Since the discovery of space, the subject of aliens and their contact with the human race is one that has plagued not just scientists but writers and filmmakers as well. This curiosity aimed at figuring out the existence of life forms outside of those present on earth has been explored in films, literature, and music. I Am Number Four is one of such films that have taken this subject and put a spin on it. Here is more about the film and the possibility of the release of a sequel which many fans seem to want so bad.
I Am Number Four
John Smith is an alien who has escaped to earth from his planet of Lorien. He is one of the nine children and their guardians who evaded the genocide of his people by the Mogadorians. Smith lives with Henri, who acts as he guardian and mentor.
After escaping an attack in Florida, the two move to Ohio. Of the nine, John Smith is number four and all the children have to be killed in the sequence of their numbers, the first three have been annihilated and it is John Smith’s turn. I Am Number Four, tells the story of how John discovers his powers and finds love while battling with the genocidal Mogadorains and the bullies at school.
I Am Number Four is based on the novel of the same name which is the first installment in the ten-book Lorien Legacy series. The rights to the film were gotten in 2009 by Dreamworks and by the following year, filming had begun. The film was made on a budget of $50 million and it was able to make $150 million from box office sales. The commercial success this film had did not extend to criticism of the film which was mostly negative.
When Is I Am Number Four Sequel Coming Out?
The next book in the Lorien lineup is The Power of Six and it is based on the sixth child who escaped from Lorien. In I Am Number Four, this character is already featured in the events in the film and novel. But the last time filmmakers mentioned the film’s sequel was in 2013, as fans had also clamored for a sequel.
But for the production house to make a sequel, the film needed to make $500 million which would have been enough to build the Lorien film franchise, but as the film only managed to make $150 million, all plans for the sequel were put on hold. Nonetheless, fans still have hopes that a sequel will be made.
I Am Number Four Cast
When the rights for the film were gotten in 2009, casting began in 2010. Alex Pettyfer was to play Number Four, aka John Smith and Sharlto Copley was supposed to play his guardian, Henri. But Copley was already roped up in another film, The A-Team and because of this, he had to quit from I Am Number Four; Timothy Olyphant was picked in his place.
For the role of Sarah Hart, the love interest of Number Four, Diana Argon who was mostly known for playing Quinn Fabray on Glee was cast in the role. The studio had gone through many actresses for the role and decided to go with Argon. Teresa Palmer played Number Six, a role she would have maintained if a sequel had been made. Other members of the cast include; Callan McAuliffe, Kevin Durand, and Jae Abel.
Other Facts About the Movie
1· The novel which this film is adapted from has its author listed as Pittacus Lore, which is in fact a pseudonym used by three writers. They are James Frey, Jobie Hughes, and Greg Boose. The first two still write the novels while Boose is no longer part of the trio.
2· Teresa Plamer’s character, Number Six is more adept at fighting and for the actress to achieve this she trained for three months in sword fighting, her training was done for four hours a day and six days a week.
3· The locations in the film where the invading Mogadorians and John Smith’s people come from are very similar to locations in Ohio – the state one of the writers of the novel comes from.
4· Pettyfer and Agron were dating while the film was in production but on the night after the film was released on the 18th of February, 2011 they split up.
