New Moon Release Date-Bad news for Lautner?


from EW.com.

'Twilight' sequel: New details on 'New Moon'

Dec 10, 2008, 01:00 PM | by Nicole Sperling

Categories: Movie Biz

Summit Entertainment has tentatively slated Nov. 20, 2009, as the release date for New Moon, the Twilight sequel, which means any director who signs on to replace Twilight director Catherine Hardwicke has to be in Vancouver by Dec. 15 to begin 12 weeks of preproduction before a mid-March start date. Reports have speculated that Hardwicke was fired for being difficult on set, but sources close to her suggest Summit's aggressive production schedule turned her off. "She'd love to do the sequel if she could do it better than Twilight,” says one. “It ­became clear that Summit didn’t have those same priorities."

Indeed, at press time the second movie appeared to have ­little more than a rough first-draft working script. As Summit’s production president Erik Feig told EW during Twilight’s ­record-busting first weekend, “There is that first...script. All the finesse that turns a screenplay into a movie hasn’t ­happened yet.” Two weeks later, Summit is saying it’s happy with screenwriter ­Melissa Rosenberg’s progress.

Another of Hardwicke’s primary concerns was that hunky vampire Edward remains MIA throughout New Moon’s middle portion. In her own opening-weekend interview, she told EW, “You have to get the chemistry as strong ­between Jacob and Bella as it was between Bella and Edward. You also have to do ­some­thing with that arc: She’s in love with somebody, he disappears, she falls in love with someone else, and the first guy comes back. Movies like Pearl Harbor have tried it. It absolutely didn’t work.”

With or without Hardwicke, Summit ­faces other snags. Two sources tell EW the studio doesn’t want to rehire baby-faced Taylor Lautner (pictured) as Jacob, though Lautner’s agent has apparently reached out to the ­imaging company behind The Curious Case of Benjamin Button in an attempt to demonstrate to Summit how a digitally bulked-up Lautner could work. (Summit says it won’t make a decision until a new filmmaker is on board.) There’s also the matter of finding a cast of Native American actors to play Jacob’s werewolf clan — a difficult challenge Hardwicke was also faced with before ­settling on Lautner, who isn’t completely ­Native American. And with a slightly increased budget of $50 million — much of which is ­assumed will go to leads asking for heftier paydays, location shoots in Italy, and ramped-up F/X — Summit will have to scrimp somewhere.

So what director would want to take on such a big headache? Well, at press time, an offer was out to Chris Weitz (The Golden Compass), who put Summit on the map years ago when its foreign sales operation made tons of cash off of his first film, American Pie. (One source says Weitz has already had conversations with below-the-line crew for New Moon.) “We are in a recession,” ­reminds one Hollywood insider. “It’s a hit franchise. Whoever steps into it is guaranteed a $100 million gross. Everyone wants this movie.” Adds an exec at another studio, “You’d have to have a very high standard for art, hate the movie business, and hate ­money to walk off this sequel.”

Gozde: This article is very scary! I hope they don't mess New Moon up :(

18 comments:

DirtyD said...

W-O-W. If this is true my question to Summit is "What the hell are you guys thinking?!?!" Well I probably know the answer to that----> dollar signs...

I know some people had reservations about Taylor but I actually liked him and hope they don't replace him.

Gozde said...

Yeah Dana! Seriously, what are they thinking? I mean we all love Rob and will see the movie but in all honesty Twilight wasn't a very good movie. They have to do a better job with New Moon or only the hard core Twilight fans will see it. My friends hated Twilight, I don't think they will go and pay to see New Moon :((

And although I didn't like Taylor in the beginning I thought he made a great Jacob in the movie.

DirtyD said...

I am suprised that with how much money Twilight made that they are only upping the budget to 50 million. There are so many things that need to happen to make this a a good movie and to fix what went wrong with Twilight. I have my doubts that this will be enough money to do that. Come on Summit- quit being so damn cheap and "SHOW ME THE MONEY"

Ellie said...

Goz--I'm sorry I asked Dana about that link...I wasn't thinking.
Dana--I'm in agreement with you about that.

And yes, 50 million isn't that much nore than what they had for Twilight, the way Hollywood finances go...
I hope they make a quality film...they need to do justice to the book.

Gozde said...

Don't worry about it Ellie :) We all want to see the movie over and over and over. I understand :)

YQUE! said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
YQUE! said...

UH OH THIS IS SCARY!
I think these Summit "Head Hanchos" are getting to cocky about the sequel, fan are hardcore about doing "New Moon" right. This drama is just going to turn people away I say we WRITE A STRONG WORDED LETTER maybe a THREAT here and THERE!!! heh

Dani said...

I worry that the budget is not near enough for what they need. However they might discover during filming the need for more money and fork it out. It really depends and I hope that they extend that budget a bit.

Taylor I am not surprised about nor am I disappointed. He is just too cute and not mature enough looking to play the part. I never thought that he had the chops or the chemistry to pull it off with K Stew in NM or Twilight for that matter. Dude needs to go, he is sweet as pie but not right for this movie.

I really do hope they replace him. I worry that this movie is being rushed, too much so fast and no definite director yet. Not good. I don't see the movie being able to make it to the theaters by Nov 2009...NO WAY...but we will see what happens.

kristen said...

Wow, this NM stuff is scary. The folks over at Summit seem to be making bad decision after bad decision, and it makes me nervous. It's becoming blatantly obvious that all they care about is money, and while that's important in the movie business (and in every business), they have to realize that they are going to start seriously alienating their fans if they keep this up.

As far as Taylor goes, I really hope they don't change actors. Even though he took some getting used to, I thought he played a great Jacob in Twilight, and I really can't stand it when they change key actors in a series. Plus, although there wasn't huge chemistry between Bella and Jacob in the movie, there wasn't really much chemistry between them in the Twilight book either... Not until NM does Bella start seeing him differently. I guess we will just have to wait and see how it all plays out...

MiCh said...

I'm with Dani, I think Taylor was good for Twilight but he's not enough good for NM and Eclipse.
Ok, maybe they could digitally bulk him up but seriously, is almost impossible give him a grown man's face.. I think, if you are going to spend $$$ in special effects, spend it in the werewolves not in a guy who's too young and you need him older!

My real concern is that this movie is being rushed too much.. Summit, take your time, do a good movie, we can wait!

Jenny said...

Everyday...Everyday...Everyday is a Twilight drama we're going all the waaayyy.....

I wouldnt miss Taylor, he's a sweetie but i want a rawr guy. Legal age so they can film all those long hours to pack in this movie in the time Summit is giving them.

Karla said...

Ditto to everyone - not enough $$, time or desire to make it the way we all see it in our heads. I hope I'm proven wrong! As for Lautner, I liked him. His smile was infectious. I found myself smiling every time he did, in spite of myself. I kept thinking, "I want to dislike you, but I can't." But that being said, I don't think he'd be able to fit the role in NM or Eclipse. Isn't he supposed to be 6'7" (or bigger) in Eclipse?

Anyway, I'm bummed to hear all the greedy talk. I know $$ is all that matters to them, and I can understand to a point, but still, kinda feels shitty to hear it, ya know?

I just really want NM to shine and be everything Twilight wasn't. *sigh*

Emily said...

Okay, here's my opinion on Jacob. Totally agree with Lyla on replacing actors. For me, it ruins a sequel. I must be a tad OCD or something but I can't stand it. Taylor did an awesome job in Twilight. He can definitely bulk up for New Moon but I, personally, am not going to have any issue with it if he doesn't grow a foot by then. I mean, do they think they can find a 6'7" Native American actor who can pass for under 20 years old by March? They should just work with what they've got. Taylor is cute, he gets Jacob, and he is totally excited about everything.
I'm more worried about them ruining the story in New Moon by writing Edward in every five minutes.

Totally agree with Karla about it being all about the money. I wish it wasn't like that but I guess that's how it is. Sucks, though.

Lynn said...

Okay, so Summit wants a pre-production schedule to begin December 15th, I guess there's no rest for the weary! The $50K budget is kind of a slap in the face...Summit can claim difficulties with the director but time constraints and $$$ probably played the bigger part. This could mos def get uglier before it ever gets pretty!

Tess said...

I just finished reading this online, before I hopped over to the blog.

have you read some of the comments?

http://hollywoodinsider.ew.com/2008/12/twilight-sequel.html

One commentator called Jacob a mouthrapist! (WHAAAAT)

WTH was CH thinking when she stated that Bella falls in love with Jacob.... NO she doesn't! she might've leaned on him, and flirted, but she didn't FALL in love with Jacob in NM.

Taylor is perfect for Jaob.. He might be a bit young (again, true to book) But that's what F/X are all about. I agree with Goz that if they don't do a better job with NM, the franchise will fail and become a laughing stock. Twilight has an excuse for being cheesy due to the budget.. if NM follows suit, it's sunk.

Rusharthi said...

okay I'm really worried now about New Moon. I think Summit is ruining things. I think Melissa Rosenberg should be replaced, I mean they need to stick to the story!! Even Robert wants Edward to not come back until the end. They are looking at this as a way to make cash. I mean if they still keep a low budget and put pressure then the movie is going to be a wreck and no one is going to like it! Also I think they should keep Taylor in the movie. I don't think he was that bad, he just didn't have that many lines to work with. Ughh! Stupid Summit people!

Anonymous said...

wow summit is really rushing this project..this is not good! i don't want new moon to be a disappointment..and i don't want taylor to be replaced too =(

tea_time said...

I like Taylor as Jacob. Wish he could grow UP fast. I prefer not to mess up the casting because I've grown to love them all.

Special effects do need time and money, arrgghh!

 
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