CBS All Access’ TV adaptation of Stephen King’s gargantuan novel The Stand just got a whole lot bigger, with a bumper crop of new cast members being announced.
Joining the cast are Alexander Skarsgård, Whoopi Goldberg, Jovan Adepo (Overlord), Owen Teague (It), Brad William Henke (Orange Is The New Black) and Daniel Sunjata (Rescue Me). They join James Marsden, Amber Heard, Odessa Young and Henry Zaga.
Based on King’s novel of the same name, the story follows the total breakdown of society following the accidental release of a strain of the influenza virus that had been modified for biological warfare purposes. Once the virus got out, an apocalyptic pandemic occurred and 99 percent of the world’s population was killed.
Skardgård, who is known for his roles in the likes of Big Little Lies, True Blood, The Legend Of Tarzan and The Diary Of A Teenage Girl, is set to play villain Randall Flagg (AKA the Man in Black) in the new series. The character last appeared on screen in 2017’s The Dark Tower, played by Matthew McConaughey.
Goldberg (Sister Act, The Colour Purple) will play Mother Abagail, a prophet who receives visions from God and guides the survivors of the superflu.
Adepo will play Larry Underwood, a young musician and lover of illegal substances. When the superflu hits, he is forced to confront his demons as he makes his way to the new world.
Teague is Harold Lauder, a young man who goes in search for fellow survivors with Frannie Goldsmith (Young). Though he has good intentions, jealousy and his infatuation with Frannie could lead him down a dark path.
Henke will play Tom Cullen, the travelling companion of Nick Andros (Zaga) who is developmentally disabled after a childhood accident. A sweet soul, Tom has an instrumental role in the fight for survival.
Sunjata will be in a guest role as Cobb, a military man charged with supervising Stu Redman (Marsden) as the government searches for a cure.
The Stand is being directed by Josh Boone (The Fault In Our Stars) from scripts by Boone and Ben Cavell. Production is starting this month, and the series is expected to hit CBS All Access sometime in 2020.
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