Andrew Niccol, the man most famous for scripting The Truman Show, has been set as the director on the adaptation of Stephanie Meyer‘s novel The Host. He has also adapted the book for the screen. The film is being marketed at the Cannes Film Festival with producers Nick Weschler, Paula Mae and Steve Schwartz. Saoirse Ronan is attached to star, which had part in igniting the interest in getting Niccol to sign on.
Niccol was previously attached to direct but left to direct his original screenplay Now, a sci-fi movie starring Justin Timberlake and Cillian Murphy. However after the studio’s search for a replacement was unsuccessful Niccol came back into play. Kimberley Fox at the production company Inferno Films said:
Having Andrew at the helm for us is incredibly invigorating as he truly shares Stephenie’s vision on this film. We literally began sales this week and the response from the international community, and from domestic buyers, has been beyond our highest expectations. We expect to have every territory in the world sold out very shortly, and then it’s about getting to the exciting part of making the movie.
I can’t really get too enticed by The Host, I have read the novel and I admit to not being too impressed. However the involvement of Niccol and Ronan is gathering my interest in it. Niccol is an intelligent guy and he could make an interesting script out of the novel, as there is a decent story in there somewhere. Ronan is a more than capable young star who can carry a movie with no problem. We’ll keep you updated on more developments with this project. (Deadline)
