Screen Gems wants to bring on Jamie Campbell Bower — the "Harry Potter" and "Twilight Saga" alum — to its entry in the franchise sweepstakes.
Bower is in final negotiations to play Jace, the male lead, in "The Mortal Instruments," TheWrap has confirmed.
He beat "I Am Number Four's" Alex Pettyfer, "Eragon's" Ed Speleers and newcomer Leebo Freeman for the role.
"Mortal Instruments" is a big deal. It stars Lily Collins, who made a name for herself in "The Blind Side" and will be Snow White in Relativity Media's "Snow White" movie. And it's a ready-made franchise: Cassandra Clare's 6-novel young adult series has a fanatic following.
Bower will play Jace, a "shadow hunter."
The books are is about a girl whose mother is attacked by a mysterious creature and taken from her home in New York. When the girl, Clary Fray, tries to get her back, she learns unnerving truths about her own bloodline.
Collins plays Fray.
Scott Charles Stewart is directing. Jessica Postigo wrote the screenplay based on Clare's novels. Robert Kulzer is producing for Constantin Film; Michael Lynne and Robert Shaye are producing for Unique Features.
