Tagged: New Moon

Now that Summit Entertainment seems set on Chris Weitz directing New Moon and Eclipse, attention has turned to gearing up for production.  The pre-production period technically kicks off Monday in Vancouver, according to Entertainment Weekly. The rush is to allow Summit to capitalize on Twilight’s smash success by having the second film in Stephenie Meyer’s series come out on November 20, 2009.

Originally director Catherine Hardwicke was replaced with rumors pointing to Summit’s displeasure with her but EW’s take is that she left not willing to shoot on such an ambitious schedule.

"She’d love to do the sequel if she could do it better than Twilight,” according to an anonymous source.. “It became clear that Summit didn’t have those same priorities." Hardwicke also had issues with the budget, upped from $37 to $50 million with hefty raises for the sitars but leaving little for the clan of werewolves featured in the story.

Summit production president Erik Feig told EW about New Moon, “There is that first…script. All the finesse that turns a screenplay into a movie hasn’t ¬happened yet.” Summit hesitated to commission the sequel scripts until just weeks before the movie opened which cost them valuable time and added pressure.

Apparently, Summit is also interested in replacing Taylor Lautner, who played Jacob. His agents have been furiously campaigning to show the young actor is up for the dramatic challenges inherent in the new film.