Ben Affleck To Direct ‘The Stand’ By Stephen King? Pissah!
I don’t have a very strong attachment to Stephen King, and I’ve never read The Stand. However I’ve been told I would like it, and I also enjoy myself some Ben Affleck. So I like this news.
Warner Bros. announced in May that the team behind the last several Harry Potter films, screenwriter Steve Kloves and director David Yates were going to adapt King’s 1,000 plus page novel, possibly over three films. The move made sense. Kloves and Yates took another massive property, Harry Potter, and turned the films into a multi-billion dollar franchise. King’s book is obviously less commercial, but very well-known and has the kind of huge, sweeping scope audiences love to see on the big screen.
Deadline’s report doesn’t say if Kloves is still in or why Yates is out. Just that Affleck is now up to bat. Even though he’s directed two very solid films — Gone Baby Gone and The Town — and his latest, Argo, is much bigger, The Stand is something all together different. It’s massive. And while Affleck’s current directorial resume certainly seems like he can handle the huge cast of characters, the scope of The Stand is not yet in his wheelhouse. Then again, every major director has to make the leap and it seems like it’s time for Affleck. Or maybe this doesn’t happen at all. He has a ton of projects on his plate.
Hey King fans want to comment? Eh? I’m looking at you, Rendar.