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Henry Lee Hopper, son of bad-boy Dennis Hopper, has signed to star in Wes Craven’s new horror thriller tentatively titled “25/8″ for Rogue Pictures.

The 17-year-old Hopper will play the lead role of Bug, one of seven teens haunted by a serial killer who supposedly died when they were born 15 years earlier, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The film takes place over the course of a day as the mystery of who — or what! — is stalking the teens plays out.

Here’s what’s interesting in all this…

According to this story, Hopper is the most grounded kid you’ll ever find. Not really what you’d expect being the son of one of Hollywood’s most infamous bad boys.

“I never really got the brunt of all that,” says Hopper, who was born to actress Katherine LaNasa when his dad was 54. “I have two older (step)sisters that did, and I think it was really hard for them.

“Alcoholism played a big part in it all, so sobriety is something that’s very valued in our family. Everyone has a dark side to them, and he’s overcome it, so I don’t feel outraged by it.”

And unlike other celebrity kids, this father and son have always been close. “He’s always treated me like an equal, never an authority figure,” Hopper said. “I relate to him like a friend who’s been around 50 or 60 years more than me.”

And the teen doesn’t drink or do drugs! How novel! It’s a personal choice, he says. “It distracts you from the truth, and we have enough distractions.”

The young actor is planning to attend Cal Arts to study fine art right after Sept. 11, the day he turns 18 (”No one ever forgets my birthday,” he noted), but says he won’t act outside of his summer breaks.

Principal photography on the Craven film is set to begin in Connecticut in mid-April.

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