‘The Stand’ Showrunner Josh Boone Says Show Will Be ‘R-Rated, HBO Level’

The new adaptation of The Stand may be as dark and intense as some premium cable dramas, according to showrunner Josh Boone.

Boone, known for directing The Fault in Our Stars, among other projects, is writing and executive producing CBS All Access’ new take on The Stand. He has made it clear that he is a life-long King fan, and does not intend to leave anything out of the apocalyptic tale. After the show was announced last week, Boone posted a screenshot of the news on Instagram, along with pictures of some of his beloved King memorabilia. He responded to a comment from a fan, assuring them that the story would not be watered down for TV.

“Fantastic news!” the fan wrote. “I hope you don’t have to censor…”

“R-rated HBO level, baby!” Boone responded.

Fans loved this comment, giving it a few dozen likes. The Stand is a dark story, and while fans are excited to see it played out on screen, many are worried that it will be cleaned up or diluted to make it suitable for a wider audience.

According to Boone, at least, that is not the case. There is little reason to doubt him, looking at the roster CBS All Access has already built up. CBS seems to treat its proprietary streaming service as a kind of premium cable network in its own right. The original shows have a high production value and do not shy away from dark themes. Among them is Strange Angel, a series about rocket scientist and occult magician Jack Parsons.

Boone has made a couple of other posts about The Stand since then. He posted a screenshot of King’s tweet about the series, which came the day after the big announcement. A few days later, he posted a photo from the writer’s room where production on The Stand is getting started.

“The Stand Writer’s room with Ben Cavell, Owen King, Jill Killington, Knate Lee and Eric Dickinson and me,” he wrote. The inclusion of Stephen King‘s son on the writing staff is an exciting point for many fans, who read the father and son duo’s collaborative novel, Sleeping Beauties, just two years ago.

Previously, Boone explained why King’s work, and The Stand in particular, is important to him in a statement published by CBS.

“I read The Stand under my bed when I was 12 and my Baptist parents burned it in our fireplace upon discovery,” he said. “Incensed, I stole my Dad’s Fed-Ex account number and mailed King a letter professing my love for his work. Several weeks later, I came home to find a box had arrived from Maine and inside were several books, each inscribed with a beautiful note from God himself, who encouraged me in my writing and thanked me for being a fan.”

From the sound of it, fans will finally see the uncut, cinematic adaptation of that The Stand deserves, but considering that the writers are just now getting together in their room, it may be a while before it reaches the small screen.