Warner Bros. has been trying to bring together an adaptation of Stephen King’s The Stand for a couple of years now. Harry Potter director David Yates had been tapped at one point, and after his departure several other directors came and went, including Ben Affleck and Scott Cooper. Now, THR is reporting that Josh Boone is in early talks for the job.
Boone’s name may not carry a lot of recognition at this point, but his upcoming adaptation of popular YA novel The Fault in Our Stars could certainly change that. He also has an existing relationship with King, recalling that the author’s books were banned in his house, and that when he was 12 his mother discovered a copy of The Stand hidden under his bed and threw it in the fireplace. In response, Boone wrote a letter to King, who sent him a box full of signed books – an act of generosity that impressed Boone’s parents enough that they lifted the ban.
Boone has remined in contact with King throughout his life: the author played himself in Boone’s 2012 film Stuck in Love, and Boone is currently attached to direct an adaptation of another King novel, Lisey’s Story. It sounds like he’s a solid choice for this gig – let’s just hope Warner Bros. doesn’t opt to go the PG-13 route.
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