Every year a new young-adult film franchise is released, attempting to recapture the success of predecessors before – The Maze Runner and before that Divergent and before that The Hunger Games and before that Twilight. Typically these films depict some unfamiliar post apocalyptic world that always boils down to a girl choosing between two handsome boys. These novels/films distill teen angst into a potent combination – the unfamiliarity of what’s to come (college, leaving home, the workplace) becomes an actual literal apocalypse. Yet even when the world ends, the most pressing question still remains – Does he like me?

the fifth wave movie image
Image via Screen Gems

The 5th Wave looks to 70s sci-fi paranoia – think Invasion of the Body Snatchers and Soylent Green – and filters it through the lens of your typical young-adult film. Which is to say – it’s still about a girl choosing between two handsome boys. Chloë Grace Moretz stars as Cassie Sullivan, a high school senior whose family’s torn apart after an alien invasion wipes out most of humanity. Amidst the chaos, Cassie is separated from her younger brother (Zackary Arthur) and the crux of the story focuses on her attempts to track him down with the help of a mysterious stranger (Alex Roe). Meanwhile her brother and her high school crush (Nick Robinson) are recruited into the government resistance – which is using youngsters to help combat the alien invaders. Things are, of course, not quite as they seem.


In the following interview with stars Chloë Grace Moretz and Alex Roe, the duo discuss their favorite young adult fiction, whether they know the fate of their characters in the yet-to-be-released book series and their favorite moments from shooting.

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Chloë Grace Moretz & Alex Roe:

  • What was the quintessential young adult novel you read growing up?
  • How does your character in The 5th Wave compare to its book counterpart?
  • Do you know the fate of your character in the book series?
  • What was the most memorable moment from shooting?
  • How does the finished green screen compare to what you imagined when you were shooting?

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