'The Maze Runner' will hit the big screen next February
The young adult novel 鈥淭he Maze Runner鈥� by James Dashner is set to become a film that will be released next February.
鈥淭he Maze Runner鈥� follows Thomas, a boy who wakes up with no memory except that of his name only to find himself inside an enclosed meadow-like area with other boys. A large maze is beyond their immediate surroundings, but no one has ever figured out how to get through it or how to escape.
The first book in the series was released in 2009 and is part of a trilogy detailing Thomas鈥檚 adventures. A prequel to the series, titled 鈥淭he Kill Order,鈥� was released last August.
Director Wes Ball, who is taking the helm for the first time for the movie, says Thomas is different from the others surrounding him.
鈥淗e鈥檚 curious,鈥� he told . 鈥淭hat鈥檚 partly perceived as a threat, but it actually may be the thing that gets him out.鈥�
Dashner is writing the screenplay with Noah Oppenheim, who is working as a screenwriter for the first time but has served as producer on the MTV show 鈥�The Buried Life鈥� and NBC鈥檚 鈥淭oday.鈥�
Thomas will be portrayed in the movie by actor Dylan O鈥橞rien of the TV series 鈥淭een Wolf.鈥� Alby, the group鈥檚 leader, will be played by actor Aml Ameen, who appeared on the NBC Kathy Bates TV series 鈥淗arry鈥檚 Law.鈥� Newt, Alby鈥檚 second-hand man, will be played by actor Thomas Brodie-Sangster, who鈥檚 currently appearing on HBO鈥檚 鈥�Game of Thrones鈥� as Jojen Reed, a mysterious boy who can communicate with animals.
Teresa, a girl who arrives in the area known as the Glade and is the first female to do so, will be portrayed by 鈥�Skins鈥� actress Kaya Scodelario.
Ball says the protagonist, Thomas, is different than the others with whom he鈥檚 imprisoned in the Glade.聽
鈥淭homas is the boy who takes that step forward when everybody else takes a step back,鈥� he said.
