Stephen King’s Original Masterpiece is Finally Getting a Proper Feature Film from ‘Edge of Tomorrow’ Director
Stephen King’s post-apocalyptic epic The Stand is officially heading to the big screen. While it’s already seen two major TV adaptations, director Doug Liman will now craft a feature film based on the source material. Paramount Pictures is developing the new theatrical version of the legendary novel, with Liman (Edge of Tomorrow, The Bourne Identity) attached to direct, per The Hollywood Reporter.
This marks the latest chapter in a long and complicated history of attempts to bring King’s 1978 novel to theaters. Various filmmakers have tried and failed to adapt the sprawling end-times narrative into a single film, including Ben Affleck, David Yates, Scott Cooper, and Josh Boone. Boone eventually directed the 2020–2021 limited series for CBS All Access (later released on Paramount+), which featured a cast that included James Marsden, Whoopi Goldberg, and Alexander Skarsgård, along with a new ending co-written by King and his son Owen. Dread Central favorite Mick Garris was first to adapt the novel for the screen with his iconic 1994 miniseries starring Molly Ringwald.
Unlike Boone’s nine-episode streaming version, Liman’s project aims to condense King’s massive novel into a single theatrical release. The uncut edition spans more than 1,100 pages, making this an ambitious undertaking. Details about casting, screenwriting, or a release date have not yet been announced. Still, this signals Paramount’s continued investment in horror following recent genre successes like Pet Sematary: Bloodlines and the Smile franchise.
The Stand remains one of King’s most expansive and ambitious works. Set in a world ravaged by a deadly superflu, the story follows the last remnants of humanity as they face off in an epic clash between good and evil. With its supernatural elements and ensemble scope, it’s a notoriously difficult project to tackle.
Trailer for the 2021 miniseries adaptation of Stephen King’s The Stand
Liman’s experience with large-scale genre storytelling makes him an exciting and unconventional choice. Stay with Dread Central for ongoing updates as this new take on The Stand comes to life.
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