Scott Cooper in Talks to Direct Film Adaptation of Stephen King's THE STAND

CRAZY HEART director Scott Cooper has entered negotiations to rewrite and direct the upcoming film adaptation of Stephen King's THE STAND, it was announced today.

Ben Affleck was previously attached to take the helm, but having signed on for David Fincher's GONE GIRL and the sequel to MAN OF STEEL, the Oscar-winner was reportedly forced to step down from the project.

The adaptation comes from Warner Bros. and CBS Film, with an original script by David Kajganich.

The book is officially described as:

"A patient escapes from a biological testing facility, unknowingly carrying a deadly weapon: a mutated strain of super-flu that will wipe out 99 percent of the world's population within a few weeks. Those who remain are scared, bewildered, and in need of a leader. Two emerge-Mother Abagail, the benevolent 108-year-old woman who urges them to build a peaceful community in Boulder, Colorado; and Randall Flagg, the nefarious "Dark Man," who delights in chaos and violence. As the dark man and the peaceful woman gather power, the survivors will have to choose between them-and ultimately decide the fate of all humanity."

First published in 1978, THE STAND was previously adapted in 1994 as a televised miniseries. It starred Gary Sinise and Molly Ringwald.

Cooper's next film, Out of the Furnace, which stars Christian Bale, Casey Affleck and Zoe Saldana, hits theaters in December.

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