As you may have noticed, we’re in the middle of our own once-in-a-century pandemic. Who knows where we’ll be in December, which is also when CBS All Access will release its new adaptation of The Stand, Stephen King’s classic doorstop about, well, humanity largely wiped out by some out-of-control super-virus. Will that be too soon? Or will we be ready to watch a miniseries in which what remains of humans are divided into competing forces of good vs. evil?
It’s a concern the team who spent two years making the adaptation — the first such feat since the early-to-mid-’90s miniseries — has made public. And yet they decided to solider on regardless of how overly timely it may be, even dropping a teaser into the middle of the MTV VMA Awards.
So what are we in for? For one thing, there’s kindly, reassuring Whoopi Goldberg as Mother Abagail, a symbol for good, plus smirking, tall Alexander Skarsgard as her counterpart, Lucifer-like Randall Flagg. You also get glimpses of some of the mortal cast, among them James Marsden, Greg Kinnear, Odessa Young, Heather Graham, and more.
When it lands, it will be the latest King adaptation to emerge during one of his many screen renaissances, following the likes of the two-part It, Pet Sematary, and his Shining sequel Doctor Sleep. Of course, none of those were about a bizarre cataclysm currently rampaging the world. Then again, at least you don’t have to leave you home to watch a TV miniseries.
You can watch the Stand teaser in the video above. The miniseries will begin its run on CBS All Access starting December 17.
(Via Deadline)