At long last, Stephen King's masterwork The Stand is getting the modern adaptation it deserves. There has been talk of bringing the author's 1978, 1,100 page epic back to the screen for some time now, but nothing has actually materialized. Now, CBS All Access has officially given an order for a ten-episode event series based on the novel, with the creative team firmly in place. King had this to say about it in a statement.

"I'm excited and so very pleased that The Stand is going to have a new life on this exciting new platform. The people involved are men and women who know exactly what they're doing; the scripts are dynamite. The result bids to be something memorable and thrilling. I believe it will take viewers away to a world they hope will never happen."

The Stand is widely regarded as one of Stephen King's greatest works. It was previously adapted by ABC as a miniseries in 1994, which King wrote himself. Since then, there have been plans to turn the book into a trilogy of movies, with various filmmakers and stars attached at various points in time. David Yates and Steve Koves were both attached at one point, only to leave several months into development.

However, one of the filmmakers who had previously been attached to the movie version has made the jump to the miniseries. Josh Boone (The Fault In Our Stars, The New Mutants) is set to co-write the series alongside Ben Cavell (Homeland, Justified). Boone will also direct the adaptation for the streaming service. Boone had this to say about his new gig in a statement.

"I read The Stand under my bed when I was 12, and my Baptist parents burned it in our fireplace upon discovery. Incensed, I stole my dad's FedEx account number and mailed King a letter professing my love for his work. Several weeks later, I came home to find a box had arrived from Maine, and inside were several books, each inscribed with a beautiful note from god himself, who encouraged me in my writing and thanked me for being a fan. My parents, genuinely moved by King's kindness and generosity, lifted the ban on his books that very day. I wrote King a cameo as himself in my first film and have been working to bring The Stand to the screen for five years. I've found incredible partners in CBS All Access and Ben Cavell. Together with Stephen King, Owen King, my longtime producing partners Knate Lee and Jill Killington, we plan to bring you the ultimate version of King's masterwork."

For those who may not be familiar, The Stand, in its simplest form, centers on a man-made biological weapon getting loose in North America, resulting in the death of the vast majority of the population. Two different groups, one trying to re-establish a democratic society while the other led by the nefarious Randall Flagg, instead chooses to focus on a new-age of brutal and tyrannical rule, clash with one another in the fallout. The story is very complex and wide-ranging, but that's the very basic nuts and bolts of it. Julie McNamara, executive vp of original programs at CBS All Access, had this to say.

"With over 400 million books sold around the world, Stephen King is one of our greatest living authors and The Stand is widely considered the crown jewel of his work. Millions of fans have been waiting for a modern interpretation that delivers on its depth, scope and ambition. We are thrilled to be working with Stephen, Josh, Ben and a dedicated team working passionately to bring this brilliant material to life."

On both the big and small screen, Stephen King adaptations are flourishing. IT broke the box office in 2017 (with a sequel on the way this year), leading to new adaptations of Pet Sematary and more. On the small screen, we've got Hulu's Castle Rock, Audience Network's Mr. Mercedes and the upcoming take on The Outsider at HBO. Currently, there is no word on casting or when The Stand could actually enter production, but we'll be sure to keep you posted as any further details are made available. This news was previously reported by The Hollywood Reporter.