Just a couple of days ago we reported that Jake Abel (Percy Jackson & The Olympians) had landed one of two male leads in the feature film adaptation of Twilight author Stephanie Meyer’s sci-fi novel The Host. Now EW reports that Max Irons (Red Riding Hood) has landed the other male lead in the adaptation. Saoirse Ronan stars as Melanie, a young woman whose body is invaded by an alien name Wanderer. Abel plays Ian, a young man who is in love with Wanderer, while Irons will play Jared, a young man who is in love with Melanie (given that Wanderer and Melanie share the same body, the conflict is pretty apparent and more than a little bit disturbing).In Time director Andrew Niccol wrote and will direct the sci-fi adaptation, which starts filming in February in Louisiana and New Mexico. Irons is the son of distinguished actor Jeremy, and will star in the upcoming feature Vivaldi, though Red Riding Hood is his most prominent credit to date. Hit the jump to read a synopsis of the novel. The Host opens March 29th, 2013.the-host-book-coverHere’s the synopsis of Stephanie Meyer’s The Host:

Melanie Stryder refuses to fade away. The earth has been invaded by a species that take over the minds of human hosts while leaving their bodies intact. Wanderer, the invading “soul” who has been given Melanie’s body, didn’t expect to find its former tenant refusing to relinquish possession of her mind.

As Melanie fills Wanderer’s thoughts with visions of Jared, a human who still lives in hiding, Wanderer begins to yearn for a man she’s never met. Reluctant allies, Wanderer and Melanie set off to search for the man they both love.

Featuring one of the most unusual love triangles in literature, THE HOST is a riveting and unforgettable novel about the persistence of love and the essence of what it means to be human. [Amazon]

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