We learned today that Alexander Skarsgård is set to follow in his brother’s footsteps by playing Randall Flagg in the new The Stand series.
Coming exclusively from Collider, Skarsgård will play the grinning personification of evil itself. An accomplished sorcerer and devoted servant of the Outer Dark, Randall has appeared in several Stephen King stories, and his introduction was in The Stand. The story takes place in a world decimated by plague and embroiled in an elemental struggle between good and evil. The fate of mankind rests on the frail shoulders of the 108-year-old Mother Abagail and a handful of survivors, as they stand against the madness and corruption pouring out of Randall’s occupied city.
With his brother Bill playing the part of Pennywise in the two recent It films, Alexander Skarsgård seems like a natural fit for Randall, never mind that he just won an Emmy, a Golden Globe, and a SAG Award for his menacing presence on HBO’s Big Little Lies. Jovan Adepo, Owen Teague, Brad William Henke, Daniel Sunjata, James Marsden, Amber Heard, Odessa Young, and Henry Zaga have all been confirmed to play roles in the miniseries, and Whoopi Goldberg confirmed that she will play Mother Abagail.
Josh Boone (The Fault in Our Stars) is co-writing the miniseries with Ben Cavell (SEAL Team), with Boone set to direct and executive produce alongside Roy Lee, Jimmy Miller, Richard P. Rubinstein and Cavell. Will Weiske will serve as a co-EP, while Knate Lee, Jill Killington and Owen King will serve as producers. Stephen King himself has written the series’ tenth and final episode, including an extra portion in the ending.
The Stand will debut on CBS All Access in 2020. Stephen King fans will want to keep an eye out for the release date, as this story is definitely one of King’s classics.
