In one of the more surprising casting news pieces of the day, it’s being reported that Marilyn Manson will play a role in the new adaptation of Stephen King’s The Stand. CBS All Access ordered the project, which has previously been adapted as a miniseries, for ten episodes back in January. Josh Boone will be taking the helm and attempt to adapt King’s mammoth story of good vs. evil in a post-apocalyptic America.
Manson broke the news during an interview with Revolver, in which he mentioned that he’ll be appearing on the show alongside providing a musical cover:
“Shooter [Jennings} and I did a cover of “The End” by the Doors, for a new miniseries of The Stand by Stephen King, which I’m also going to be acting in.”
Although it could be that Manson only pops up in a cameo, his presence raises some intriguing casting theories. For one, will he join Randall Flagg’s crew of criminals and lost souls in Las Vegas? Or will The Stand buck convention and have Manson be on the “good guys” side in the community brought together by Mother Abigail?
The Stand hasn’t begun production yet, but there’ve already been plenty of rumors about the cast, with names such as James Marsden, Whoopi Goldberg, Greg Kinnear and Amber Heard all linked to the project. We expect to get some more details quite soon, too, as the series begins shooting in September this year for a planned 2020 release.
Adding Manson to the show is definitely exciting, at least in our opinion, as the musician has shown his acting chops in everything from David Lynch’s Lost Highway to Once Upon a Time. Anticipation will be high for The Stand as well, which will come on the heels of the ongoing King renaissance on film and television. To name a few, we still have It: Chapter Two to look forward to in September, as well as a new season of Castle Rock and a planned reboot of The Dark Tower as an ongoing series.
What do you think of Manson’s casting in The Stand, though? And which role do you think he’d be best suited for in King’s epic story? As ever, share your thoughts in the comments section below.