Looks like ‘The Host’ is going to be available in theaters all over the world and not just in the United States. Variety reports that the distribution rights for the film have been picked up by companies from Germany to Russia to Portugal and more! The movie has yet to be picked up in the United States, but apparently they are in “advanced discussions” with several distributors.

The article also says Inferno is eying a January start date. They most likely mean they plan to start filming in January, but it is not specific. It is possible that they will have more pre-production work in January and that filming would start soon after that.

Here’s the full article: Making the most of Meyer’s ‘Host’

EXCLUSIVE: Inferno Entertainment has nearly pre-sold all international territories for Stephenie Meyer’s pic “The Host,” one of the hot titles at this year’s Cannes market.

Pic, from “The Twilight Saga” scribe and toplining Saoirse Ronan, went to Entertainment Film Distributors in Blighty, Metropolitan Filmexport in France, DeAPlaneta in Spain and TeleMunchen for Germany and Switzerland.

Other deals include Italy (Eagle), Benelux (Independent Films), Australia (Hoyts), Greece and Cyprus (Italia Film), Iceland (Sam Film), Russia (West), Israel (United King), Portugal (Lusomundo), Scandinavia (Mis Label), Turkey (Italia Film), Latin America (Swen), Hong Kong (Tomson Intl.) and China (Fundamental Films).

Deals for Canada and South Korea are in final negotiations and while the pic has yet to nab a U.S. release, Inferno is in advanced discussions with several domestic distribs.

Pic, helmed by Andrew Niccol (who also adapted the screenplay of Meyer’s tome), is produced by Paula Mae Schwartz, Steve Schwartz, Nick Wechsler and Meyer while Inferno’s Marc Butan, Jim Seibel and Bill Johnson are exec-producers. Roger Schwartz serves as co-producer.

Producers are financing the pic with Inferno, which kicked off sales with a bang in Cannes last week. Meyer descended upon the Croisette to meet with buyers. The efforts proved worthwhile as pic had bidding wars in multiple territories all keen to get their hands on the next project from the woman behind the “Twilight” cash cow.

Pic is eyeing a January start date.

January sounds like a long way away at the moment, but at least plans are firming up in all respects to make sure ‘The Host’ movie actually gets made.

Hot off the presses from Cannes!

EXCLUSIVE: Andrew Niccol has been set as the director of The Host, directing his scripted adaptation of the bestselling novel by Twilight Saga author Stephenie Meyer. The project, which is being shopped here at Cannes by Inferno Entertainment and producers Nick Wechsler and Steve Schwartz and Paula Mae Schwartz, will star Saoirse Ronan.

After resisting overtures to sell the book, Meyer finally entrusted it with the producers, who gave her strong creative input. She chose Niccol originally because she was a fan of his film Gattaca and script for The Truman Show. While Niccol adapted the book into the current script, he exited to make the film Now, which he has completed with Justin Timberlake, Amanda Seyfried and Cillian Murphy starring. The producers went down the road with several directors, but talks with Niccol to return started heating up in recent weeks. Ronan ramped up interest in the film when she was set to star.

Ronan will play Melanie Stryder, one of the last humans putting up a fight against an alien species called Souls. These parasites invade human bodies, fuse to each person’s consciousness and systematically erase their personalities. The story follows Melanie as she is captured by the aliens and implanted by a Soul called Wanderer, something of a legend because of all of the “hosts” she has attached to on numerous planets. Wanderer’s goal is to get Melanie to give up the remaining pockets of humans, but instead the alien finds Melanie to be unique in her unwillingness to surrender her consciousness. Wanderer is so overwhelmed by Melanie’s memories and feelings that she is driven to reconnect with Melanie’s old life, which includes falling for Melanie’s boyfriend. The result is a complex, romantic and emotional human/alien love triangle.

Inferno’s Marc Butan, Jim Seibel and Bill Johnson are executive producers, and Roger Schwartz is co-producer. Inferno and the producers are financing the film, with Inferno kicking off foreign sales this week.

“Having Andrew at the helm for us is incredibly invigorating as he truly shares Stephenie’s vision on this film,” said Kimberly Fox, Inferno’s President of International Sales. “We literally began sales this week and the response from the international community, and from domestic buyers, has been beyond our highest expectations. We expect to have every territory in the world sold out very shortly, and then it’s about getting to the exciting part of making the movie.”

Although a formal announcement has still not been made about Ronan’s casting, her continued mention of involvement in the movie is a strong sign that she will be playing Melanie Stryder. She is likely waiting for the movie to get a distributor before she signs on the dotted line. Hopefully they’ll get to that making the movie part very soon!