Actor Max Irons has signed on to play Jared in The Host for Open Road Films. We reported back in May that Saoirse Ronan will star as the lead character, Melanie Stryder.

The story, adapted from Stephenie Meyer's best-selling book, centers on Melanie Stryder, one of the last humans remaining on Earth after an alien species known as Souls infiltrated the planet. These aliens can enter a human being and erase all of their memories and personalities. When Stryder is taken over by a Soul dubbed Wanderer, she refuses to give up her identity. Max Irons will play Jared Howe, who falls for Wanderer while the Soul is in Melanie's body.

Andrew Niccol (In Time) is directing The Host from his own adapted screenplay. Production is scheduled to begin in February, on location in Louisiana and New Mexico.