Although even many fans of Twilight seem less than impressed with Stephenie Meyer’s other book, The Host, the success of vampire franchise means it’s inevitable that someone’s going to try and make a movie version of the sci-fi novel. Meyer was initially resistant to the idea (as she was with Twilight) but early last year made a deal to get a film version underway.
Now it’s got to the point where the producers want to attach a director, and according to Variety, they’ve now got Britain’s Susanna White involved in the project. She is perhaps a surprising choice, seeing as her only bigscreen credit is Nanny McPhee and the Big Bang, although she has helmed several TV flicks, as well as episodes of Bleak House, Generation Kill and Teachers.
The Host is a sort of modern Invasion Of The Bodysnatchers type story set in the near-future, when humanity has been assimilated by a species of alien parasites that call themselves ‘souls’. One of these creatures, known as The Wanderer, is fused with a dying human called Melanie Stryder, in an attempt to locate the last pocket of non-assimilated humans.
While many don’t think much of the book (which is classed as more adult than the Twilight series), the good news is that Andrew Niccol has been on scripting duties. He’s got a great pedigree in producing thinking man’s science fiction, having scripted the likes of Gatacca, The Truman Show and the upcoming Now (which he’s also directed). Many had assumed he’s end up directing The Host, but now White’s got the job instead.