2/26/09

February 27

New Moon News
Are you confused as ever on all the New Moon rumors? Well the good people of MTV have put together a list for some easy reference.

Twilighters were up in arms when they heard the rumor that Vanessa Hudgens and Brenda Song were in contention for the role of Leah Clearwater. They all cried, “No Disney stars … EVER!” Vanessa is still hoping to nab the coveted role as Jacob’s fiesty frenemy, but as of now, it looks like neither will be playing the part (hooray!). Twilighters got to breathe easy for about 2.5 seconds until another actor or actress was rumored to be the next Leah, Jane or Aro.

There were some reports that seemed too nutty to be true. If you thought the whole Hudgens/Song rumor was crazy, just brace yourself. Have you heard any of these?

Lindsay Lohan wants to be in “New Moon”! Hilary Duff is clamoring to be a part of the second installment of the “Twilight” saga! “Lord of the Rings” star Sir Ian McKellan as Aro! “Harry Potter” wizard Alan Rickman as a member of the Volturi!

None of the rumors above can beat the mother of all rumors: Madonna is going to be in “New Moon”!

Don’t get me wrong; I love all this casting drama. As a fan of the book series and an overall impatient person, I’m dying to know who’s going to be in film and I want to know now!

In lieu of all the “New Moon” casting chatter, the wonderful “Twilight” team at MTV News put on their thinking caps and came up with a list of insane and completely unfounded rumors to rival some of the ones percolating on the Internet.

» Mickey Rourke is replacing Billie Burke as Charlie. Why? Because Mickey Rourke is awesome.
» Earlier this week the news broke that Governor Schwarzenegger was taking time off to do a film. Could this be a cover for a “New Moon” role? TOTALLY.

» There will be a new character named Stewart, Edward’s long-lost brother. Stewart will have equally awesome hair and will be played by Zac Efron.

» Brad Pitt’s old man version of Benjamin Button is going to play Aro.

» Daniel Radcliffe is going to replace Jackson Rathbone as Jasper. He’ll have his wizard stick handy in case Voldemort pops up to kill Edward.

Source

New Moon Contest
Exciting news, Twilighters! TwilightTheMovie.com, the official Twilight movie website, has announced an amazing new contest for all you diehards. One lucky winner will win a trip to the ‘New Moon’ set and a chance to appear in the film! All you have to do is submit a 1 minute video to TwilightTheMovie.com by March 20th, telling them why YOU deserve to be a part of ‘New Moon’!

For the official rules, click here.

And to enter this amazing contest, for a once in a lifetime chance, click here.

Search for Eclipse Director
As Summit Entertainment looks to lock in a director for the third installment of the Twilight series, Eclipse, the company is talking to a select group of directors — including actress-turned-helmer Drew Barrymore, EW has learned. While this news may come as a surprise to some, Barrymore did just finish work on her directorial debut, Whip It! starring Ellen Page. Neither Summit nor Barrymore’s reps would comment for this story.

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Extra TV: Ask the Twilight Cast
Get ready to sink your teeth into something special, Twilighters… because “Extra” is bringing you closer than ever to your favorite vampires! We’ll have the entire cast of “Twilight” on our set next week — and they’ll be answering questions from YOU!

Rob Pattinson, Kristen Stewart, Taylor Lautner, Ashley Greene, Jackson Rathbone — they’re all waiting to hear from you! Just upload your video questions! Rob and Kristen have answered for you before — in fact, so has Jackson!

Be sure to watch “Extra” next week — and see if your questions were asked!

Source

Twilight Soundtrack Special Edition
Twilight Soundtrack (Special Edition)(CD/DVD) [ENHANCED] [EXTRA TRACKS]

The price is $19.99. This title will be released on March 17, 2009.

Track Listings
Disc: 1
1. Supermassive Black Hole (Muse)
2. Decode (Paramore)
3. Full Moon (The Black Ghosts)
4. Leave Out All The Rest (Linkin Park)
5. Spotlight(Twilight Mix) (MuteMath)
6. Go All The Way (Into The Twilight) (Perry Farrell)
7. Tremble for My Beloved (Collective Soul)
8. I Caught Myself (Paramore)
9. Eyes On Fire (Blue Foundation)
10. Never Think (Rob Pattinson)
11. Flightless Bird, American Mouth (Iron & Wine)
12. Bella’s Lullaby (Carter Burwell)
13. Love Is Worth The Fall (O.A.R.)
14. Decode (Acoustic) (Paramore)
15. Flightless Bird, American Mouth (Live) (Iron & Wine)
16. Spotlight (Sun Lux Remix) (MuteMath)
17. Full Moon (Applebum and Komonazmuk Remix) (The Black Ghosts)

Disc: 2
1. Interview with Alex Patsavas, Music Supervisor for Twilight (DVD)
2. Interview with Hayley Williams, Paramore (DVD)
3. Paramore- Decode Music Video (DVD)
4. Paramore- Decode (Beyond the Video)(DVD)
5. The Black Ghosts- Full Moon Music Video (DVD)
6. Iron & Wine- Flightless Bird, American Mouth (Live)(DVD)

Click here for more information.

Twilight Movie on Itunes
Twilight is now #1 on the movie sales in the iTunes store, and it’s no surprise why–they’ve just upped the ante with a new special deal.

They are now offering two hours of special bonus material–including “deleted and extended scenes, interviews, music videos, and more” for pre-ordering the movie.
It’s available now for pre-order for $14.99, which seems a pretty good deal with all the bonus stuff now included!

Source

February 26

Interview with Stephenie in Vogue: Dreamcatcher
In the article Stephenie talks about writing, her home life, and more. It’s the first article we’ve seen in a long time. Read it if you have the time.

How did a suburban mother of three become the next big thing in publishing with her chaste-but-erotic Twilight series? Robert Sullivan meets Stephenie Meyer.
Photographed by Jonathan Becker.

She may prefer to write late at night while her family sleeps, but for the record, there is not a lot about Stephenie Meyer, author of the better-than-best-selling Twilight series, that screams vampire. Yes, she has long dark hair and earthy brown eyes, casually highlighted this afternoon at her home in Arizona by a black Banana Republic cashmere sweater and jeans, but she lacks the arrogance associated with vampireness. Her vibe is homey; she sits you down on her living-room couch, one leg curled up under her, and starts talking as if you had been in the midst of conversation for years. She's surrounded by her sons' toys, games, and compasses (her husband is a Cubmaster), as well as her work—her
office is in the front hall. There are family photos and a few paintings of the Washington coast, where Twilight takes place. The Phoenix neighborhood where she lives, a kind of desert suburb, is the opposite of the Washington coast, and lately she and her husband have been taking their three boys (ages six, eight, and eleven) on vacation to the Seattle area once in a while, to see green. "It's nice to show them that there are places where things are alive," she says.

During the day, she might go to the deli down the street for lunch with her husband ("I'm obsessed with the Greek salad," she says), but she's mostly just around—running errands, picking up the kids, hanging out, which in her case means fielding calls about scripts and producers and interviews. Even in a year in which she is theoretically taking a break from promotional activities, the Twilight industry is booming. She cranks out chapters and reads them aloud to her boys, whom her husband takes care of if she has to go on a book tour or take a meeting in L.A. "I'm a hermit, basically," she says. "I'm just that kind of person." It's not that she has to get back to her coffin before dawn; Meyer is a homebody—even, sometimes, a procrastinator. She never gets out to movies, and it takes her a while to watch them. "We bought The Dark Knight when it came out, and I know we will watch it someday," she says. If Law & Order is on TV at her house, forget writing. "I can't move until it's over," she says. "If it's a marathon, the day's gone."

As much as she has brought glamour to the lives of teenage girls with her Romeo and Juliet-with-blood lust story, the glamour she surrounds herself with is decidedly unglamorous, unless you are a boy, that is—the backyard is an aspiring athlete's paradise. Inside, the kids' playroom is actually played in, though Meyer fights her sons on having to buy the absolute latest video game, indicating to them that their heads will not explode if they do not get it. "The idea of enjoying something you already have has been lost," she says. For her, happiness is being at home or attending a Little League game or the elementary school band concert. She believes this is what success in writing has given her, a kind of luxury that would not be listed as an asset by the IRS. "Luxury for me is getting to take care of your kids," she says.

Yes, she will show up at a star-studded opening of her own film, mugging with the actors more like a schoolgirl than the creator of this gothic juggernaut, and yes, she clearly loves her fans (mostly girls), but the very thought of her own success can make her a little queasy. Just about a year ago, on the set of Twilight—a film even the studio had modest hopes for but that eventually was a phenomenon, like everything else Meyer has touched since she suddenly appeared on the scene four years ago—she watched dozens of people re-create the cafeteria she had imagined as the lunchtime home of her heroine, Bella, and Bella's problematic suitor, Edward Cullen, who is older than Bella by a century or so, as well as undead and living with a large family of vampires. "I suddenly realized that all of this was happening because I wrote a story down," she says, "and it made me a little sick to my stomach."

It's only when she waves goodbye to her husband and son and jumps into her Infiniti that a reader familiar with Twilight's hunky vampire would quickly notice something a little Edwardesque about the 35-year-old author—she drives like Danica Patrick on her day off. "I like to drive," Meyer says. As she exits the dirt road that runs through her desert neighborhood, her foot is on the pedal like teeth on a neck. She is cranking her iPod on the car stereo, a tune by Muse, a band that is exactly that to Meyer. She is not breaking the law, but the law should be a little nervous. "My husband sold our coupe," she says, "and I was so mad."

As far as writing goes, she is certainly cruising, driving in a fast lane that few authors ever make it to. Meyer has sold a gazillion copies (actual number, 28 million), so that it sometimes seems as if the interiors of Barnes & Noble are built not with bricks and mortar but with the phone-book-thick volumes of Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse, and, of course, Breaking Dawn, the latest book in the series, which alone sold 1.3 million copies on the day it was published last summer. And while she is a mom at home, in the publishing world Meyer is a superhero, an author who can make publishers feel a little better about an industry that is repeatedly described as being zombie-like, all but passed away. "It just gives you a lot of hope for the future of this business," says Megan Tingley, her editor at Little, Brown. (The real hope being, of course, that she's the next J. K. Rowling, who has to date sold in excess of 400 million books.)

And that's not even getting to the films of Meyer's novels. Teenagers stood in line for days all over the country to help the movie version of Twilight gross $70 million in its first weekend last November, after having been made on the relative cheap ($37 million, compared with, say, The Dark Knight, which cost about five times that). New Moon is currently in production. And all for a couple of characters that—literally—came to Meyer one night in a dream. "It's an uncomfortable kind of power," she says. "It's not like, Aha! Now I am going to take over the world! It's like, Really? Are you sure? I'm constantly waiting for someone to say, 'You are on Candid Camera. You've been punked!' "

We cruise through a town called Carefree, a beautiful place with dry, boulder-covered hills and forests of streetlight-tall cacti, and Meyer pulls into the parking lot of the Horny Toad, an old-style Western saloon, a little embarrassed—her husband had been hyping the burgers to this reporter. "Try the torpedo!" he was saying, torpedo being Arizonan for a pepper-infused burger.

"I guess this is what people think of when they think of Arizona," Meyer says. She orders the saloon's Caesar and recounts her life pre-Twilight.

She was born Stephenie Morgan in Hartford, Connecticut, her father a finance guy who named her after himself—Stephen plus an "-ie." By the time she was four, the family, who are Mormon, had settled on the outskirts of Phoenix. She is the second of six children, three girls and three boys; she thinks of her family as The Brady Bunch, sans Alice, the maid. The neighbors kept horses on their suburban Arizona lots; her family built huts, bike paths, a paintball range. "It was a free-for-all land," she recalls. "Later, my brothers made it a lot more weaponized."

Books were to Meyer as war games were to her brothers. "I was the bookworm," she says. A childhood memory: her father, in the hall between the bedrooms, reading them not kids' books but, according to his writer daughter, "the books he wanted to read." Specifically, Tolkien-like fantasy, such as The Sword of Shannara, the 1977 epic by Terry Brooks (soon to be a motion-picture series). Her father would read a little, knocking off at bedtime. "The next day I would hide out in his closet with the book," Meyer recalls, "feeling like I was doing something wrong, like I wasn't supposed to sneak ahead." Her mother was more nineteenth-century. "She was the one that had the Austen in the house," Meyer says. "The reason I'm obsessed with the love side of any story is my mom. I always evaluate a story on relationships and the characters."

She won a National Merit Scholarship in high school and studied literature in college, at Brigham Young, where she enjoyed writing papers on Shakespeare but stayed away from creative writing, for fear of potential criticism. "It's not 'You didn't write that paper on Jane Austen so well,' it's 'What's going on in your head? You're a crazy person!'" In college she married Pancho Meyer, whom she first met when she was four. His real name is Christiaan, but he was nicknamed Pancho as a kid on a whim, believe it or not, by his grandmother. "It's not even a good story," Meyer laments. After a stint working as a receptionist at a real estate office, she became a stay-at-home mom upon the birth of their first child, developing a phobia about her kids and swimming pools. "I'm a very neurotic mom," she says. "My kids could swim when they were two. There are so many drownings around here. That's one of my personal nightmares."

Her phobia is the reason she remembers it was on the day of the kids' swimming lesson that she woke up with a dream reverberating in her head. It was a vampire dream. She had not dreamed of vampires before, had not been reading about vampires. To this day, she has not figured out why vampires; she's not a horror person, which is clear when you meet her, though she has always loved superheroes—she's a Batman girl. "I like that he's not so clean-cut, that he has a dark side, that he's doing things that are not clearly legal or illegal," she says. And let's face it, a vampire—especially the star Twilight vampire, who is good-looking, incredibly fast, strong, and smart—is a sexy superhero, Batman with some bite. From her Web site: "In my dream, two people were having an intense conversation in a meadow in the woods. One of these people was just your average girl. The other person was fantastically beautiful, sparkly, and a vampire. They were discussing the difficulties inherent in the facts that A) they were falling in love with each other while B) the vampire was particularly attracted to the scent of her blood, and was having a difficult time restraining himself from killing her immediately."

With a little Internet research, the meadow became the woods outside Forks, Washington, one of the rainiest (and thus potentially most vampire-friendly) places in the United States, and the two people became Isabella "Bella" Swan—a teenage girl who had moved to Forks from Phoenix—and Edward Cullen, vampire. It took precisely three months of typing, late at night, her husband wondering what was going on at the computer. She shared pages only with her older sister. "What if it was completely stupid?" she says now. With her sister's encouragement, she sent it to an agent, where it landed in a slush pile, where an assistant found it. It was then sent to Tingley, senior vice president of Little, Brown Books for Young Readers—Little, Brown was seeing a trend emerging for horror books featuring young women. After reading it on a plane to California, Tingley was offering a three-book deal, which terrified Meyer. "I was just totally bowled over," Tingley says. Meyer had been hoping to pay off her car and ended up with a $750,000 advance. For her it's a dream come true in terms of youth-reading interest. "Books are a big entertainment deal for teenagers now—that's the coolest thing in the world," she says. "What an amazing gift for me that someone could say, 'I read now.' "

One thing you learn quickly if you spend a day with Stephenie Meyer is that she doesn't so much write stories as transcribe them; they are playing in the multiplex that is her mind's eye. "I've been an editor for 20 years, and I've never worked with a writer who speaks of their characters as if they are so completely real," Tingley says.

"I had always told myself stories my whole life and assumed that everyone does," Meyer says. "You know, it's funny; in Jane Eyre, which is something I've read 40 million times, there's this scene where she shows Rochester her paintings. And she explains that in her head it was so different. And Rochester replies that she captured just a wisp of what she was seeing. I used to paint, and I won a few watercolor contests, but I could never get it to look exactly like it did in my head. But with writing, I discovered I could get it to look exactly like it did in my head."

Which is why Twilight, especially, as well as its sequels, is not a horror book but a good old-fashioned romance. There are vampires, and they are wicked quick and excel in killing animals in the woods, which assuages somewhat their hunger for teenage humans. But that's mostly offstage. Twilight takes place in a teenage fermata, an emotional arena that is, for many young girls, simultaneously imaginary and absolutely real. And the boy, by the way, is completely intoxicated with the girl. The courtship is everything, a prolonged ecstasy, because once consummated, the relationship will change, like, totally.

"The sexual tension that she's managed to sustain is just incredible," says Catherine Hardwicke, the director of the movie. "You've found your soul mate, and that the person who you are in love with and who is in love with you could kill you—even better!"

"I think that the reason the books were that way, unintentionally," Meyer says, "is because I miss those days of ten and thirteen when a boy looked at you, and oh, my gosh, you could talk about it for two weeks because he looked at you funny. 'What does that mean? What is that about?' Everything was analyzed."

To her great credit, Meyer knows she is not Gertrude Stein. "I'm not a professional yet," she says. "I'm still just an amateur." But she knows her audience like Nielsen. "A twelve-year-old girl has already in her head imagined out fourteen different lives, including if she gets married, if she doesn't get married, if she falls in love with someone who lives in Paris," Meyer says. Indeed, one might argue her authorial success has something to do with her being surrounded by non-girls. "I live in a house filled with testosterone," she says. "There's always sports on my television, and there's nothing except hockey and scooters, and there's nothing of that side of myself left, and so it's great to have a different place to find it."

Her authorial power is also changing her relationship with her readers; where there was once a manageable number of E-mail correspondents, now she stands before oceans of fans. And as she has changed from underdog—mom writing with a baby on her lap—to Superauthor, the press has begun to wonder about her, most frequently citing her religion and speculating as to whether the Twilight series has something Mormon up its sleeve. Meyer says her religious faith is part of the fabric of the book the way it is part of her. "When you grow up with something your whole life, it influences your work," she says. Regardless, the books are by no means tracts. If they are supposed to be undercover lectures on abstinence, as critics sometimes imagine, then Meyer accidentally made them a little too titillating, though she is, theologically speaking, enthusiastic about where her characters end up—specifically, the way they, as she sees it, take control of their lives rather than allowing the world to dictate control. "Like the idea of freedom of choice—that there's no place that someone can put you that you can't choose a different way," she says, speaking like the Sunday-school teacher she is.

A more interesting and controversial story is the fifth book in the Twilight saga, a version of the first book told from Edward's perspective. It was leaked last year by a source still unidentified onto the Internet, all but about six pages. It was a huge blow. "Now I'm over it," she says, "but I feel really distanced from the project. It was oddly devastating." Although she is currently taking a break, she may continue the Twilight story, but she seems wary of books in series. "I'm experiencing, I think, a little bit of stage fright at this point." This past spring, Little, Brown published The Host, her first adult novel, pure science fiction, in which a woman is taken over by another consciousness—two souls in one human. It, too, was (and, like all her books, remains) a best seller—debuting at number one. For Meyer, the subtext was body image. "I'm not critical of others, but I am very critical of myself," she says. "When I was working on this, I had to imagine what a gift it is to just have a body, and really love it, and that was good for me, I think."

Returning home—fast—Meyer finds the boys are out, her assistant gone. She may be to the publishing economy what Detroit was to the U.S. economy in the fifties, yet she runs her show like a kitchen-table business. One of her brothers, an optometry student, is in charge of her Web site, which means that if a film company wants their representatives' statements posted on stepheniemeyer.com, they can't just snap their fingers. "Somebody will want something done right away, and it will be like, 'No, it has to wait. My brother has a test,' " she says. "It's a small business for me still. I mean, people don't understand; it's just a little family thing. I couldn't deal with it if I didn't keep it small. It freaks me out."

"Dreamcatcher" has been edited for Style.com; the complete story appears in the March 2009 issue of Vogue.

2/23/09

February 23

New Moon News
Bronson Pelletier has been confirmed, via Carrier Talent Management, to have landed a ‘major role’ in the ‘New Moon’ movie. Carrier neglects to mention exactly which lead role he’s nabbed, but they do say he’s rumored to be co-starring with Dakota Fanning. View their statement here.
Type Mr. Pelletier’s name in a search engine, and you won’t come up with much. But some may recognize him from the TV show Dinosapien. In an undated interview with Discovery Kids, Bronson states his age as being 19 (and a half), was born in Vancouver Island, BC, Canada, and mentions that his nickname is “Brown Skin”. Read the full interview here.

Ashley Greene on ‘New Moon’ Script:
‘I Like It Better!’ -Only “Extra” joined “Twilight’s” Ashley Greene at Las Vegas’ Prive Nightclub inside Planet Hollywood as she celebrated her 22nd birthday… and dished about this year’s most anticipated sequel, “New Moon!”

“I’m so excited. I finally, finally got the script… and it’s good,” she revealed. “It’s really good… I’m really excited to work with Chris [Wentz, director]. I finally spoke to him the other day.” She added, “I like it better than the first one. I might be biased because I have a bigger part.”


As for “90210″ star AnnaLynne McCord joining the cast, Greene said, “AnnaLynne is actually a friend of mine, so I have heard about her being cast. There are a lot of rumors, but that one holds a little bit of weight… I hope so. She’s a great girl.”

When asked how the success of “Twilight” has affected Greene, she said, “It’s nice for me because as Alice, a lot of people don’t recognize me because my hair is longer and everything’s a little different so it’s kind of slowly happening. Versus poor Rob [Pattinson], who went from nobody knowing him to everything being documented.” Revealing the weirdest fan request she’s received, Greene said, “I finally got asked to bite someone at a convention.”

Although the paparazzi have yet to catch up with Greene, she admitted, “I have no social life… right now it’s my career… it’s very, very difficult to have a boyfriend.” What does she look for in that special someone? “Someone that I can completely be myself around… Someone that gets along with my friends… if they don’t get along with my friends, that’s it, it’s done.”
Source

2/22/09

February 22

Deadline Hollywood: Eclipse Movie and date announced
Deadline Hollywood, the same people who broke the news of Catherine Hardwicke’s departure, have just reported that they’ve gotten confirmation for an ‘Eclipse’ movie. Not only do they tell us that ‘New Moon’ and ‘Eclipse’ will NOT be shot back to back, but they also give us the reported release date.

I’ve confirmed there’s no director hired yet. And the two productions won’t be back-to-back. But that hasn’t stopped Summit Entertainment from newly scheduling its Twilight threequel for release on June 30, 2010, not long after its Twilight sequel New Moon set for November 20th this year now being helmed by Chris Weitz. Summit also officially changed the name of its vampire movie franchise based on Stephenie Meyer’s bestselling series of novels to The Twilight Saga. Here’s how Summit decides the plot of the threequel Eclipse:

“As Seattle is ravaged by a string of mysterious killings and a malicious vampire continues her quest for revenge, Bella once again finds herself surrounded by danger. In the midst of it all, she is forced to choose between her love for Edward and her friendship with Jacob — knowing that her decision has the potential to ignite the ageless struggle between vampire and werewolf. With her graduation quickly approaching, Bella has one more decision to make: life or death.”


Regarding The Twilight Saga, my sources tell me that director Catherine Hardwick’s claim in her diary that she didn’t want to helm New Moon isn’t accurate because Summit decided not to hire her for New Moon. And I’ve also learned that Summit only had a deal with Stephenie Meyer for the first book, Twilight. So the start-up film studio had to make individual deals for the other books in Meyer’s series — and the author got top-dollar, trust me. To date, Summit’s low-cost blockbuster Twilight has earned $363 million in worldwide grosses — almost evenly divided between domestic and international — since its release on November 21st, 2008.

SOURCE

A second source, MTV, is now reporting they’ve gotten confirmation from a Summit Representative that ‘Eclipse’ IS confirmed. Summit is expected to make their official announcement this weekend. Read the entire story here.

Source

Chris Weitz will NOT direct Eclipse
Hot on the heels of the announcement that ‘Eclipse’ will indeed be made into a film, EW.com is reporting that Chris Weitz, the director of ‘New Moon’, will not be directing the third ‘Twilight’ film. Read below for more details:

Chris Weitz will not direct the third film in the Twilight series, Eclipse, a source close to the production tells EW.com exclusively. Because New Moon, which Weitz is helming, and Eclipse are due to be released so close together (on Nov. 20, 2009, and June 30, 2010, respectively), Weitz will be in post-production on New Moon at the same time that Eclipse will be shooting. That said, the source confirms a report that the movies will not be shot simultaneously or back-to-back; there will be a brief gap between the production of both films.

SOURCE

Pros and Cons of Eclipse movie release date
MTV Movies Blog has done a short little breakdown of the pros and cons that the ‘Eclipse’ movie will face with it’s short turnaround and it’s reported release date:

Okay, Twilighters, here’s the good news: You’ve made it to prime time. The release date is in late June, prime tentpole territory typically reserved for the likes of Will Smith, superheroes and hundred-million-dollar Michael Bay movies. No more of these November, let’s-hope-we-catch-the-teens-while-they’re-home-for-the-holidays release dates for you guys. In fact, a quick peek at the 2010 release schedule shows that “Eclipse” will be butting heads with such heavyweights as “Prince of Persia,” “Toy Story 3” and Jackson Rathbone’s “The Last Airbender.”

Unfortunately, there’s also some bad news: Eyebrows were raised among the fans when the “New Moon” release date was announced as being a year after “Twilight” arrived in theaters. Now, “Eclipse” will hit screens a mere seven months after “New Moon.” Figuring in the roughly three months that Chris Weitz required to prepare the second film, that gives the director of the third movie barely four months to shoot it, edit it, get the special effects up to speed and put the film in theaters.

Of course, if a director other than Weitz is chosen to film “Eclipse,” he or she could have longer to prepare the movie. But any “Twilight” fan would be right to be a bit concerned about the new date – because, as Hollywood has shown us time and time again, hastily-made sequels like “Legally Blonde 2,” “Conan the Destroyer” and the “Saw” films often, well, suck.
The advantage of “Eclipse,” obviously, is that the text is already written – and amongst the Twilighters, it’s perfect just as it is.

Source

Clarification about New Moon Title
By now, we’ve all seen the ‘New Moon’
artwork and have even heard the official title - which raised many eyebrows when it was revealed to be The Twilight Saga’s New Moon. Now, E! Online is clearing things up:

Huge news, everyone! (Yes, every little piece of Twilight is a major deal.) The sequel’s official name and title artwork have been unveiled.

And despite earlier reports that the movie would be known as The Twilight Saga’s New Moon, the title will remain New Moon according to the movie’s rep. They just have Twilight Saga in the artwork to identify it for anyone less devoted than your average fanggirl. But there is a distinguishing difference in this title sequence, which will be in orange rather than the blue of the original.

Rachel Lefevre Spills New Moon Secrets
Rachelle Lefevre, who plays Victoria in ‘Twilight’, recently spoke with Access Hollywood about some of the rumors going around about the upcoming film, what prep-work she’s already begun, and more:

Rachel Lefevre is not a big Hollywood star yet. In fact, the 2009 Independent Spirit Awards are her first awards show ever. And she told Access Hollywood’s Dish of Salt, Laura Saltman, that she adheres closely to a piece of advice that she once heard from George Clooney; “Never go to an awards show, unless you’re invited.”

Rachel has heard all of the “New Moon” rumors that we’ve all heard – about Dakota Fanning, AnnaLynne McCord, Vanessa Hudgens and Madonna. And about the Madonna rumor she says, “I’ve heard that one too. And if I saw her, I’d march right up to her and shake her and say, ‘We’re in the same project!’”

As for “High School Musical’s” Vanessa, Rachel says that the cast hardly knows anything about all of “the rumors,” but that she heard Vanessa Hudgens was, “in… then out… and now maybe back in again.”

Rachel is excited for the third installment of “The Twilight Saga” because there’s a huge fight scene for her in it.

Moreover, she says that she just started training for the wire work stunts in “New Moon.”
She also tells Access that she is doing a special new workout training program, only available in Hollywood, called “GST.”

So look for a buffed up Rachel in “New Moon”!

Source

2/19/09

February 19

New Moon News

As Juliet once said to Romeo: A rose by any other name would smell as sweet. Now, modern-day star crossed lovers Bella Swan and Edward Cullen are getting ready to carry on with their cinematic love affair. But will the second “Twilight” movie smell as sweet now that it has a brand-new name?

MTV News has the scoop on the official name and logo for Chris Weitz’s soon-to-film sequel to “Twilight.” Dubbed “The Twilight Saga’s New Moon” (although the title treatment leaves off the “’s”) the film’s official title art stays true to the look of the first movie while swapping in an orange tint, a subtle crescent moon, and the release date of 11.20.09.


Although the look of the new logo will undoubtedly get Twilighter tongues wagging, it’s the five-word official title that is the most prominent variation from Stephenie Meyer’s simple “New Moon.”

With roman numerals now considered taboo in Hollywood, and sequel names like “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen,” “Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer” and “Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li” in vogue, it makes sense that Weitz and crew would label the future films as “The Twilight Saga.” At the risk of reading too much into five words, it also seems to imply that “New Moon” will boast a more epic feel than the first movie.

As for the logo itself, Weitz has chosen to stay with the lowercase lettering, personable font and light-streaks-poking-through look of last year’s hit film. In switching from blue to orange, the movie’s upcoming posters will be instantly distinguishable from those of the original “Twilight” – which should make them look a whole lot cooler when teenage girls all over the world add them to their walls. The presence of orange also begs a new question: Now that blue and orange are taken, which colors should be used for “Eclipse” and “Breaking Dawn”?

It’s one of the most anticipated movies of the year. It’s the next installment in a worldwide phenomenon. And now, it’s called “The Twilight Saga’s New Moon.” Stay tuned, Twilighters, as MTV will continue to bring you all the latest news from now until November.


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OK! Magazine: 7 Secrets of the Twilight Sequel
#1: No Narnia in New Moon
Despite speculation that British actor Ben Barnes, last seen as Prince Caspian in the Narnia movies, would play Aro, the sinister leader of the vampire world, his L.A.-based agent, Nick Reed, sets the record straight: “Although Ben has enjoyed much of the speculation, we haven’t had any calls. There’s no truth to it.”

#2: Bella’s Boy On Set
Kristen Stewart, who plays Bella Swan, will crush the rumors of romance with Robert Pattinson by keeping four-year-love Michael Angarano close. “Her boyfriend will come to visit her on set,” an insider tells OK!.

#3: The Best is Still Unwritten
With filming just weeks away, the cast (with many roles still undecided) haven’t seen their lines! “I am waiting to get my hands on the script. I am looking forward to getting to work!” Justin Chon, who played Bella’s onetime suitor in Twilight, Eric Yorkie, tells OK!.

#4: 90210 Stars Sign Up
AnnaLynne McCord will sink her teeth into the role of Heidi. Gal pal to Emmett Cullen, aka Kellan Lutz, she says, “I’m so obsessed with vampires!” 90210 actor Brandon Michael Vayda will play Jared the werewolf.

#5: Paramore is Back on Track
Rockers Paramore helped launch the Twilight soundtrack to No. 1 with their single “Decode.” Now, sources tell OK! that the group is penning New Moon’s title track. Meanwhile, RPattz, who contributed two songs to the first soundtrack, may sit this one out. “I really didn’t want it to look like I was trying to cash in,” says the modest immortal.

#6: Taylor: From Wuss to Wolf
How did Taylor Lautner pack on 25 pounds of muscle to play Quileute tribe member and werewolf Jacob Black? “A diet high in carbs and protein,” Mark Beier, personal training manager for Crunch in Chicago, tells OK!.

#7: Dakota Goes Gothic
The author describes the evil vampire Jane – who inflicts pain on blood-suckers by thought alone – as having a face that would make a Botticelli angel look like a gargoyle.” And Dakota Fanning is a shoo-in for the part! The Push star tells OK!, “It would be a fantastic experience.


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The Dead Bolt.com: 5 Reasons why New Moon could be better than Twilight
Although Twilight didn’t strike quite a favorable nerve with critics and it left some hardliners of the novel feeling like the film had not done the book justice, the stakes are definitely higher for the sequel.

In the sequel, New Moon brings fresh characters to the story and raises the importance of others already established, namely Jacob Black who was introduced in the first part of the trilogy..


With a new director in Golden Compass helmer Chris Weitz, who replaces Twilight director Catherine Hardwicke, New Moon will indeed be “new” to fans in several ways, including the continuation of an increasingly intricate story.

Here are 5 reasons why we think New Moon could be better than Twilight:

New characters, new conflict:
In New Moon, Bella and Edward’s relationship has already been established. But like any relationship, the introduction of secondary conflict can play an important role on the dynamics of love. Without giving too much away, beyond Edward and Bella, the impact Jacob has on the story creates simultaneous conflict. Loyalties will be put to the test while the choices of right and wrong are pitted against those of want and need. Much like a second book in a trilogy, New Moon will cut to the chase in a way fans can already identify with via new character dynamics while delving deeper into the complexities of love.

Starlet in Shadows: Dakota Fanning?
If cast in New Moon Fanning would be the biggest name attached to the film, even more than her recently popular Twilight co-stars. Although many fans have questioned whether Fanning for role of Jane is the right choice, Dakota brings to the table a masterful range of emotion and a wealth of A-list experience.

Digging deeper in the name of love:
The success of New Moon over Twilight lies in the ability of actors to inhabit their characters on a deeper level. Twilight showed us the magic of an inevitable love story and New Moon will continue the saga in a richer manner. It’s the love story that will force Pattinson and Stewart to go deeper inside themselves as actors than they did in Twilight.

Setting the new mood:
Although Washington, Oregon, and Vancouver all fit the franchise well, the dreary scenery in Twilight was able to set the tone of the novel, bringing to life the plight of the characters while creating a setting that befitted Edward and Bella’s relationship both internally and externally. Vancouver will bring that in broody spades.

Second, with the slumping economy director Chris Weitz and crew will get more mileage out of the American dollar in exchange, which should afford the production a few more tricks and effects that Twilight wasn’t able to incorporate purely for financial reasons.

The Quileute Tribe and the Legend:
Jacob Black was originally intended to be a stand-alone character in Twilight but his role in New Moon is more significant, as the underlying conflict between werewolves and vampires comes to the forefront. The Quileute legend speaks of its people being descended from werewolves, with the lore based on real Quileute legends except for the introduced conflict with the vampires (or “cold ones” as Jacob describes them). With the arrival of the Cullens, legend and lore allow fans to journey deeper into the mythology and intricacies of New Moon’s opposing forces. The legend and the expanded significance of Jacob will take fans on a darker journey while evoking more complex emotions than Twilight.

Looking ahead:
The mystery lies in the creation and execution of Stephenie Meyer’s world into two hours of visual complexity. Many fans of the series were left wanting with Twilight. Unlike the unknown of Twilight on the big screen, we’re expecting New Moon to be better in at least 5 different ways - new characters and conflict, Dakota Fanning and how she’ll raise the game of the cast, Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart digging deeper as actors, the new location, and further exploration of the legend.


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Rob turns down making music for New Moon
TWILIGHT star ROBERT PATTINSON has turned down the chance to contribute to the soundtrack for the vampire movie's forthcoming sequel - because he wants to keep music as a back up career.The British actor is a talented composer, pianist and guitarist and wrote two songs for the original movie, helping the soundtrack top the U.S. album charts upon its release last year (08).

But Pattinson insists he's now taking a backseat to rockers Paramore, who are penning the title track to the movie's sequel, New Moon - because pursuing music professionally was never his intention.

He tells America's OK! magazine, "I really didn't want it to look like I was trying to cash in. Music is my back up plan."

Source

2/18/09

February 18

New Moon News
I’m sure you’ve heard about the recent open auditions and casting, of the Wolfpack, for New Moon. Unfortunately, it looks like Sam Uley and Embry Call (the two friends Jacob is with at La Push Beach) are going to be re-cast. Solomon Trimble, who played Sam in Twilight is very committed to the role: learning the language, studying the history and even cutting his long hair.

Yesterday rumors flew about Madonna may be in The New Moon Movie. Now sources say that is not true, but she could possibly contribute a song for the soundtrack.


Summit says NO, Madonna will not appear in Twilight sequel New Moon, despite what you may read.

News on Rob
Mark Malkin over at E! has confirmed that Robert Pattinson will be a presenter at this year’s Academy Awards. They’re also confirming Zach Efron. They speculate it’s to get more younger

Twilight Goodies
FYE has a couple of new Twilight items. Doorknob hangers and the Sweethearts candy by Necco.

2/17/09

February 17

New Moon News!
Different sources have been posting the news that Madonna (yes, the Queen of Pop) is in talks to be somehow involved in New Moon. Click here to read what Perez Hilton has to say about it.

Alice is now an Action Figure


Twilight DVD run down - again new item @ Costco
From Best Buy you get:
Twilight on Blu-ray $29.99 March 21st

Twilight on Blu-ray includes:
Audio commentary by Catherine Hardwicke, Kristen Stewart, and Robert Pattinson
Muse music video: “Super Massive Black Hole”
Paramore music video: “Decode”
Linkin Park music video: “Leave Out All the Rest”
Five extended scenes with director introductions Five deleted scenes with director introductions
Seven-part documentary: “The Adventure Begins: The Journey from Page to Screen”
Comic-Con “fandom” piece
Comic-Con NY sizzle reel
Three trailersPenelope trailer
BD Live with “New Moon” teaser
Twilight DVD (no idea which version yet) $24.99 March 21st

From Walmart you get:
Twilight (1-disc) edition for $17.00 March 21

Twilight (2-disc special edition) for $22.86 March 21

From Costco you get:
Twilight (2-disc special edition) for $21.99 March 21

Twilight Ultimate Collector’s giftset for $59.99 March 21
-this includes: the 2-disc special edition movie (this is NOT blu-ray), the cd soundtrack, a individually numbered jewelry box, a watch, a charm bracelet, 6 glossy photo cards, a bookmark, and a certificate of authenticity.

From Books-A-Million you get:
Twilight (2-disc special edition) for $23.09, club price of $20.78

From HMV you get:
Twilight (3-disc special edition) for $19.99 on March 21st
This one includes a Bonus 3rd disc containing 45 minutes of exclusive content and featuring a 22 minute Conversation with Stephenie Meyer, The Evolution of Bellas Lullaby 5 min., Becoming Edward -Rob Pattinsons Journey 5 min., Becoming Bella- Kristen Stewarts Journey 5min., Catherine Hardwickes Vampire Kiss Montage 2 min., Catherine Hardwickes Bellas Lullaby Remix Music Video 3 min. and Robert Pattinson Piano Montage 3 min.

From Amazon you get:
The Twilight (2-disc special edition) for $22.99 March 21st
• Audio commentary by Catherine Hardwicke, Kristen Stewart, and Robert Pattinson
• Muse music video: “Super Massive Black Hole”
• Paramore music video: “Decode”
• Linkin Park music video: “Leave Out All the Rest”
• Five extended scenes with director introductions
• Five deleted scenes with director introductions
• Seven-part documentary: “The Adventure Begins: The Journey from Page to Screen”
• Comic-Con “fandom” piece
• Comic-Con NY sizzle reel
• Three trailers
• Penelope trailer

Twilight Ultimate Collector’s Set on Blu-ray It is not released until May 5. Price is $79.99
It includes the following:

• Twilight (Special Edition) Blu-ray Disc
• Twilight Original Motion Picture Soundtrack CD
• Jewelry Box: individually numbered
• Exclusive Watch
• Limited Edition Charm Bracelet
• 6 Glossy Photo Cards
• Bookmark
• Certificate of Authenticity

Blu-ray Disc features:
• Presented in widescreen format only
• Audio commentary by Catherine Hardwicke, Kristen Stewart, and Robert Pattinson
• Muse music video: “Super Massive Black Hole”
• Paramore music video: “Decode”
• Linkin Park music video: “Leave Out All the Rest”
• Five extended scenes with director introductions
• Five deleted scenes with director introductions
• Seven-part documentary: “The Adventure Begins: The Journey from Page to Screen”
• Comic-Con “fandom” piece
• Comic-Con NY sizzle reel
• Three trailers
• Penelope trailer
• BD Live with “New Moon” teaser

From Hot Topic you get:
Twilight DVD Special Edition March 21st $24.99
Hot Topic is offering an exclusive and highly collectible Edward Cullen film cell with every copy of the 2-disc special edition Twilight DVD, all for $24.99. This is a real film cell created directly from the movie. There are 250 different images available, each individually numbered and suitable for framing. Receive one of these exclusive Edward movie cells in each DVD, only at Hot Topic!

From Borders you get: $29.99 March 21st
Twilight Special Edition
• Exclusive Twilight Cast Interviews with Kristen Stewart (Bella) and Robert Pattinson (Edward)
• Exclusive Twilight Cast Interviews with Cam Gigandet (James)
• Exclusive Twilight Cast Interviews with Edi Gathegi (Laurent) and Rachelle Lefevre (Victoria)
• Exclusive Red-Carpet Interviews from the Twilight Movie Premiere
• Exclusive Never-Before-Seen Red-Carpet Footage! Includes extra interview footage with Kellan Lutz (Emmett), Ashley Greene (Alice), rock band Paramore, and Nikki Reed (Rosalie)
• Exclusive Borders Book Club: Stephenie Meyer talks about the Twilight Saga
• Audio commentary by Catherine Hardwicke, Kristen Stewart, and Robert Pattinson
• Muse music video: “Super Massive Black Hole”
• Paramore music video: “Decode”
• Linkin Park music video: “Leave Out All the Rest”
• Five extended scenes with director introductions
• Five deleted scenes with director introductions
• Seven-part documentary: “The Adventure Begins: The Journey from Page to Screen”
• Comic-Con “fandom” piece
• Comic-Con NY sizzle reel
• Three trailers
• Penelope trailer

Exclusive Photocards10 exclusive photocards are printed on a gorgeous pearlescent paper to give a dramatic sparkly effect—the perfect way to view your favorite vampires.

From Barnes & Noble you get:
The Twilight (2-disc special edition)
Customizable Twilight cell phone skin coupon for Skinit.com
• Audio commentary by Catherine Hardwicke, Kristen Stewart, and Robert Pattinson
• Muse music video: “Super Massive Black Hole”
• Paramore music video: “Decode”
• Linkin Park music video: “Leave Out All the Rest”
• Five extended scenes with director introductions
• Five deleted scenes with director introductions
• Seven-part documentary: “The Adventure Begins: The Journey from Page to Screen”
• Comic-Con “fandom” piece
• Comic-Con NY sizzle reel
• Three trailers
• Penelope trailer


Twilight movie on cable
Twilight movie, available on cable systems (like Cox, Comcast, TWC, RCN) ‘on demand’ systems Mar. 21. “Same day DVD release” … Available at 12:01am.

Target Blue-Ray DVD Twilight movie up for pre-order
Target has the blu ray up for pre order. It doesn’t say that it guarantees it will arrive on March 21 though, so I’m assuming if you order from them you will get it like a week later.

2/16/09

February 16 - Happy President's Day!

The Hillywood Show
They are finally done with thier Twilight Parody. Really funny. It is over 9 mins long, so give yourself some time. Click here to see it on You Tube.

New Moon News!
I can't believe I missed this, but according to EW.com Dakota Fanning has been offered the role of Jane in New Moon.

ET online talks to AnnaLynne McCord about her hopes to play Heidi. Word on the street is she is in final negotiations, but nothing has been finalized.

Peter Facinelli and Jennie Garth appeared on Chelsea Lately February 14th. There wasn't much talk about Twilight, but this has got to be one of the cutest couples! Check it out if you have a second.

Borders Pre-Orders
Here is even more information about the New Twilight Calendar. The date is now March 17th. This 18 month Twilight calendar available for pre-order on their website. It is a hardcover, book style, calendar with fold-over tab closures, and measures in at 11×12 inches when closed. The calendar runs from july 2009 to December 2010. Looks like a must have.



Twilight Director’s Notebook: The Story of How We Made the Movie Based on the Novel by Stephenie MeyerTwilight Director’s Notebook: The Story of How We Made the Movie Based on the Novel by Stephenie Meyer. It is a hardcover book, 176 pages.

Entertainment Weekely has even more information about Catherine Hardwicke's book. By more information, I mean pictures too! Check it out here.

This is also a must have! Click here to pre-order.

2/11/09

February 11

Twilight Calendars
If you did not purchase a Twilight Calendar from Borders last year, you may be in luck. The original calendar is now out of print and very hard to find. I have looked on ebay and they are going up words of $60.00. Before you go and spend your money, my sister Kristi found out there is another Twilight calendar being release in May through Borders. It is being released on May 30th for $16.99. It is an 18 month calendar. July 2009 - December 2010. My advice is to pre-order, they will go fast!!

New Moon News
According to MTV, it looks like the Jonas Brothers have jumped on the “put me on the soundtrack” bandwagon. Although the Brothers haven’t seen the movie, they definitely understand it’s wide appeal. According to Joe Jonas, “For a lot of guys, they want superpowers. He’s a vampire, but he’s pretty strong and stuff."

I called it! I did say they would be Paul, Quil and Embry, but thought they would have their hand it some how.

Role of Emily?
Check out this link to a blog post which talks about two twins, Shannon and Shauna Baker, getting call backs for the role of Emily in New Moon. See it here.


Hot Topic - Twilight pajamas
Your dreams have come true, Twilighters! No, you didn’t read that title wrong. Hot Topic has just added two new sets of ‘Twilight’ pajamas to their website. In addition to this, they’ve also added a new bag, charm bracelet, and tee since our last Hot Topic update. Looks like I know what I am going to spend my 15% off coupon on. Sleep over anyone?


Twilight DVD News - Behind the scenes Video
Yesterday I told you about how WalMart.com has been Twili-fied with polls, discussions, movie info, and more. Well, they also have a great little behind-the-scenes video on that page with never before seen footage! Click here to see the video. It is pretty cool!

2/10/09

February 10

New Moon News
Anna Lynn McCord of 90210 fame has confirmed that she is in negotiations to play Heidi in New Moon. The only way she’ll cross paths with 90210 co-star Kellan Lutz is if they film the Italian interiors in Vancouver. Still, it’s hard to feel bad for Anna since her prospects probably include Italy, we’re sure she’ll make friends on the set.


So what do you think? I thought if I was going to be able to play a part in any of the movies, Heidi was my one shot. I guess it is now gone.

Twilight DVD hits Walmart for just $17.00
The Standard Edition Twilight DVD will be at Walmart for only $17. You can pre-order now and they promise it will arrive on March 21st.


The Walmart Twilight page also includes Character Bites:

Edward (Robert Pattinson)Full Name: Edward Masen Cullen
Status: Vampire
Date of Birth: June 20, 1901

Bella (Kristin Stewart)Full Name: Isabella Swan
Status: Human
Date of Birth: September 13, 1987

Jacob (Taylor Lautner)Full Name: Jacob Black

Status: Human Quileute
Date of Birth: 1990

James (Cam Gigandet)Full Name: Unknown
Status: Vampire
Date of Birth: Unknown

Top 10 words to add to Webster's Dictionary
10. Twife (Wife)Noun- A female Twilight fan joined in marriage. (example: My Twife forgot to make dinner again tonight because she was re-reading ‘Twilight’.) My favorite!
9. Twitchy (Twitchy)Adjective- Having an involuntary, spasmodic movement of a muscle; or tic that happens when you haven’t had your ‘Twilight’/TA fix for the day.
8. Robsessed (Obsessed)Adjective- Having or displaying signs of an obsession with ‘Twilight’ star Robert Pattinson.
7. Fangdom (Fandom)Noun- Fans collectively, as of the motion-picture or book series ‘Twilight’
6. Cullenize Verb- To alter one’s image (photographic, or otherwise) for the purpose of making them appear to be a member of the Cullen Family.
5. Twefrence (Reference)Noun- An act or instance of referring an everyday scenario to the ‘Twilight’ saga. (example: I made the best Tweference in class today when my teacher was lecturing about new moons!)
4. Fursplode (Explode)Verb- To expand with force, burst forth, and phase into wolf form. (example: Jacob Black fursploded after an argument with pack member Paul)
3. Vamptastic (Fantastic)Adjective- Incredibly great or extreme; exorbitant. (example: My friend convinced me to read the ‘Twilight’ saga, she is vamptastic!)
2. Fanpire (Fan)Noun- An enthusiastic devotee, follower, or admirer of vampires; specifically relating to the ‘Twilight’ saga.
1. Twerd (Twilight Nerd)Noun-A person having an extraordinarily high intelligence relating to the ‘Twilight’ saga.


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2/9/09

February 9

Tantrums and tears at Twilight audition
There was a casting call in Vancouver over the weekend. New Moon is in need of Native Americans. People flew in from all over the US to audition, some as far as Florida, to get their shot. Click here to read the full article.

If you don't want to read the article, let me tell you what happened. At 12:30 pm, the casting director said they had enough talent and shut the doors. Hundreds of kids were left out and didn't even get a chance to audition.

I tell you what, waiting in line for anything Twilight related is what Channy and I do best. Don't worry, I will give you tips for those folks braving the midnight release of the Twilight DVD. Here is a glimpse.

Tip #1 - Learn Self Defense (or bring someone bigger than you along)
Twilight fans are the best and you love to talk to them, but as soon as they do something like cut in line, WATCH OUT! You may not only have to protect yourself, but other more vulnerable Twilight fans.

That is it for the glimpse. Stay tuned in March for even more helpful Twilight Tips on How to stay after while waiting in line.

2/6/09

February 6


Twilight: Director's Notebook
written by Catherine Hardwicke

February 4, 2009 (New York, NY) – Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, a division of Hachette Book Group, will release Catherine Hardwicke’s Twilight: Director’s Notebook as a one-day laydown on March 17, 2009, it was announced today by Megan Tingley, the division’s Senior Vice President and Publisher. This intimate look at the making of Summit Entertainment’s film follows visionary director Hardwicke through the creative process. Designed to replicate the director’s own personal notebook that she kept on set, readers will discover the inside secrets on casting, location scouting and wardrobe to storyboard sketches, behind-the-scenes photographs, personal notes about Catherine’s favorite scenes and much more. This one-of-a-kind experience for all Twilight fans will be released in hardcover for $17.99
with an announced first printing of 500,000 copies.

“With this book, I tried to show fans and future directors some of the process that the crew and I went through filming Twilight,” said Hardwicke. “My challenge was to translate Stephenie’s powerful book and make you feel what she makes you feel when you read her works.”

The movie version of Twilight has grossed over $340 million worldwide since its release on November 21, 2008. The movie debuted at #1 at the box office with $70 million, making it the highest debut for a female director. Twilight: Director’s Notebook is being released just in time for the March 21st multi-million copy release of Twilight on DVD.

So I guess we should all pre-order now. 500,000 copies are going to go fast.

King vs. Meyer
If you haven't read this article, you should. All I can say is, jealous much Mr. King?

2/3/09

February 3

Site of the Month
I know this isn't a "new" website so to speak, but I don't think people really know how much extra information Stephenie has on her website. So February's site of the month goes to none other than the women who started the Twilight phenomenon, StephenieMeyer.com

Here are a few things I think you should check out.

FAQ's
Each book has FAQ's. You learn a lot about some of the unanswered questions in the books.

Outtake's
Everybook has outtakes. These are parts of the book that were not able to be published. These are great and help fill in the blanks.

Midnight Sun
For those who may not have known, Midnight Sun is Edward's version of Twilight. If you haven't read it, click here.

New Moon News
“Twilight” sequel “New Moon” has landed its first overseas sale, to Italy, where the Chris Weitz-helmed vampire romancer is partly set.


Eagle Pictures, which released “Twilight” locally, announced on Tuesday that it has reupped with Summit Entertainment for the sequel, which will shoot in the ancient Tuscan city of Volterra for two weeks in May.

In Stephenie Meyer’s bestselling “New Moon,” Volterra is the town where the powerful Volturi vampire coven resides.Shooting on the pic begins in Vancouver in March, with “Twilight” stars Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart reprising their roles.

Eagle Pictures, which is owned by Tunisian mogul Tarak Ben Ammar and has close ties with Summit, announced that “New Moon” will be released in Italy on Nov. 20, day-and-date with its Stateside release.

“Twilight” took $15 million in Italy, making it the country’s ninth highest grosser in 2008, after “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull” and ahead of Matteo Garrone’s “Gomorrah.”

Source


New Moon and Vanessa Hudgens
Melissa speaks - on Vanessa Hudgens, Chris Weitz, Leah Clearwater, and more.

“I’m not sure about [final] casting but I had heard Vanessa Hudgens was going up for the part of Leah [Clearwater, a werewolf],” screenwriter Melissa Rosenberg, who wrote both films, explained to PEOPLE at the 61st Annual Directors Guild of America Awards in Los Angeles Saturday night. “But at the moment, the part of Leah doesn’t happen until the third movie.”

Rosenberg also offered a few other insider tidbits about the progress of New Moon. “Well, you know Taylor Lautner will be back as Jacob Black. I can tell you the original cast will all be coming back. They’re on set right now, in Vancouver! They’re all up there prepping the movie to start shooting very soon.”

As for other changes in the next installment, Rosenberg said she expected new director Chris Weitz – who replaced the first film’s director, Catherine Hardwicke – to put his expertise and imprint on the second film.

“Chris Weitz directed The Golden Compass, which was a beautiful-looking film,” Rosenberg said. “And I think it’s wonderful we have someone who has worked with CGI animals … that will be a big part of New Moon. I’m delighted we have someone who’s so expert at that.”

Source

Summit and Lionsgate Merger?
Reports that Summit -- the studio behind the Twilight movie (pictured) -- and Lionsgate, the makers of the Saw franchise, are discussing a merger have been greatly exaggerated, EW has learned. Following a report yesterday on Sharon Waxman's new website The Wrap, which revealed that the two indie studios are in fact having conversations about a corporate marriage, a source tells EW that those discussions actually occurred before Summit took the $37 million Twilight and turned it into a $340 million worldwide franchise. Now that they've got a real hit on their hands, Summit is going it alone for the time being, with the Dakota Fanning-starrer Push releasing on Friday, and New Moon, the studio's Twilight sequel, scheduled for a Nov. 20 bow.

However, with the economic conditions being as they are, everyone in Hollywood is talking about ways to enhance their business strategically while simultaneously reducing overhead, so it's certainly not out of the question that we'll see some kind of changes taking place at various studios in coming months. We'll just have to wait and see how it all shakes out.

Source

Movie Totals
Total US Gross $187,066,718
International Gross $160,000,000
Total $347,066,718