Jake Abel and Max Irons have been confirmed to play the two lead roles in an adaptation of Twilight author Stephenie Meyer’s, The Host, reported FirstSource this week.
The Host is a science fiction/romance novel by Stephenie Meyer that introduces an alien race called the Souls, who take over the Earth and its inhabitants by inserting themselves into a human body. One Soul, who is fused with a woman named Melanie Stryder, becomes overwhelmed by the vividness of human memories and emotions and begins to lose control over its possession over her body. The soul, who renames herself as Wanda, chooses to seek out human contact instead of following her race’s master plan.
Abel (I Am Number Four and Percy Jackson & the Lightning Thief) signed on to play the first lead role on Wednesday (9th November). He will play the character of Ian, one of few left with control of their own mind, who fights against the Souls in an effort to save the remaining humans.
Yesterday, the second male lead of Jared was given to Max Irons (Red Riding Hood), who will play Melanie’s love interest in the story.
The film, which has been acquired for domestic distribution by Open Road, will also star Saoirse Ronan, who Abel worked alongside with in The Lovely Bones, as Melanie and will be directed by Andrew Niccol (In Time) who has already written the script.
The Host is set to be released on 29th March 2013, a few months after the final Twilight Saga film, Breaking Dawn – Part 2.
