Good pick, ForsakenMoon19:)I like the character development of Mark through the whole book which has grown on you, especially in the end, we could see his soft side and he was not a jerk anymore we thought in the beginning:)

I believe Jake can pull off this character very well and he is so good at playing characters like Mark with transformation, just think about Adam on SPN and Luke in Percy Jackson!!!

Yes Jake is very talented and easily relatable with any character he plays!! What I like most about Mark though is that he's really just an average guy wearing a mask on a daily basis and as u read that mask slowly comes off to reveal a much more gentle, considerate, softer side to his personality. I think had Sarah known about this part of Mark she probably would've wanted to work things out but at the same time I think knowing there was a deeper tone to him made her want to date him in the first place. I also think their breakup was bennifical as it has started to give Mark & Sarah a chance to really see each other for who they are and become close friends and for Mark to see something likable about John to make him form a decent relationship with him. I know he was a bully in the beggining but I couldn't help feeling bad for this guy that felt so alone with his ever growing insecurities. It's sad cuz I truly believe he loved Sarah she just couldn't love him back. I always knew Mark was a good guy and I think deep down John and Sarah knew too otherwise they would've tried to cut him out of their lives. Mark is like a big Teddy bear, rough around the edges but soft inside:) it's going to be fun to see Jake make that transformation onscreen, like Alex's character he too goes on a journey of self discovery in the first book!!:) Cant wait for the movie!!!!

I think Mark with the load of insecurties has something to do with the relationship with his father, sherriff james, who perhaps has been too hard on his son. The book doesn't explore about their relationship and why Mark wears a mask all the time. I checked the cast list on IMDB.com, sherriff Jame is in it as well which made me think their relationship perhaps will be explored a little in the movie.

Yes I think that does come alot from his father, probably becuz Mark was brought up to be this "golden boy" with great potential and Sherriff James probably puts all this pressure on him that he just can't take. I think that's why he was cruel and insensitive in the beginning, all that anger building up is bound to make you snap one way or another. This is another reason Mark saw an oportunity to mess with John, he's the new kid and unaware of what the guy is capable of Mark basically tries to use John as his own personal punching-bag (which doesn't go so smoothly). And not only that but he also lost the first love of his life to this other kid, so all that pain continuously plummets Mark's true character. I think that's why I couldn't help falling in love with him as the book when on, I fell for John and Sam of course but there was just something deep and sad about Mark that made me want to hug him more than smack him. I really hope we do get to explore his relationship with his father in the movie but I also hope in the sequel to come we'll get a further backstory on Mark as well as Sam and Sarah who've all become signifigant humans in John's life:)

Yeah, it is somthing deep and sad about Mark more than calling him a jerk, considering Mark's upbrings. Sometimes, I think John understands Mark more than Sarah does, remember in the beginning of the book, Sarah just keeps calling him a jerk, superisingly, John can see through Mark's problem directly and helped him when his house caught on fire, even though, Mark has been really hard on him since they met.

I really hope we could see abit more about Mark and his father in the movie.I also wondered that too when Mark returns in the sequel, how they will develop the character further, like you said , starting from Mark's further backstory may be a good idea:)AS well as Sam and Sarah.

Yes that's another thing too I think Sarah was so fooled by Mark's mask where as John could identify with him on a certain level. Both of them are running away from problems they can't face, both of them are pretending to be something they're not and both have so much anger and insecurity that penting it up inside makes them want to scream. I also think back to the first moment Mark reached out to John & Sarah when he invited them to his party, and when that fire happened both John & Sarah were willing to risk their lives to save the one other thing Mark loves the most....his dogs. I thought was very extraoridinary of both of them to do that for a guy they could clearly symphathise with. And if you also think back to when Sarah & John first arrived at the party and were greeted by Mark's two dogs, Sarah spoke fondly of her ex-boyfriend to her new boyfriend that time, which didn't even create jealous tension. I think that's one of the reasons people can relate to Mark, everyone at some point has experienced something he's gone through whether its heartache, family issues and peer pressure. For fans to have read the book and just state that Mark James is another asshole in literature are totally missing the point of this character. Mark reaching out to John and Sarah was a clear demonstration of his true genuine side and the rescue at the house demonstrated John's kindred, selfless and understanding after everything he went through with Mark. Both guys are underdog-heros in their own way, which is why these two developing a close friendship in the near future wouldn't surprise me. I love how in the end Mark, Sam and Sarah all stood by John willing to face the dangers to come so I doubt any of these human characters will ever be left out of John's life. Yes it's true he has a strong connection to Six and the other aliens, but at the same time John has a strong connection with his human friends. It wouldn't be right to disinclude any of them in future sequels as each one contributes something unique to John, which he needs for reasons to remain on earth. I don't know and it's too early to tell but I believe in the end friendship and love with overcome destiny:)