Warners and CBS Films go with King's 'Stand'

By Adnan Tezer Feb 1, 2011, 21:08 GMT

Warner Bros. and CBS Films will co-develop and co-produce a feature version of Stephen King's post-apocalyptic horror novel "The Stand."

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Mosaic Media Group and Roy Lee will produce.

CBS can participate on the financing and Warners will handle worldwide marketing and distribution.

The studios want to involve King in the development of the film. No writer or director is attached yet.

"The Stand" is a classic good vs. evil story divided into three parts and opens with a pandemic that leads to the death of an estimated 99.4% of the world's human population.

A small group of survivors goes on a cross-country odyssey to battle with the Antichrist-like character Randall Flagg.

"The Stand," originally published in 1978, was rereleased in 1990 with King adding and revising portions of the story.

It was adapted into an ABC television miniseries in 1994, directed by Mick Garris and starring Gary Sinise, Molly Ringwald, Rob Lowe, Miguel Ferrer and Laura San Giacomo.

There has been no decision yet on how many films it will take to cover the scope of the book.

King's works have frequently been adapted for the big and small screen, including "Carrie," "The Shining," "The Shawshank Redemption," "Misery," "Stand by Me," "Christine," "The Dead Zone," "The Green Mile" and "Pet Sematary."

Universal is set to produce a trio of films and a TV miniseries based on King's seven-book series "The Dark Tower," with King, Akiva Goldsman, Brian Grazer and Ron Howard producing.