Since the successful debut of the “Twilight” franchise, and especially in the aftermath of “The Hunger Games,” studios have been rushing to find the next big thing in the young adult genre, and Screen Gems is betting big on Cassandra Clare’s “The Mortal Instruments” saga. Set to begin shooting in Toronto in a few weeks, the film has found its lead villain in Jonathan Rhys Meyers.
“The Mortal Instruments: City Of Bones,” the first book in the series, begins with 16-year-old Clary (Lily Collins) and her best friend Simon getting into a New York club. While there, Clary interrupts what looks like an odd-looking gang taking on an innocent boy, only to discover that the boy is actually a demon and the gang are a group of demon-hunting Shadowhunters, invisible to all but her. From then, she’s drawn into an ancient war between the Shadowhunters, sworn to protect humanity, and the Downworlders — vampires, werewolves, demons et al. — discovers that she has powers she’s never dreamed of, and soon realizes that the Shadowhunters’ greatest enemy might come from within. And along the way, she’ll have to choose between Simon (Robert Sheehan), who’s long been in love with her, and Jace (Jamie Campbell Bower), who’s she’s feeling increasingly drawn to.
Meyers will play the big bad of the piece, Valentine Morgenstern the leader of the Shadowhunters rebellion long believed to be dead but is back to finish what he started, and he’s being backed up by Kevin Durand and wrestler Robert Maillet. The “Match Point” actor is no stranger to franchises, having appeared in J.J. Abrams’ “Mission: Impossible III,” but this will probably be his most high-profile role on the big screen in a bit of time, though he's been leading "The Tudors" on TV to some acclaim.
“The Mortal Instruments: City Of Bones” is currently scheduled for an August 13th, 2013 release. [Hollywood Reporter]