A young adult fantasy novel about an ordinary girl who discovers supernatural beings? What kind of a commercial proposition is that? Oh, wait, never mind. We can guess why Cassandra Clare's best-selling series is being adapted for the screen in Mortal Instruments: City Of Bones, and why Jonathan Rhys-Meyers has just joined the cast. But it all sounds like a good fit for the material.
Rhys-Meyers will play Valentine Morgenstern, a less-than-warm presence in the novel. The story centres around young Clary Fray (Lily Collins) who discovers that she's descended from a secret cadre of half-angel demon-killing Shadowhunters. Jamie Campbell-Bower is fellow Shadowhunter Jace, while Lena Headey is down to play Clary's mother, Jocelyn. Morgenstern's character is another, very powerful Shadowhunter, but one who's gone a little bit too far in his quest to purify the world.
Harald Zwart, of **The Karate Kid **reboot, is directing, and the whole thing is due to hit screens on August 23 next year. The film also stars Jared Harris, Robert Sheehan, Kevin Durand, CCH Pounder and Aiden Turner.