Stephanie Meyer casting THE HOST - Shortlist of actors revealed

Stephanie Meyer is working with director Andrew Niccol (In Time) to cast the male leads of The Host. Variety reports that the producers are going to begin screen testing actors for the two male leads of the popular novels to be directed by Niccol. Saoirse Ronan (Hanna) is already set to play the role of Melanie Stryder in the adaptation of Meyer's sci-fi novel. Her character's body "is invaded by an alien named Wanderer, also to be played by Ronan."

The list of actors testing for the role of Jared, Melanie's boyfriend include: Liam Hemsworth (The Hunger Games), Kit Harington (Game of Thrones), Jai Courtney (One Shot) and Max Irons (Red Riding Hood). Dane DeHaan (In Treatment), Thomas McDonnell (Prom), Augustus Prew (The Borgias) and Jake Abel (Lovely Bones) are going to test for the role of Ian, "who brutalizes Wanderer before falling in love with her."

Meyer plans that The Host will be the first of a trilogy. The novel has a ton of fan support, after debuting at #1 on the New York Times Best Seller list, it remained on the list for 26 weeks. Producing is slated to start early next year in Louisiana and New Mexico, to meet a release date of March 29, 2013.