While a lot of movies seem to stay in pre-production for unnecessarily long times, others zip through at such a speed it’s almost impossible to keep up. One of those lightning fast movies is I Am Number 4, which D.J. Caruso is directing for Dreamworks.
A deal was done for the film rights last year, even though the first book in the young adult series (written by James Frey and Jobie Hughes under the pen name Pittacus Lore) isn’t published until this August. Smallville’s Alfred Gough and Mile Millar were almost immediately hired to write the script, Caruso was brought on as the director and in recent weeks they’ve been filling out the cast.
Alex Pettyfer is already onboard as the title character, Number 4, one of a group of nine aliens from a planet called Lorien who have been attacked by a hostile race from another planet. The nine youngsters and their guardians evacuate to earth, where three are killed. They hide out in Paradise, Ohio, posing as humans and trying to evade the predators that are still after them.
Sharlto Copley has also signed up as Number 4’s mentor, while Teresa Palmer will be fellow alien, Number 6.
The latest addition to the cast, as reported by THR, is Glee star Dianna Agron. The actress, who plays knocked up cheerleader Quinn Fabray in the musical series, will be the female romantic lead in I Am Number 4, a girl dating a high school jock who falls for Pettyfer’s alien and becomes his confidante.
The lightning fast journey to the screen continues with filming due to start next month and a release already pencilled in for next year.