Chloe Moretz has had a lot of success, but it’s almost surprising that in this era of young adult adaptations she hasn’t taken the lead in a movie that could turn into a Twilight/Hunger Games franchise. That’s changing though as Sony has closed a deal for her to star in an adaptation of Rick Yancey’s bestselling novel The 5th Wave.
J Blakeson will direct the film from a screenplay by Susannah Grant. The movie is described as being ‘an original approach to an alien invasion movie’, which takes place after four waves of increasingly deadly attacks have left most of Earth decimated.
Against a backdrop of fear and distrust, 16-year-old Cassie (Moretz) goes on the run, desperately trying to save her younger brother. As she prepares for the inevitable and lethal 5th wave, Cassie meets a young man who may become her final hope.
The novel spent 20 weeks on The New York Times Best Sellers list and was honoured with the 2014 Red House Children’s Book Award in the UK. Sony hopes this can translate to the screen as it certainly has franchise potential, as the second book in the planned trilogy, The Infinite Sea, will be published on September 16th, 2014.