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"I Am Number Four" laid down the foundation for an expansive science fiction mythology (not to mention the groundwork for a feature film series launched earlier this year), and now the small, elite and endangered group of alien youths are in the Mogadorian crosshairs again.

A new novella, "I Am Number Four: The Lost Files: Six's Legacy" arrives in e-book form on Tuesday (July 26) with just weeks to go before the release of the next full-scale sequel, "The Power of Six," out on August 23. We've got an EXCLUSIVE first look at "Six's Legacy" for your viewing pleasure today.

Read it after the jump, then tell us what you think in the comments section and on Twitter!

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You don't have to look far to find some serious badasses at the movies this year, but in the end, there's only room for five of these fearsome foes to compete for the Biggest Badass Star at the 2011 MTV Movie Awards — and, of course, only one of them can walk away as the winner.

But who's going to take the prize? Will it be one of the more familiar comic book heroes? The dreamy dream thief? The secret teenage alien? The newest karate kid? Read on for a primer on all of these badass nominees, then cast your vote for Biggest Badass Star today!

Robert Downey Jr., "Iron Man 2"
Tony Stark is pretty much the epitome of badassery: he's a hard-drinking billionaire beloved by women everywhere, and he gets to enjoy his perpetual partying lifestyle while kicking bad guy butt inside the comfort of his technologically superior Iron Man armor. Doesn't get much more badass than that.

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Tags Alex Pettyfer, chloe moretz, i am number four, inception, iron man 2, jaden smith, joseph gordon-levitt, kick-ass, MTV Movie Awards, robert downey jr., the karate kid

by Stefan Doyno

What do you get when you mix a British rising star with a beautiful Gleek? You get the Alex Pettyfer and Dianna Agron-starring "I Am Number Four," a sci-fi action flick about an extraordinary alien teenager who is constantly on the run from a rival species that's out to destroy him.

"Number Four," based on the novel by James Frey and Jobie Hughes, is currently out on DVD and Blu-ray, and today we have an exclusive behind-the-scenes look from the home video release. In the clip, director D.J. Caruso discusses "Number Six," the beautiful alien badass played by Teresa Palmer, showing us some previously unseen footage of the movie's stunts in the process. Check it out and let us know what you think in the comments section and on Twitter!

Tags i am number four, teresa palmer

It's funny that we mused on the idea of vampires versus aliens earlier today, because "I Am Number Four" co-writer Marti Noxon is familiar with both.

In addition to contributing to the story of the Alex Pettyfer-starring sci-fi flick, Noxon was a regular presence on "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," the Joss Whedon-headed television series that kicked fang and staked names for several seasons, and continues to do so as a Dark Horse comic book series.

Even though Noxon's days on the "Buffy" front are over, the franchise itself is far from finished. A Whedon-less reboot is on the way from writer Whit Anderson, and from Noxon's perspective, it's hard to imagine anyone standing in the revered vampire slayer's shadow without Whedon's direct involvement.

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Tags buffy the vampire slayer, Fright Night, i am number four, Marti Noxon

With numerous vampire-centric franchises currently existing in the film and television worlds—yes, we're looking at you "Twilight," "True Blood" and "The Vampire Diaries"—there's an understandable amount of in-fighting between fans of these different properties, every one of them arguing in favor of their brand of choice.

But with so much time spent on the struggle within the vampire community, perhaps fans are overlooking a greater threat—a threat that comes from outer space.

We're talking, of course, about aliens. They're not bug-eyed and green-skinned, but the aliens you'll see in "I Am Number Four," arriving in theaters today, are no less dangerous—and they're certainly no less sexy than some of your favorite bloodsucking vamps. Indeed, the arrival of "I Am Number Four" already had our friends at Hollywood Crush asking if Alex Pettyfer is the new Robert Pattinson, and now we're curious... could aliens become pop culture's new vampires?

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Tags Alex Pettyfer, D.J. Caruso, i am number four, Timothy Olyphant

It was an excellent year for theatergoers in 2010, and by all accounts, 2011 is shaping up to be just as exciting. From high octane action thrillers and comic-book adaptations to gut-busting comedies and family fare, there's no shortage of highly anticipated films coming our way in the New Year.

Over the next three days, we're offering a detailed look at 30 of the most exciting movies that 2011 has to offer. Check out the first 10 movies (listed in chronological order by release date), as well as a gallery of photos from the films, after the jump! Read more...

Tags battle los angeles, Drive Angry, Fast Five, i am number four, rango, Scream 4, Source Code, sucker punch, the green hornet, The Mechanic

Remember James Frey, author of "A Million Little Pieces"? Yeah, he's the guy Oprah ripped a new one for passing that off as a memoir when it was mostly fiction. Turns out, making stuff up is a good talent to have: "I Am Number Four," the best-selling sci-fi novel Frey subsequently co-wrote with Jobie Hughes, is bound for the big screen courtesy of "Disturbia" director DJ Caruso. And its interest-piquing new trailer just debuted on Yahoo.

The plot centers on nine infant aliens who are sent to Earth when their planet is destroyed, develop super powers and are hunted by the Mogadorians (the evil guys who trashed their home). Hmm ... sounds eerily similar to this little movie we once saw called "Superman 2." But, hey, we loved that flick, so we're not complaining. Read more...

Tags Alex Pettyfer, D.J. Caruso, Dianna Agron, i am number four, james frey, teresa palmer, Timothy Olyphant

The movie isn't out until February 2011, but "I Am Number Four" the book hits stores next week on August 3. I read it several weeks ago and can't recommend it highly enough; it's an easy, fun sci-fi read, one that can be enjoyed equally by teens and adults.

The story follows a young human-like alien from the planet Lorien, which was destroyed some years ago the Mogadorians, by a marauding race of invaders. Lorien's last hope lies with nine babies who are sent to go into hiding on the planet Earth. Each one is assigned a guardian/teacher and each will develop a range of superhuman powers as they advance into their adult years. As an added twist, each of the nine is assigned a number; the Mogadorians can hunt them all down, but the surviving Lorien children can only be killed in the order of their numbers.

That's the basic setup. "Disturbia" director D.J. Caruso is busy shooting the adaptation right now in Pittsburgh, along with stars Alex Pettyfer as the titular Number Four, Timothy Olyphant as the boy's guardian, Teresa Palmer as fellow alien refugee Number Six and "Glee" star Dianna Agron as high school sweetheart Sarah. Amidst a busy shooting schedule, Caruso took some time out to chat exclusively with MTV about how things are coming along. Read more...

Tags Alex Pettyfer, D.J. Caruso, Dianna Agron, i am number four, teresa palmer

I read "I Am Number Four" a few weeks ago and it was a delightful experience. There's been a rush on to find the next "Harry Potter," the next "Twilight," the next big ongoing adult-and-child-friendly literary series, and here we have one of the strongest contenders I've seen. "Number Four" shifts away from the fantasy seen in "Potter" and "Twilight," looking instead to another genre which is particularly well-suited to epic storytelling: science fiction. The tale is credited to author Pittacus Lore, an alien life form who, along with a small group of others, escaped the destruction of his homeworld by a malevolent race, the Mogadorians.

Like "Harry Potter," "I Am Number Four" succeeds by slowly introducing you to its unique universe, learning about the lost planet of Lorien and its culture through the eyes of a young man who escaped the destruction. The first book (oh yeah, it's a series) ends with some key questions answered, but many new ones raised. It hits stores on August 3, with an adaptation starring Alex Pettyfer arriving in theaters early next year. Read more...

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"I Am Number Four" is an intriguing project for a number of reasons. It's an adaptation of a a young adult novel co-written by James Frey, controversial author of "A Million Little Pieces." Michael Bay and Steven Spielberg are producing it. On top of all that, the still-growing cast includes Alex Pettyfer, Timothy Olyphant, Teresa Palmer and Kevin Durand. Now MTV has learned that one more has joined the cast: "Percy Jackson" star Jake Abel.

The story follows nine aliens who survive the destruction of their homeworld at the hands of a rival race. The group flees to Earth, where they proceed to blend in among the human populace. Trouble starts when the enemy pursues the fugitive aliens to their hiding place. Pettyfer stars as the titular Number Four, who poses as a high school student. Abel confirmed to MTV that he'll play one of Pettyfer's social rivals. Read more...

Tags D.J. Caruso, i am number four, Jake Abel