American actor, writer and director, Ben Affleck, will direct a new adaption of Stephen King’s epic novel The Stand, reports Deadline.
Affleck has directed Gone Baby Gone and The Town, and also won an Oscar as co-writer of the screenplay Good Will Hunting, with Matt Damon.
Stephen King’s 823-page post-apocalyptic novel was originally published in 1978, and reissued with added and revised sections in 1990, clocking in at 1,152 pages.
The story begins when a biological weapon decimates humanity, and ends with the confrontation of two groups of survivors, formed according to their beliefs and convictions, in a good vs. evil showdown.
In 1994, Gary Sinise starred in the televisions miniseries based on the book. In a recent interview, author Stephen King mentioned that he could see Jake Gyllenhaal as the lead in The Stand.
In the meantime, Affleck is directing and acting in the dramatic comedy Argo which will open September 24, 2012.
The Armageddon star just finished filming an untitled Terrence Malick (The New World, The Tree of Life) project – a romance costarring Rachel McAdams, Jessica Chastain, and Javier Bardem, slated for release next year.