Summit Entertainment has released the first images from The Perks of Being a Wallflower.  Stephen Chbosky directs the adaptation of his own novel, which centers on "15-year-old Charlie (Lerman), an endearing and naive outsider, coping with first love (Emma Watson), the suicide of his best friend, and his own mental illness while struggling to find a group of people with whom he belongs."  The novel has a devoted following since it was released in 1999, but it sounds like it's in the vein of The Art of Getting By, Restless, and every other whiny teenage guy coming-of-age story that I want to punch into oblivion.  But I'm curious to see how the lead Harry Potter actors will perform beyond the characters they defined, and perhaps have defined them.

Hit the jump to check out the images.  The film also stars Mae Whitman (Parenthood), Johnny Simmons (Scott Pilgrim vs. The World), Nina Dobrev (The Vampire Diaries), Ezra Miller (We Need to Talk about Kevin), and Dylan McDermott.  No release date has been announced, but it's likely we'll see The Perks of Being a Wallflower in 2012.

the-perks-of-being-a-wallflower-movie-image-emma-watson-logan-lerman-01

the-perks-of-being-a-wallflower-emma-watson-logan-lerman-set-photo
Image via Summit Entertainment