Stephenie updated The Host movie page on her official website today! She talks about the casting and crew and visiting the set. Filming starts on Monday and I don’t know about you guys, but this update and Stephenie’s gushing has me even more stoked for the film… Stephenie also announces that the role of Maggie will be played by Frances Fisher (she played Kate Winslet’s mother in Titanic, among other roles).

February 11, 2012

First, a little tease: check back to this page soonish, as I will have some very exciting news to share about upcoming chance for you to get involved with The Host. Stay tuned!

The Host begins filming this coming Monday the thirteenth, and I am so excited. It’s somewhat of a dream to have the creator and director of my favorite sci-fi film (Gattaca) helming this movie. I love the script he’s written, I love his beautiful vision, and I love working with him.

I also can’t say strongly enough how thrilled I am with our cast. The talent involved is unbelievable. We’ve been so blessed/lucky/kissed-by-fate all throughout the casting process. Wanda/Melanie is a very complicated role, and for a long time one of our biggest worries in the producer camp was finding an actress who could bring those two distinct personalities to life. And then Saoirse came along and we all quit worrying. If you’ve never had the pleasure of watching her act, I highly recommend her recent release, Hanna. Actually, watch her in anything she’s done and you’ll see what I mean. After Saoirse joined us, amazing actor after amazing actor signed on until none of us could believe our good fortune. Just the other day I got to meet William Hurt (!!) in full Jeb beard and hair, and it kind of choked me up. He looks amazing—they all look amazing!—and I can’t wait to see them in action next week.

Another incredible addition to our cast—one which I believe I’m the first to announce—Maggie will be played by the wonderful Frances Fisher. Welcome, Frances, I couldn’t be happier that you’ve chosen to join us!

Last week I got to tour the caves, too. They aren’t finished yet, but wow! I’ve gotten to be on some fun builds before—the Eclipse mountaintop, the Cullen house, the Volturi tower, Edward and Bella’s cottage (love!)—but nothing like this. It’s massive and beautiful, and walking around inside is like walking around inside my imagination.

No pictures to share on this one yet. Everything is under wraps for now, but I can’t wait until you can see some of the amazing things we’ve got underway.

So the busyness will not be ending anytime soon with all three projects currently ongoing. I’m hoping to get a little writing done at the same time, but writing on set has proved an elusive goal for me in the past year. I’m looking forward to this May, when I will officially be home for good and back here at my computer where I like to be best.

Steph

More exciting casting news for the movie adaptation of The Host! The role of Uncle Jeb is being eyed by actor William Hurt. EW reports:

Oscar-winning actor William Hurt is in talks to join Andrew Niccol’s film adaptation of Stephenie Meyer’s sci-fi novel The Host, according to a source close to the production. Hurt would play the pivotal role of Jeb, eccentric uncle to Saoirse Ronan’s Melanie Stryder, whose brain is hijacked by the soul of an alien being known as Wanderer. Jeb is one of the grizzled leaders of the human survivalists fighting the alien invasion.

Now, as we all know, an actor being ‘in talks’ about a part doesn’t necessarily mean that they are going to get the role. However, EW is generally a credible source. William Hurt has an extensive and impressive resume, which you can find on his IMDB page along with some more photos. When we get any kind of confirmation on this, we will let you know. What are your thoughts/reactions? Let us know in the comments!

(If you need a refresher on Uncle Jeb’s personality and characteristics, check out his Character Biography in the Novel section of our site.)

EXCITING NEWS. An exclusive from Variety reports that a bunch of actors will be testing for the roles of Jared and Ian in the coming days. Pretty much all of these actors aren’t of the typical “dream cast” of The Host fans, but that shouldn’t cause too much worry since the list of contenders is made up of quite a few great up and coming actors. Read the full article below!

Stephenie Meyer’s ‘Host’ zeroes in on male leads
Clutch of thesps vying for roles opposite Saoirse Ronan
By JEFF SNEIDER

With the beginning of the end in sight for “The Twilight Saga,” author Stephenie Meyer is turning her attention to the casting search for “The Host,” Andrew Niccol’s feature adaptation of her sci-fi novel.
Saoirse Ronan (“Hanna”) is attached to star as protag Melanie Stryder, whose body is invaded by an alien named Wanderer, who will also be played by Ronan. In the coming days, producers will begin testing actors for the pic’s two male leads.

Liam Hemsworth (“The Hunger Games”), Kit Harington (“Game of Thrones”), Jai Courtney (“One Shot”) and Max Irons (“Red Riding Hood”) will test for the role of Jared, Melanie’s boyfriend. Dane DeHaan (“In Treatment”), Thomas McDonnell (“Prom”), Augustus Prew (“The Borgias”) and Ronan’s “Lovely Bones” co-star Jake Abel will test for the role of Ian, a menacing young man who brutalizes Wanderer before falling in love with her.

Chockstone Pictures principals Steve Schwartz and Paula Mae Schwartz are producing with Nick Wechsler and Meyer. Inferno’s Marc Butan, Jim Seibel and Bill Johnson will exec produce, while Roger Schwartz will co-produce. “The Host” is being financed by the producers and Inferno, which is handling sales.

Of the lists above, who would you like to see in the roles of Jared and Ian? Do you think these actors have what it takes to play our favourite male leads?

This interview is from a few days ago (May 12th) and therefore doesn’t have any new information for us regarding the movie. However, Saoirse did give a bit of insight into her feelings about the project (the brief Host section starts around 3:26):

SS: There’s been news in the paper today about you being in The Host movie, [based on] Stephenie Meyer’s novel. Is that true?

Saoirse: Um, it’s not false.

SS: It’s not confirmed?

Saoirse: It’s not confirmed, and nothing’s actually been finalized, so we’re talking about it to the people who are involved. It’s different from Twilight as well which is good, you know, it’s a different type of story. So yes, hopefully it will work out.

Bravo for Saoirse’s understanding that though Twilight fans and Host fans do overlap, they aren’t necessarily one in the same. Also, don’t you just love her Irish brogue?

In an interview today with Scottish news site NEWS.scotsman.com, Saoirse Ronan was still non-committal about her potential role in The Host:

Ronan is as excitable as any teen, chatting about her dog Sassy, a concert she’s going to, and waves her new nail-polish at me, which is a vivid green. But she’s aware of her clout too; earlier that day it was reported that she’s to star in a movie called The Host, based on a novel by Twilight author Stephenie Meyer. “Oh, that’s not right,” corrects Ronan in a matter-of-fact manner. “That deal’s still to be locked down.”

With the Cannes Film Festival happening as we speak (where The Host will purportedly be promoted), we should be getting some actual news any time now. We’ll keep you posted. Hang in there, Host fans!

Saoirse Ronan has announced to the Belfast Telegraph, in an article published this Thursday, that she will not be taking a part in ‘The Hobbit’ movie adaptation:

Saoirse Ronan has revealed she will not be playing woodland elf Itaril in ‘The Hobbit.’

The Hanna star had been in talks to star in ‘The Lord Of The Rings’ prequel, directed by Peter Jackson, who she worked with on ‘The Lovely Bones,’ but has now signed up to star in ‘The Host.’

Saoirse revealed: “It’s probably not going to work out with ‘The Hobbit’ unfortunately.

“Because I would have been working for about a year on it and there were other projects that I was very interested in, but Pete and [his producer wife] Fran have been very good about it and very understanding.

Looks like ‘The Hobbit’ has lost out, but to our benefit!

Note: There is interview from IndieLondon circulating around The Host fansites. In this interview Saoirse Ronan said regarding her casting in ‘The Host’ that, “Nothing is actually for definite yet.” This interview does not have a date on it, however, and may be been done before Ronan’s casting became official. Also, it is important to note that Deadline, who announced the casting, is a very reliable source. Therefore, the information from from IndieLondon should be viewed with skepticism.

It is important to remember that nothing is set in stone until we get an official casting announcement from Chockstone Pictures or Ronan’s representation.