Early yesterday, it looked like Warner Bros.’ adaptation of Stephen King’s The Stand may have finally started moving forward towards production, with Out of the Furnace director Scott Cooper hinting at a possible reunion with Christian Bale.
However, less than 24 hours later the project has been flung back into development hell, with Cooper dropping out due to alleged creative differences with the studio. He had previously signed on as a replacement for Ben Affleck, who had worked on the project for two years before opting to don the cape and cowl as The Dark Knight in 2015’s Batman vs. Superman.
The Stand is one of many Stephen King novels in development hell and it’s a shame that it looks like it will stay there for the foreseeable future. The story focuses on the release of a biological agent that kills the majority of mankind, resulting in the survivors separating into two factions – one trying to forge a better world and the other giving in to basic instincts under the leadership of the demonic Randall Flagg.
Originally published November 21, 2013. Updated April 11, 2018.
