross
Amber Heard, arguably best known for her role as Mera in Aquaman, will portray a deeply conflicted women by the name of Nadine Cross. Unlike Stu Redman, Nadine's allegiance is to Randall Flagg, a.k.a. the Dark Man. Early rumors suggested that the miniseries' version of Nadine would be a private school teacher and virgin who believes she has a unique destiny. I think it's safe to say that Nadine won't be Mera 2.0! She's also appeared in the recent her Smell as well as The Danish Girl and Pineapple Express.
Odessa Young - Frannie Goldsmith
Odessa Young is on board as Frannie Goldsmith, a young pregnant woman who must find her way in a strange and dangerous new world. In a trait that may mark a big difference between her and Nadine, Frannie realizes that there's evil "lurking beyond the Dark Man." Young can be seen in films like Shirley with Elisabeth Moss, Assassination Nation, and A Million Little Pieces.
Henry Zaga - Nick Andros
Henry Zaga of 13 Reasons Why and Trinkets fame will play the character originally tackled by Rob Lowe for the 1994 miniseries: Nick Andros. Nick is a deaf and mute young man whose status changes when "the unthinkable happens," leaving him in a position of authority. What does this mean for his tendency to risk his own life to try and help others? Zaga will also appear in X-Men: New Mutants, if it ever premieres.
While these four castings are exciting, there are several other rumored castings that have yet to be confirmed or disproved. According to these rumors, Greg Kinnear would play Progessor Glen Bateman and Whoopi Goldberg would play Mother Abigail.
The Stand has yet to release a premiere date, but it's expected to debut on CBS All Access in 2020. Stephen King is slated to write the final chapter of the series, and it will make for a coda not found in the original book. So, fans who think they know all there is to know about The Stand already should definitely tune in! For now, at least there are plenty of other viewing options.
