Oh, you thought we were done with The Stand casting news for the day? You’re cute. Not even a few minutes after we learned that the upcoming Stephen King adaptation has added a handful of names to its ensemble, including the confirmation of Whoopi Goldberg as Mother Abigail, Collider has added the most crucial piece of the casting puzzle—and apparently Stephen King is out here collecting Skarsgårds like Pokémon. Alexander Skarsgård will join his brother Bill (It, Castle Rock) in the King-iverse, playing the pivotal role of the villain Randall Flagg. The extremely sinister character, who has appeared under other names in King’s works (most notably The Dark Tower), is the primary villain of The Stand—a charismatic and devilish dude who amasses a group of devout followers to aid him in what amounts to the ultimate war between good and evil.
Skarsgård seems like yet another misstep in The Stand’s casting, which has been all over the damn map. It’s quite possible Skarsgård could really nail Randall Flagg, but although he can certainly pull off a smoldering gaze, we remain skeptical of his ability to be the charismatic quasi-Satan the role requires. The actor, who recently appeared in the second season of Big Little Lies, joins previously announced cast members James Marsden, Odessa Young, Amber Heard, and Henry Zaga. Also revealed today is the addition of Brad William Henke, Owen Teague, Jovan Adepo, and Daniel Sunjata.