Hey Yo, Draven here.
We just heard a few days ago, that Scott Cooper was not going to direct the long gestating film adaptation of Stephen King’s novel, THE STAND. This was after Ben Affleck left the project in August, Warner Brothers has been trying to get this going for years but doesn’t seem to know how they want to proceed with it. Is it going to be multiple films? Is it going to be an R-rated blockbuster? How big should the budget be? We have heard conflicting rumors about all of those things over the years.
WB isn’t slowing down though, as according to Devin Faraci over at Badass Digest, (who was right on the money with his STAR WARS release date scoop) they have a wish list of directors they want to get for this film and at the top is Paul Greengrass.
Hopefully though, they finally know how they want to proceed with this property and have a plan, because if not I don’t think a great and in-demand director like Greengrass will have any interest. Devin has this great bit at the end of his report that I am inclined to agree with, “How many directors have to fall off before they end up going to some middle-of-the-road schmuck who will just get the thing done on time and on budget?”
Greengrass is probably going to get another Best Director nomination for CAPTAIN PHILLIPS, and will be in high demand for a lot of projects. He is an excellent director and I think if he was given the freedom he would make a great adaptation of THE STAND.
This is a long way from being a done deal but if they get somebody with Greengrass’ talent, I hope they also give that person the freedom to complete the film in their own way. It should be a multi-film adaptation though and while the miniseries wasn’t bad, it is really dated and obviously did not have the budget of a big tentpole film.
Here is Amazon's description of the novel for those of you who have not read it:
This is the way the world ends: with a nanosecond of computer error in a Defense Department laboratory and a million casual contacts that form the links in a chain letter of death.
And here is the bleak new world of the day after: a world stripped of its institutions and emptied of 99 percent of its people. A world in which a handful of panicky survivors choose sides -- or are chosen. A world in which good rides on the frail shoulders of the 108-year-old Mother Abigail -- and the worst nightmares of evil are embodied in a man with a lethal smile and unspeakable powers: Randall Flagg, the dark man.
What do you guys think? Is Greengrass a good option? Who would you like to see tackle this project?
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