Sharlto Copley (District 9, upcoming The A-Team) is in talks to star in DreamWorks’ I Am Number Four, based on the first of a six-book science fiction series by James Frey and Jobie Hughes.
He would join Alex Pettyfer (Beastly) in the D.J. Caruso-directed film, adapted by Al Gough and Miles Millar.
The franchise is about a group of nine earthbound alien teens who escaped their planet just before it was destroyed by a hostile species. While the high school-aged kids assimilate, the title character (Pettyfer) discovers that he is being hunted by the enemy that blew up his planet.
Copley is playing a man who hailed from the alien world’s serving class but now is the title character’s adult guardian and mentor.
Michael Bay and Steven Spielberg are producing. Chris Bender and J.C. Spink are executive producing with David Valdes.
