Meyer's 'Host' heads to theaters in March 2013

Los Angeles:'Twilight' author Stephenie Meyer's next big-screen project has a release date.

Distributor Open Road Films announced Monday that the movie adaptation of Meyer's apocalyptic sci-fi novel 'The Host' will arrive in theaters March 29, 2013.

"The Host" stars Saoirse Ronan ("Hanna," "The Lovely Bones") in a story of one of the last holdouts against an invasion by entities that take over human minds while leaving their bodies intact.

Published in 2008, 'The Host' is Meyer's follow-up to her best-selling 'Twilight' series, whose final book is being adapted in a two-part movie adaptation, the first installment debuting this November.

'The Host' is scheduled to begin shooting in Louisiana and New Mexico next February. Andrew Niccol ("Gattaca") wrote the screenplay and is directing.