Stephen King's post-apocalyptic cult hit, The Stand, is in talks to finally get a theatrical movie adaptation.

Warner Bros. and CBS Films are set to do a joint production of the novel, with both co-developing and co-producing the feature film. It's in the very early stages of development, with the studios set to sit down with writers and directors in the next few weeks to talk through their vision to ensure they agree on the vision of this project.

For more on The Stand and its journey to the big screen, keep reading after the break.

The Stand is considered one of the most influential post-apocalyptic tales, but there have been some major delays in getting a feature film made (it did get the television miniseries treatment in 1994). CBS Films has owned the rights to the novel for years, but given that they aren't a major player just yet, they realized the best way to get this production underway was to partner up with one of the larger studios.

After a bidding war between Warner Bros., Fox, and Sony, Warner Bros. came out on top, giving CBS Films its first big budget tentpole film.

From Stephen King's official website, here's the plot synopsis of The Stand:

"One man escapes from a biological weapon facility after an accident, carrying with him the deadly virus known as Captain Tripps, a rapidly mutating flu that - in the ensuing weeks - wipes out most of the world's population. In the aftermath, survivors choose between following an elderly black woman to Boulder or the dark man, Randall Flagg, who has set up his command post in Las Vegas. The two factions prepare for a confrontation between the forces of good and evil."

While originally published in 1978, King constantly revised and added to the story, leading to a rerelease in 1990. It's a cult classic from the King of Horror, so I'm surprised it's taken this long for it to reach the silver screen.

Source The Hollywood Reporter