There’s confidence, there’s hubris, and then there’s Warner Bros.’ developing big screen adaptation of Stephen King‘s "The Stand." If making the leap from smaller character driven dramas to what was previously described as a three-hour, R-rated movie wasn’t enough, "The Fault In Our Stars" director Josh Boone says the plans for the project just got a helluva lot bigger.
Stopping by Kevin Smith‘s Hollywood Babble-On podcast (via Slashfilm), Boone revealed how his single movie version has now morphed into a massively-scaled quartet of films. "I really wanted to do an A-list actor, really grounded, credible version of the movie. I sold them on that and they hired me…I sold them on a single, three hour movie," Boone explained. "I went and got [Stephen] King sold on it, everybody’s really excited…I told the story non-linear and that was the way I was able to compress that book and get everything into that script… So what happened is the script gets finished, I write it in like five months, everybody loves it, King loves it, $87 million is what it was budgeted at, really expensive for a horror drama that doesn’t have set pieces."
So far, so good, but a movie without set pieces? Not in today’s world of tentpole filmmaking. So Warner Bros. wanted the project beefed up, and Boone jumped at the opportunity. "They came back and said, ‘would you do it as multiple films?’ and I said, ‘Fuck yes!’ I loved my script, and I was willing to drop it in an instant because you’re able to do an even truer version that way," Boone said.
"So I think we are going to do like four movies. I can’t tell you anything about how we’re going to do them, or what’s going to be in which movie," he continued. "I’ll just say we are going to do four movies, and we’re going to do ‘The Stand’ at the highest level you can do it at, with a cast that’s going to blow people’s minds. We’ve already been talking to lots of people, and have people on board in certain roles that people don’t know about. We’re looking to go into production next year, maybe in the spring."
And certainly, everyone involved in the project is aiming very high. In case you forgot, Matthew McConaughey is wanted for a role, and even if he doesn’t take it, that’s likely the calibre of actor Boone and studio are aiming for.
Is four parts too much or will it serve King’s material just right? Let us know below and listen to Boone on Smith’s podcast.
This is my favorite book. Boone will be faithful to the original story, and it will be fabulous! I would rather watch (and pay for) four installments than attend one three-hour movie that leaves me wishing for more.
Really liked most of the book, but like so many of King\’s stories, the payoffs don\’t work. The weaknesses in the story were made even more apparent if you watch the all-too-faithful (and appallingly acted by a great cast!) 1994 miniseries, which only serves to elevate how silly the story really gets during the second half. I would much prefer a single adaptation rather than another unedited "motion book".
Welcome to AMC, how can i help you?
– I\’ll have one for the Stand please.
Okay, that\’ll be $13. Oh wait, hold on one sec. I\’m getting an error message. Looks like they\’ve changed some things. Your total is now going to be $52.
– For one movie?!?
Hold on, sorry – that\’s gonna be $64 dollars because we only have 3D tickets available. Also, there are going to be 3 separate year long intermissions. Will that be cash, credit, or AMC bucks?
– Four years for one flick? Must mean it\’s good. Take my cash.
He\’s a fast learner. Welcome to Moneywood.
You think I\’m going to go to the cinema FOUR times to see this story? You\’ve lost all perspective Boone, not to mention respect for your audience. It\’s not even that good a book. Just cut out all the sh*t, and make one good movie. Four movies?! Are you mad?