"The Host" by Stephenie Meyer Becoming A Movie!

Producers Nick Wechsler, Steve and Paula Mae Schwartz have used their own money to acquire screen rights to “The Host,” the first adult novel written by Stephenie Meyer, author of the “Twilight” series.

Andrew Niccol will write the script and direct.

Meyer’s novel is a love story set in the near future on Earth, which has been assimilated by an alien species of benevolent parasites that call themselves “Souls.” One such soul, the Wanderer, is fused with a dying human named Melanie Stryder, in an attempt to locate the last pocket of surviving humans on Earth.

Wechsler and the Schwartzes are separately teamed on “The Road,” the John Hillcoat-directed adaptation of the Cormac McCarthy novel that will be released Nov. 25 by the Weinstein Co. They are also producing the Paul Schrader-scripted “The Dying of the Light” and an adaptation of Pete Takada book “An Eye at the Top of the World,” which Ryne Douglas Pearson is adapting.

In addition to writing four volumes of the “Twilight” series, Meyer has been heavily involved in the screen transfers, and she spurned several overtures for “The Host.” The producers continued lobbying the author and her UTA reps with a significant offer, a strong vision for the project and a collaborative spirit. Meyer eventually said yes.

In fact, Niccol first came under consideration after Wechsler and the Schwartzes asked Meyer what her favorite science fiction films are. “Gattaca” and “The Truman Show” were in her top five; Niccol wrote and directed “Gattaca” and scripted the Peter Weir-directed “The Truman Show.”

And on Meyer's website...

"Hey guys, great news! The Host is on its way to the big screen:

Variety.com: "Twilight's Meyer..."

I'm so excited to be working with Nick Weschler, and Steve and Paula Mae Schwartz to bring The Host to a visual format. They've all been a dream to work with, so lovely and collaborative, and I feel like we're in a really good place to make a great movie together. And then to have Andrew Niccol writing and directing? Truly awesome. If you've never seen Gattaca, go watch it now. One of my favorite movies of all time. It's such a great example of character driven science fiction, which is ideal for The Host, no? I'm having an absolute blast imagining different dream casts, which I would post if people didn't take my silly blogs so seriously these days. I'm looking forward to seeing the cast lists you come up with in the fansite forums, and if any of them match mine.

So, very exciting. Yay Host!

XO

Steph"

So. Are you as excited as I am? A part of me thought that eventually someone would make The Host into a movie, but I didn't know it was actually going to happen! And so soon too...

I love The Host just as much as the Twilight series and wish them luck on the way to making it come alive on the big screen.