Saoirse Ronan to Star in Film Adaptation of Stephenie Meyer's 'The Host'

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Saoirse Ronan

Box office darling Saoirse Ronan has closed a deal to star in The Host, the film adaptation of Stephenie Meyer’s novel of the same name.

Inferno Entertainment will begin shopping the project to foreign buyers at the Cannes film market, which gets underway May 11.

Ronan is currently in theaters with Focus Features’ smart thriller Hanna, which has grossed more than $36 million so far at the domestic box.

Meyer’s name — along with the success of Hanna and Ronan’s performance -- should lead to brisk foreign presales for Inferno and Host producers Nick Wechsler and Steve and Paula Mae Schwartz. Host reteams Inferno and the latter two producers, the team behind Brad Pitt starrer Cogan’s Trade, which is now in post.

In The Host, Ronan will play the title character Melanie Stryder, who fights daringly against aliens — a.k.a. The Souls — who have taken over Earth.

Ronan is repped by CAA.