File this one under: Sure, Why Not?
Marilyn Manson, heavy metal rocker and contact lenses aficionado, has just stated that he will have an acting role and song in Josh Boone’s adaptation of Stephen King’s The Stand. The quote comes from an interview with Revolver. Take a read:
“Shooter [Jennings] and I also 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. ”
Marilyn Manson certainly wasn’t one of the names tossed around a few weeks ago when we finally heard rumors of who will star in the hotly-anticipated CBS All Access series. And while some people may see this as stunt-casting, an attempt to bring in viewers with a controversial but well-known name, I am actually on board with it. I can’t imagine Manson will be starring as, say, Randall Flagg or any major character but I can totally see him as a sizable cameo. Oh, how about he plays the Monster Shouter character who roams around New York as the world ends and claims that the dark man is coming? I think that would be a perfect part for Manson. Or perhaps one of Flagg’s minions? I can see him portraying that well. Manson definitely brings a King-appropriate energy.
The idea of a Marilyn Manson/Shooter Jennings cover of “The End” is less exciting for me but mostly because I’m not a huge fan of their music. But it’s further proof that CBS and Josh Boone are trying to make this show big. Manson might not have the star power he once did but he’s still certainly a pretty popular name. This project is feeling bigger and bigger as time goes on.
I would love for The Stand to lean into this sort of unorthodox casting. I adored the mini-series of yesteryear that would be populated by noticeable cameos. I don’t need to remind you that a Mr. Kareem Abdul-Jabber appeared in that first Stand adaptation as the very Monster Shouter I referenced earlier. And, hey, that worked for me!
Hat tip to Bloody Disgusting for the source.