District 9 star circling D.J. Caruso’s sci-fi fantasy I Am Number Four

Sharlto Copley, who starred in District 9 and plays ‘Howling Mad’ Murdock in the upcoming big screen version of The A-Team, is in negotiations to take the lead in I Am Number Four, which is based on the upcoming young-adult science fiction book by James Frey and Jobie Hughes, according to HeatVisionBlog.

British actor Alex Pettyfer is set to play the title role of Four, one of nine aliens who escape their home planet before its annihilation by a rival species and hide out on Earth disguised as high school students. Copley would play a man who hailed from the alien world’s serving class but is now Four’s guardian and mentor.

Al Gough and Miles Millar (Smallville) wrote the screenplay, adapting it from a planned six-book series premiering this fall by HarperCollins Children’s Books.

D.J. Caruso will direct I Am Number Four, with Michael Bay and Steven Spielberg producing.