The "Mortal Instruments: City of Bones" trailer has debuted and resembles a couple of the young adult thrillers that have recently debuted at the box office.
Screen Gems is no doubt looking for a hit with the adaptation of Cassandra Clare's best-selling novel starring Lily Collins ("Mirror, Mirror") as Clary Fray, following the releases of "Beautiful Creatures" and "The Host" — which opened to underwhelming domestic hauls of $7.5 million and $10.6 million, respectively.
"Mortal Instruments" follows the story of a New York City teenager whose life is turned upside down when she discovers she's actually a member of a half-angel warrior race called Shadowhunters.
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Things go from weird to worse when her mom, played by "Game of Thrones" star Lena Headey, gets abducted, leaving Clary to team up with a handsome, hooded Shadowhunter Jace (Jamie Campbell Bower) to track her down and fight lots of mythical creatures (werewolves, warlocks, demons) in the process.
The question: Can any of the upcoming young adult studio tentpoles replicate the success of "Twilight" and "Hunger Games?" Post-"Twilight" audiences appear to be growing tired of this particular Hollywood trend of of pitting a young Hollywood onscreen couple against the supernatural. But maybe more teenagers on summer break will bolster tickets sales when "Mortal Instruments," the first entry in an aspiring blockbuster franchise, hits theaters on Aug. 23.
Watch the trailer and judge for yourself: