Originally Posted on Deadline:

Putting to rest weeks of rampant speculation about director and cast, Constantin Film and Unique Features announced today that Harald Zwart will direct actress Lily Collins in the hotly anticipated film adaptation of Cassandra Clare’s #1 best-selling book series “The Mortal Instruments.”

In the series’ first book “The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones”, set in contemporary New York City, a seemingly ordinary teenager, Clary Fray, discovers she is the descendant of a line of Shadowhunters, a secret cadre of young half-angel warriors locked in an ancient battle to protect our world from demons. After the disappearance of her mother, Clary must join forces with a group of Shadowhunters, who introduce her to a dangerous alternate New York called Downworld, filled with demons, warlocks, vampires, werewolves and other deadly creatures.

Lily Collins, star of the upcoming Mirror Mirror, will play the lead role of Clary. Principal photography is expected to begin August 15 in Toronto. Harald Zwart, whose recent film The Karate Kid grossed over $350 million worldwide, will direct from a screenplay by Jessica Postigo and I. Marlene King, with Robert Kulzer producing for Constantin Film and Bob Shaye and Michael Lynne producing for Unique Features. Martin Moszkowicz, Constantin Film’s head of Film & TV, is executive producing.

Fans and the filmmakers agree: “Lily Collins is the perfect Clary,” says producer Robert Kulzer. “Harald Zwart really understands the visuals and heart of The Mortal Instruments. That was crucial to us. Of course, having Cassandra Clare’s support throughout and collaborating with her on this project has been especially rewarding.”

Lily Collins is repped by CAA. Harald Zwart is repped by ICM. Cassandra Clare is repped by The Gotham Group, which also reps Jessica Postigo. Both Postigo and I. Marlene King are repped by Gersh.

Does anyone notice one name missing from this announcement? Does this mean that Jamie Campbell Bower is no longer cast as Jace? I’d love to hear your opinions in my comment section.

1. Can you tell our readers a little bit about yourself?

I am a photographer, videographer and video producer of some really great books’ book trailers. I started off as a photographer of everything from portraits to weddings to fine art, but my love for reading navigated me towards young adult and book trailers and now am madly in love with what I do.

2. What kinds of books do you most enjoy reading?

I love books I can get immersed in. I usually read young adult only because that is the core of my work right now. But I love reading and read something every day (mostly emails)! But I will say that a good fantasy/paranormal book always gets my attention.

3. When did you first get interested in photography?

Way too young to remember. My Dad’s always had a camera and taking pictures. Black and white at the time, but pictures that made me fall in love with photography. In high school I took some classes, three out of the two they offered (yes, I took one twice) and was a goner. I did a lot of other photography through high school and college from portraits to wedding photography but book trailers really stuck with me. I get to do everything at once!

4. What drew your interest into the creation of book trailers?

I loved reading and I loved movies, especially if they were book adaptations. When I saw book trailers come around for YA books a few years back I saw an opportunity for ME to adapt or translate books I love. I get to be a mini movie maker and for my favorite reads. How many people can say that?

5. What can an author expect from a VLC Productions book trailer?

I started a boutique video production company a year and half ago and have since been producing book trailers for some of the young adult genre’s best books. I oversee everything from concept to story board to casting and even shoot each trailer myself. I offer something unique to each book; no two book trailers will be alike and I stand by that. As an author once put it, they liked VLC Productions for the “beautiful photography, creativity, an eye for color and texture…”

6. Do you have any trailers you are particularly proud of?

That is a very hard question to answer. I’ll say one of my first book trailers for Beautiful Creatures. It was such a fun trailer to put together and one that still gets a lot of comments which I love reading! Such great international love for that book and trailer!

7. Who are some of your favorite clients to work with?

I LOVE working with everyone and have been SO incredibly lucky to develop great relationships with so many people. I love working with Kami Garcia and Cassandra Clare and of course everyone at Simon & Schuster and Harper Collins. Everyone’s been so great to me!

8. Do you still get excited when you get to work with famous authors?

I get excited to work with ANY authors. Everyone’s famous to me! But yes, when I do get that particular book and author to work with I am definitely giddy for days. I think I was dancing and screaming for weeks when I got news I’d be working on Cassandra Clare’s book. Still pinching myself.

9. What trailers are you working on now?

I just finished CITY OF FALLEN ANGELS and WITHER. And next I’ll be working on a series trailer for Alyxandra Harvey’s Drake Chronicles, which is such a fun read! As well as Hannah Moskowitz’ INVINCIBLE SUMMER and Amy Plum’s DIE FOR ME. I’m really excited to be working on some fun books this year!

10. How can an interested author reach you for additional questions?

Anyone with questions can reach me at vandsmedia@gmail.com. Ask away!

VLC Productions is a boutique book video trailer production company. Boutique doesn’t just mean small. It means we are innovative and creative, tailored to your book and needs. We take our time to find just the right look and feel for your book and always use our own footage and photography to achieve something unique. Something that won’t be seen anywhere else. http://www.vlcphoto.net/

It’s been a long struggle for Cassandra Clare fans as we continue to wait for a new City of Bones screenplay to get final approval. Although I have nothing to add on that movie, I can tell you some interesting rumors circulating around the Clockwork Angel casting.

During an appearance at the Clockwork Prince release party, Ed Westwick of Gossip Girl fame confirmed that he would be interested in the role of Will Herondale if the part was offered to him. I had the opportunity to speak with Cassandra and she said, “While I have no control over casting, I’m a big fan of Ed’s and it’s gratifying to know that having gotten to know the character, he would want to play him.”

So let’s take a peek at Will. Physically, he is quite tall, has curly black hair, and stormy blue eyes. He’s been described as the sort of young man nice Victorian girls are warned against. He drinks, gambles, and enjoys the company of ladies of questionable virtue—at least, as much as he enjoys anything. Will hates everyone and everything, with the possible exception of Jem, and even that is occasionally in doubt. If you’ve read Clockwork Angel and Prince then you already know that Will is much more than what he wants you to think he is. He’s caring and sensitive. Ugh, I just love him.

Personally, I would love to see Ed in the role. If you’ve ever watched an episode of Gossip Girls then you know that he’s certainly capable of playing a character with range. And, for an added bonus, he’s British so the accent is already there! Put on a little hair dye and some contacts and we’ve got us a Will!

As you already know, Screen Gems has purchased the rights to Cassandra’s Infernal Devices series as well as her Mortal Instruments series. At first, we heard that the studio would release the Mortal Instrument series first and then Infernal Devices. However, if Westwick were attached in the title role, is it possible that Clockwork Angel could get the green light before City of Bones? It appears that the studio has other ideas.

TheFABlife interviewed Cassandra and the subject of movie releases did some up. “We’ve only gotten as far as the screenwriter,” she said. “They’re very enthusiastic about it. They were like, ‘What would you feel if we released them the same way you released the books, alternating?’ I was like, ‘If you think that will work … you know about movies and I don’t!’ That would be really interesting. I don’t know if they would do one in the spring and one in the fall or what.”

So what do you think Cassandra Clare fans, is Ed Westwick our guy?

Now that we have our Clary and Jace, the next logical casting must be Simon Lewis. I’ve heard quite a few names thrown around so I’m going to assume that we don’t have one particular actor in mind. This role will require an actor with lots of wit and humor. A guy that’s not afraid to stand up to Jace and tease him whenever possible. A guy who can be both video game player and wannabe rock star. Not an easy mix if you ask me. I’ve always thought of Simon as “nerdy chic”.

In City of Bones, Cassandra Clare describes him, “in jeans and an old T-shirt that said MADE IN BROOKLYN across the front. His freshly scrubbed hair was dark brown and his glasses perched crookedly on the end of his nose.” She further went on to describe him as someone, “on their way to a chess club.” Yet, we all know that’s not enough to describe Simon. He may come of nerdy compared to the other blue-haired guys in the Pandemonium Club, but he’s much more than that. This is a guy who competes for Clary’s heart. He has to be able to come close to the sexy we all know as Jace Wayland. Not to mention that Simon turns into a vampire and catches the eye of both gorgeous, kick-butt Isabelle and cute, werewolf Maia.

Keeping all that in mind, here are three actors that have both the talent and physical appearance to bring our Simon to life:

Anton Yelchin

According to Imdb, Anton “is an American actor best known for starring as Bobby Garfield opposite Anthony Hopkins in Hearts in Atlantis (2001), and as Tommy opposite Robin Williams in the House of D (2004).” He’s recently starred in Star Trek and Terminator Salvation. His upcoming projects include Fright Night, The Winter Queen, and The Smurfs. He’s a talented actor that was ranked #12 on Moviefone’s, The 25 Hottest Actors Under 25 in 2008 and one of People Magazine’s, Most Beautiful People in 2009. I can’t confirm he has a twitter account, but you can use hashtag, #AntonforSimon to show support!

Xavier Samuel

I’m not going to go into a description on this one because we all know him as Riley from The Twilight Saga: Eclipse. This one may be difficult for some, but I heard a rumor that he read for the role of Jace Wayland. No way to know for sure because so many actors were considered, but I heard he made an impression with the Screen Gems casting directors so I wouldn’t be surprised to see him turn up in City of Bones. Simon would be a great role for him because he’s already played a sexy vampire. Not such a stretch, ya think? He doesn’t have a twitter, but you can show your support by using hashtag, #XavierforSimon

Landon Liboiron

Landon is a Canadian actor. Although he’s probably the lesser known of the three, he’s been a pretty busy actor. Most teens remember him as Sam Bradford in Life Unexpected and Declan Coyne in Degrassi: The Next Generation. His post-production projects include: See If I Care, The Howling: Reborn, and Zombie Punch. Did I mention that Landon plays guitar in a band? The picture below just screams Simon to me. Check him out singing and playing guitar here. Show your support for Landon on his twitter and hashtag, #LandonforSimon

On a personal note, I’d like to thank everyone who’s participated in my articles or has spoken about it on the Mortal Instruments message boards. Whether you agree with me or not, I am truly honored to be part of your discussions.

The final coffin nail was sealed on the Alex Pettyfer for Jace campaign after he signed on to Magic Mike and Overdrive. For me, it was over months ago, but no use opening up that can of worms again. Now, with Alex out of the way, we can consider other actors who could play the Jace Wayland role. Lucky for us, we don’t have to look far.

According to The Wrap, we have three top candidates: Jamie Campbell Bowers, Leebo Freeman, and Ed Speleers. As far as I’m concerned, only one name sticks out on this list and that’s Jamie Campbell Bowers. I only have one thing to say about Leebo Freeman – he has no acting experience. Conversation over, have a nice day. Next is Ed Speleers who starred in Eragon in 2006. Eragon was a mild hit, but where has he gone since then? Well, he played on a television show that lasted only one season called Echo Beach in 2008, but since then, has starred in two short films and the British horror flick, A Lonely Place to Die. Nothing against Ed, but I don’t think he’s ready for a project of this caliber. He just hasn’t shown me anything that would justify him in this starring role.

So, why should fans rally behind Jamie? Three words: Proven Acting Ability. In my humble opinion, this should really be the only factor to consider. His resume has shown his acting range in a wide variety of characters. He’s stared in Sweeney Todd, Winter in Wartime, and RocknRolla. You may also recognize him from the small indie franchises known as Harry Potter and Twilight. He’s currently starring as Arthur in the Stars network series, Camelot. He carries that series in a role that only a multifaceted actor could handle.

He’s worked with some of the most talented and well respected actors in Hollywood including: Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, Joseph Fiennes, Ava Green, Gerald Butler, Tom Wilkinson, Thandie Newton, and Alan Rickman just to name a few. You don’t get to work with people of that quality unless you can handle your own.

If we have to get into physical looks then he fits that too. Jace is described on many occasions as having the face of an angel. One of those mentions happened here in City of Glass: “To die? No one wants to die, Father.” The point of Jace’s sword slipped lower, and then lower until it was resting over Valentine’s heart. Jace’s face was calm, the face of an angel dispatching divine justice. Jace is further described as having a thin muscular build, blonde wavy hair, and golden eyes. Except for the golden eyes which can be achieved with contacts, Jamie matches up.

In closing, I’d like to say that we all have our own opinion of what Jace looks like. Lots of actors and models can come close, but is that really what you want? Are you looking for a talented actor or someone that looks like the Jace in your mind? If I had to choose, I’d take a talented, proven actor every single time. If you agree with me, let Jamie know he’s got your support. You can find him on Twitter. You can also spread the word by using the Twitter hashtag, #JamieforJace

On a personal note, I’d like to thank everyone who’s participated in my articles or has spoken about it on the Mortal Instruments message boards. Whether you agree with me or not, I am truly honored to be part of your discussions.

It seems that since the film adaption of City of Bones was announced, Alex Pettyfer was the lead contender for the role of Jace Wayland. Few can argue that Pettyfer resembles the description of Jace. He looks like he could’ve posed for the cover of the book, but I’d like to move past the physical likeness and discuss the problems with Pettyfer. Before I begin, I’d like to preface by saying that I was once a major Alex supporter, but the last two months have really sent me in the opposite direction. Now, I’m pleading with fans to throw their support behind another more deserving actor and I’ll explain why.

Alex has an attitude problem. He’s had some well documented issues on movie sets. Most notably, the Hollywood Reporter and other news sources reported multiple issues during the filming of I am Number Four. Apparently, Alex was miffed that another actor was making more money than he was. That led to him refusing to cash his paychecks for two months which gives me the mental picture of a toddler stomping his feet. During that same period of time, he also had issues with the director and the situation got so bad that a DreamWorks CEO had to intervene. The bad behavior continued when he missed marketing meetings for Beastly and left producers waiting for more than two hours. Recently, he was late to his own premier. Reports initially said it was because of the house fire, but the actor wasn’t home during the fire. Alex was late due to personal issues, but his PR company tried unsuccessfully to sweep additional bad press under the rug. In addition, the fire was limited to the garage and very little damage was done. Some have said that the press is picking on him, but too many people have come out with detailed accounts of this behavior. At some point, you have to use common sense. If it walks like a spoiled brat and acts like a spoiled brat then he’s probably a spoiled brat.

Alex has shown no passion for the role when he should be grateful. Jace Wayland is an incredible character and every actor in town seems to know that except for Pettyfer. Alex was offered the role, but insisted on a 10 million dollar paycheck when he only received 250K for his previous role in I Am Number Four. So what constitutes the huge raise? Surely it’s not tickets sales because both of his 2010 movies have under-achieved at the box office. So why does he deserve it? The answer is he doesn’t. He’s banking on the fact that fans want him in this role. His priority is the money. My guess is that he will land with whichever franchise is willing to pay out whether it’s City of Bones, The Last Apprentice, or Hunger Games. In addition to poor tickets sales, I wasn’t impressed with his acting talent and I’m not alone. Most of the extremely poor critical reviews of both movies have said that Alex has failed to deliver any emotion in either role. Mortal Instruments fans know that Jace is a complicated character who requires an actor with range. Alex is unproven, if not disappointing.

This is where I am hoping the book fans pay attention. I love this series and I want to see all the books brought to life. Jace is the essential role and everyone knows it. Do you really want to take a chance on an actor with obvious issues? An actor who hasn’t delivered on talent or ticket sales. What do you think will happen if City of Bones is the success that I expect it will be? Do you think his ego will get bigger or smaller? The answer is bigger which means he could mess up the entire chemistry on set. Is this the chance you’re willing to take with your beloved series because Alex happens to look like the Jace your mind? I’d prefer to have an unknown come in with acting talent who can give us the Jace we deserve. An actor who wants the role and would bite off his own arm to get it. That’s the commitment I’m looking for and certainly what Cassandra Clare deserves for writing such an outstanding series.

On a personal note, I’d like to thank everyone who’s participated in my articles or has spoken about it on the Mortal Instruments message boards. Whether you agree with me or not, I am truly honored to be part of your discussions.

What drew you to writing fantasy?

I grew up reading fantasy. My father was a big fan of fantasy and science fiction, so those were the books we had in our house. Obviously there’s a large fantastic component to children’s literature anyway, and when I was a kid, my favorite books were those by Edward Eager, Susan Cooper and E. Nesbit. I was also big fan of fairy tales — the original grim ones — and folklore. So when I moved on from children’s books, I moved on to Tolkien and Terry pratchett instead of moving on to realistic contemporary fiction. (The one thing I made an exception for was historical fiction.) So when I decided I wanted to write, it was natural to write fantasy. You write what you love to read.

You’ve written about vampires, werewolves, shapeshifters, etc. Do you have a favorite fantasy character that you love to bring to life?

As in a favorite sort of creature? No, not really, though I find writing faeries difficult. They seem very removed and archaic and their doublespeak — they can’t lie, but they love to mislead — is a pain. I always have to run my faerie dialogue by Holly Black before I can send it out.

Who are your favorite young adult fantasy writers? Do you have any books you would recommend to your fans?

I don’t really believe in favorites. When I was a kid I did, and I was always rearranging my booksholf in order of what my favorite was down to my least favorite, until eventually I realized I was being silly because different books were my favorites in different ways, and appealed to me at different times. That said, I would recommend two books that haven’t come out yet as books to look for: The Replacement, by Brenna Yovanoff, and Bitterblue, the new Graceling book by Kristin Cashore.

What was the best writing advice anyone ever gave you?

I was once advised that once you’re done with a book, read the whole thing aloud to yourself. It takes a long time but it really lets you hear things like overused words, awkward sentence construction, and the like.

Read the rest of the interview here: http://www.fantasybookaddict.com/2012/02/04/interview-cassandra-clare/