British actor Alex Pettyfer will make his U.S. debut this summer with BEASTLY, alongside Vanessa Hudgens.  Though not quite a household name in the states, I predict that will change very soon.  Pettyfer has also been cast in the lead role of I AM NUMBER FOUR.

The film is based on the book by James Frey and Jobie Hughes.  You may remember Frey as the A Million Little Pieces author.  How that guy gets film deals after he dupes the likes of Oprah's Book Club with his fabricated memoirs is beyond me.  But I'd guess he is one hell of a writer if he was able to craft such a captivating memoir.

I AM NUMBER FOUR revolves around a group of nine aliens who have escaped their home planet just before its destruction. Number Four (Pettyfer) disguises himself as a human teen to avoid being captured by his planet's enemy.  The storyline is vaguely reminiscent of the television series Roswell and Smallville, which I loved at a certain age.  It sounds like this will be a hit with the tweens.

Smallville creators Al Gough and Miles Millar co-wrote the screenplay.  Michael Bay and Steven Spielberg are producing the film, with DJ Caruso (DISTURBIA, EAGLE EYE) set to direct.  If the film does well we can expect there to be many sequels.  I Am Number Four is the first of a planned six books.

Source CinemaBlend