When adapting a well-known book into a film, the question of “What stays? What changes? What goes?” is always a big one. In the case of Stephen King’s The Stand, which is now getting the big screen treatment, it’s almost a necessity for its original ending to be altered. Don’t read any further, as this will venture into *SPOILER* territory.

The original ending, while it worked for the book and Stephen King’s sometimes off-beat sensibilities, simply doesn’t translate well to the screen. Basically, a nuke kills everyone. Including the good guys! And it’s handled in a very “This was unavoidable” sort of way that leaves you wondering if the story’s heroes even factored into the outcome.

Needless to say, this doesn’t make for a very satisfying cinematic experience. So the studio is looking to rework the ending, and they’ve currently got Josh Boone (The Fault In Our Stars) hard at work doing just that. But our pal Devin Faraci over at BadAss Digest got himself a good look at a previous incarnation of the script and is now offering up some insight into what the filmmakers could be cooking up.

“In this version, from last year, the good guy survivors from Boulder get together in an army and march on Las Vegas to kill Randall Flagg. Flagg’s headquarters is, of course, the Luxor Pyramid. The Boulderites invade the city while, off to the east, a squad fights at the Boulder Dam – which Trashcan Man explodes, killing Larry Underwood and sending a deadly flood to Vegas. In the city Flagg squares off against hero Stu Redman… who now has the power of God, and they have an Akira-like battle on the Las Vegas Strip, with Flagg trying to take Stu’s magic. Cars are thrown, Excalbur’s turrets are tossed, the people of Vegas are used by Flagg as disposable cannon-fodder. Meanwhile Nick Andros sacrifices his life taking out a howitzer. The Boulder forces, while armed, try to only take prisoners and rescue people from being under Flagg’s evil spell. It all comes down to Flagg and Stu, and whether or not Stu will absorb Flagg’s evil magic.”

How does that one strike you? Sounds pretty hokey to me.

SOURCE: BadAss Digest