Summary
The apocalypse may be a common pop culture setting now, but whenStephen King’s long novelThe Standwas published in 1978, the genre wasn’t as crowded as it is today. Some of King’s most popular and enduring stories were published in the same decade, including his first novelCarriein 1974,Salem’s Lotin 1975,The Shiningin 1977, andThe Long Walkin 1979. There are several adaptations of each of these scary stories, andThe Long Walkmovie, which is about a dangerous walking competition, will be in theaters this September.
I appreciate King’s singular voice, his small town Maine settings, and his villains, and I thinkThe Standis particularly excellent because it paints a grim but relatable picture of what could happen to a community when the worst happens. WithDoug Liman’s upcoming film adaptationunderway,I understand the confusion that fans feel about how this big story can be one film. But, after reading an interview with Mike Flanagan where he talked aboutThe Stand, I have a positive view of this movie.
Mike Flanagan Once Described Stephen King’s The Stand Perfectly, And Now I’m Optimistic About The Movie Adaptation
In an interview with theNCR,Mike Flanagan described Stephen King’s epic and long novelThe Stand, and said:
“‘The Stand’ isn’t about Randall Flagg, it’s about ordinary people standing up to an evil that they have no hope of defeating.”
Flanagan continued that King’s beloved storyITis “about the kids, and the love that holds them together,” notPennywise the Clown. He continued:
“I think with Stephen King people forget that. They go for the horror, but that’s not what he’s talking about. That’s sometimes the wrapper the story is in, but you have to understand that he’s writing about love, and he’s writing about humanity.”
While Randall Flagg and Pennywise are some ofKing’s most terrifying villains, Flanagan is right:King’s stories are about the relationships between the main characters and their emotional experiences.He’s known as a horror author, and his monsters and supernatural beings are front and center. After thinking about Flanagan’s comments,I’m more optimistic aboutThe Standmovie adaptation, as long as it has proper character development and doesn’t make Randall a corny villain.Although of course Randall has to be in the film, he shouldn’t be the focal point, or the movie could risk becoming a lackluster entry ina sea of post-apocalyptic stories.
Many areworried aboutThe Standmovie adaptationbecause of the book’s length, and there’s an argument to be made that the book should become a third TV show, not a film. However, the movie can be compelling if it keepsthe main theme ofThe Standin mind: people need hope and connection, especially during dark and tough times. It’s interesting that there are two miniseries adaptations ofThe Standthat were released in 1994 and 2020. I think the story could be told over several seasons of a TV show, as neither miniseries captured it perfectly.
Flanagan’s words could also be used to describe hisLife of Chuckadaptation.King called the film “extraordinary"andthe screenwriter who ends up penning the script forThe Standshould take some inspiration from it. Flanagan can give audiences jump scares and wild moments, but he never strays from the story’s theme. He also never forgets that people watch movies and TV shows to care about the characters and hopefully see themselves in their experiences.
Mike Flanagan Hosted A Podcast About Stephen King’s The Stand In 2020
Mike Flanagan is such a big fan of Stephen King andThe Standthat hehosted a podcast in 2020 calledThe Company of the Madalong with Jason Sechrest, Anthony Breznican, and Tananarive Due.
Fans can also listen toThe Kingcast, an ongoing podcast that discusses the beloved author’s body of work. Brian Crano and David Joseph Craig, who wrote and directedI Don’t Understand You, discussedThe Standon the episode that was released on June 18th, 2025. Flanagan also talked about hisadaptation ofThe Life of Chuckon an episode that was released on June 6th.
