Question: I was looking forward to the remake of Stephen King’s The Stand on CBS All Access. My feelings are mixed now, because of the coronavirus. Has that project been shelved? —Susan
Matt Roush: Not at all. By all accounts, production on the 10-part limited series wrapped a few days ahead of schedule in March in advance of the pandemic shutting down filming everywhere. The goal has always been for a late 2020 release, and though CBS All Access
has yet to announce an actual airdate, the title is prominently displayed in any press materials they send out. While it’s possible this post-apocalyptic series could be pushed back to a later time out of sensitivity to our current tragic situation, there’s also an argument that (like the recent uptick in people streaming cautionary movies like Contagion) King’s epic about survival in the aftermath of a pandemic has never been more relevant. CBS surely won’t want to look like it’s exploiting our fears with this miniseries, and it will likely take some flak regardless of when The Stand premieres, though I’ve also read that the action picks up (unlike the novel) in the wake of the outbreak. This is very much on my radar, and the cast (including Alexander Skarsgård, James Marsden, Whoopi Goldberg and … Marilyn Manson!) heightens my interest as well. Honestly, I can’t wait to see it.
To submit questions to TV Critic Matt Roush, go to: tvinsider.com
