Timothy Olyphant (“Justified”) is replacing Sharlto Copley (District 9) in director D.J. Caruso’s I Am Number Four, says Variety. Copley had to drop out because of his upcoming press obligations for The A-Team.
The film, written by Alfred Gough, Miles Millar and Marti Noxon, is based on the upcoming young-adult sci-fi book by James Frey and Jobie Hughes.
The story is about a group of nine earthbound alien teens who escaped their planet just before it was destroyed by a hostile species. While the high school-aged kids assimilate, the title character (Alex Pettyfer) discovers that he is being hunted by the enemy that blew up his planet.
Olyphant plays Henri, Number Four’s guardian and mentor who comes to Earth with him. Kevin Durand will play The Commander that is coming after Pettyfer’s character.
Teresa Palmer plays Number Six and Dianna Agron is Sarah, a girl dating the head jock who falls for Number Four. Callan McAuliffe is playing Number Four’s best friend.
