MNN - Mother Nature Network

In a world filled with stories about our own demise, few stand out as well as Stephen King's epic 1978 novel, "The Stand." Coming in at more than 1,100 pages, the book centers around a deadly airborne virus that wipes out most of humanity, leaving survivors to choose between camps of good and evil, and rebuild what's left of society.

 

"I love to burn things up," King said. "It's the werewolf in me, I guess.... 'The Stand' was particularly fulfilling because there I got a chance to scrub the whole human race, and man, it was fun! ... Much of the compulsive, driven feeling I had while I worked on 'The Stand' came from the vicarious thrill of imagining an entire entrenched social order destroyed in one stroke."

 

Back in January, it was announced that Warner Bros. and CBS Films would be adapting the novel for the big screen — no mean feat considering the breadth of material. A similar effort was attempted back in the '80s to no avail, with only the toned-down 1994 ABC mini-series ever seeing the light of day. Current signs point to the studios gearing up for a trilogy — and if sources are to be believed, they may have also just secured a director.

 

David Yates, the man responsible for the last four, box office-crushing "Harry Potter" films, is reportedly in negotiations with Warner Bros. to direct. In what's another plus, Steve Kloves — who adapted seven of the eight novels for film — is slated to write the screenplays.

 

That Warner Bros. would pursue this tandem makes sense considering the amount of money their creations have generated for the studio. The latest "Harry Potter" film just became the third largest movie of all time ($1.1 billion) — so Warner Bros. is obviously eager to tap into our love of good vs. evil yet again.

 

Granted, "The Stand" is not as kid-accessible as HP, and certainly not as well-known. With the right team, however, there's no reason why King's novel might not capture the imagination of the world — and frighten a whole new generation into reading about its horribly awesome end.

 

Look for an official announcement soon.