▁production ▁debut . ▁On ▁July ▁ 2 5 , ▁ 2 0 1 3 , ▁Rel ativity ▁Media ▁acquired ▁the ▁distribution ▁rights ▁from ▁Warner ▁B ros ., ▁mark ing ▁the ▁studio ' s ▁third ▁film ▁adaptation ▁of ▁a ▁Nicholas ▁S par ks ▁novel . ▁On ▁October ▁ 2 2 , ▁Mich elle ▁Mon ag han ▁was ▁cast ▁to ▁play ▁the ▁female ▁lead ▁Am anda ▁Col lier , ▁and ▁Ryan ▁K avan augh ▁was ▁to ▁co - produ ce ▁the ▁film . ▁On ▁October ▁ 2 4 , ▁the ▁studio ▁set ▁the ▁film ▁for ▁an ▁October ▁ 1 7 , ▁ 2 0 1 4 ▁release . ▁ ▁On ▁January ▁ 9 , ▁ 2 0 1 4 , ▁the ▁studio ▁offered ▁James ▁Mars den , ▁who ▁co - star red ▁in ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 4 ▁adaptation ▁of ▁S par ks ' ▁ 1 9 9 6 ▁novel ▁The ▁Not ebook ▁to ▁play ▁the ▁male ▁lead ▁Daw son ▁Cole , ▁replacing ▁Paul ▁Walker ▁after ▁his ▁death . ▁On ▁January ▁ 2 8 , ▁L iana ▁Liber ato ▁joined ▁the ▁film ' s ▁cast ▁as ▁the ▁younger ▁version ▁of ▁Mon ag han ' s ▁character , ▁Am anda ▁Col lier . ▁On ▁February ▁ 1 2 , ▁Luke ▁Bra ce y ▁was ▁added ▁to ▁the ▁cast ▁to ▁play ▁the ▁younger ▁version ▁of ▁Mars den ' s ▁character , ▁Daw son ▁Cole . ▁On ▁March ▁ 1 2 , ▁Sebastian ▁Ar cel us ▁and ▁Ger ald ▁Mc R an ey ▁joined ▁the ▁cast ▁of