Producers Buy Rights to Stephenie Meyer’s Host

Published by Jeff Leins on: September 24th, 2009

Producers have purchased the screen rights to Stephenie Meyer’s new adult novel The Host and have attached Andrew Niccol (Gattaca) as the director.  Meyer is best known as the author of the four Twilight books for teens, including the upcoming sequel The Twilight Saga: New Moon.

The three producers acquired them with their own money and plan to independently finance the production, according to Variety.  Niccol was selected because Meyer listed Gattaca and The Truman Show as two of her favorite science fiction films, both of which he scripted.  Meyer will be part of the creative adaptation process, much like she was on Twilight.

The novel is a romance story (of course) set in the near future on Earth, which has been assimilated by an alien species that control human bodies.  One of these “Souls” occupies the dying body of the protagonist, Melanie Stryder, who battles with her spirit and sets off to find her true love.

Meyer’s written work has been extremely popular thus far, so it’s a sound business decision for the film producers.  However her writing ability has been widely criticized by anyone capable of reading above a sixth grade level, so some screenwriter will have their work cut out for them.  Luckily Meyer borrowed elements from yet another pre-established genre and those themes can be applied to the film.  Just as long as the host humans don’t sparkle in the sun or something equally nutty.