Summit Ponders Twilight Finale
It has also created high class challenges for toppers Rob Friedman and Patrick Wachsberger. As they come down from blockbuster euphoria, they are going to have to cut checks larger than most indie companies ever do if they move ahead with a plan to break Stephenie Meyer’s finale, “Breaking Dawn,” into two pictures.
Sources said Summit has so far only gone as far as setting scribe Melissa Rosenberg--who wrote the first three films--to finish the series, but Summit has to clear several hurdles before telling Rosenberg if she should write one scripts or two.
Among those hurdles is figuring out whether “New Moon” director Chris Weitz will respond favorably to overtures from the film company and the cast to return and shoot two more films, back to back.
That is what happened the key cast members when Warner Bros. extended its blockbuster Harry Potter franchise by turning J.K. Rowling’s last book, “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows” into two films that will be released in November, 2010 and July, 2011.The global success of the franchise made the paydays worthwhile.
After feeling violated by New Line’s decision to drastically alter his adaptation of “The Golden Compass,” Weitz said he felt redeemed and reinvigorated by the success of “New Moon.” Yet, just before the film’s release, Weitz was steadfast that he would next direct “The Gardener,” a comparatively tiny film scripted by Eric Eason, with Paul Witt and Christian McLaughlin producing. At the time, he said Summit was in discussions to fund that film.
Summit hasn’t closed a deal for “The Gardener,” probably because the film company wants Weitz to postpone it and work on “Breaking Dawn” instead. Could he possibly resist the chance to finish a global franchise he helped build, even though it will mean more time away from his family for a long shoot? That is the question he and his WME reps will weigh shortly. Though Summit hasn’t officially made Weitz an offer, sources said the job is his if he wants it. After bringing in “New Moon” at around $50 million and keeping the cast happy, he’s the logical choice.
David Slade directed the next installment in the series, “Eclipse,” which bows June 20, 2010.
Subscribe to this blog's feed
Breaking Dawn should be 2 films & CATHERINE HARDWICKE should direct them. She brilliantly launched the cinematic TWILIGHT franchise & she should finish them. Fingers crossed Summit agrees. Please, please, please.
Posted by: Cilla | 11/30/2009 at 06:21 PM
Another problem; “Breaking Dawn" will be difficult to be made as PG-13 films.
http://chud.com/articles/articles/21678/1/THE-DEVIN039S-ADVOCATE-BEGUN-THESE-AVATAR-WARS-HAVE/Page1.html
Posted by: mary | 11/30/2009 at 06:31 PM
Sorry.... wrong link...
Here is the true link that explains why “Breaking Dawn" will be difficult to be made as PG-13 films.
http://chud.com/articles/articles/21684/1/THE-DEVIN039S-ADVOCATE-WHY-BREAKING-DAWN-MUST-BE-MADE-INTO-A-MOVIE/Page1.html
Posted by: mary | 11/30/2009 at 06:32 PM
Whatever they do, they should remain true to the books and not censor it for the sake of a PG13 rating. Stick with why it is a successful book franchise. If Breaking Dawn cannot be told adequately in one film and the story does not get told properly, then make it into two.
Posted by: Jenny | 11/30/2009 at 11:12 PM
Anyone else think it's a mistake for the third film to be released in JUNE -- instead of opening next year the same time, like the harry potter movies?
Yes, the first original director should be returned to the franchise, it is after all her vision with the first film that brought so much more success to new moon.
Posted by: james | 12/01/2009 at 05:58 AM
I agree with Cilla Catherine Hardwicke should direct the final movie...Twilight was one of the best directed movie I have seen..captivating and totally engrossing...
Posted by: Sid | 12/01/2009 at 06:01 AM
This just proves that these production companies see only the amount of ticket income. But what is really going out there? Most fans are pissed about the New Moon's bad quality; the tempo and dialogue byeond awful, bad storyline, camera work and music inappropriate...
And of course people still go to see it no matter what. They want to see Bella and Edward story, and are exploited because of that.
But does it justify unprofessional work and quality? Splitting the last book to two and squeeze more money?
They should put they effort to deliver ONE well made movie, or is Summit fishing the title of the Worst Production Company Ever.
Posted by: marcus | 12/01/2009 at 06:12 AM
Yes, BREAKING DAWN should be two movies. I agree with Rob Pattinson that Gus Van Sant should at least direct Part One. Part Two will need a director like Tim Burton or Chris Weitz who is familiar with CGI & animation motion capture as it will be needed to produce a believable Renesmee (Bella & Edward's half human/vampire baby). I would also like to see a sixth film showing the origins of the Volturi & the period Carlisle lived with them & concluding with Edward as a human & how he met Carlisle & the circumstances of becoming a vampire. We only caught a tiny snippet in TWILIGHT.
Posted by: Pete | 12/01/2009 at 06:16 AM
The first Twilight movie was LAUGHABLY awful. I don't understand the reasoning from those of you asking to bring Catherine Hardwicke back. New Moon was so much better, I'm glad they brought in a new director.
Posted by: KK | 12/01/2009 at 07:25 AM
Breaking Dawn should be made into 2 films. I say that beacause there is so much going on that you wouldn't be able to get it done right with just 1 film. I would rather see Chris Weitz direct Breaking Dawn. I loved the work he did on New Moon, and he would make Breaking Dawn amazing. I also read they won't make Breaking Dawn more than pg-13 because of the author. She doesn't see any movies over that rating. But, they may have to go over that to get the real feeling/emotions of this last book. I am impatient, lol I hope they make the announcement soon.
Posted by: barbarasnyder | 12/01/2009 at 07:34 AM
they should definitely make 2 movies. Weitz would be great. Gus Van Sant could be good. Hardwick - not so much. i just want them to move it all along...
Posted by: eb1234 | 12/01/2009 at 07:39 AM
If they make Breaking Dawn as good or better than New Moon then yes it should be two videos. If the cast, director and Summit cannot agree then it is better to have one than none. New Moon's quality, though maybe not the best, was 500 times better than Twilight, which is not saying very much. The storyline followed the book, the cast was in character, and the dialogue was more natural.
Posted by: Cheyanna Grant | 12/01/2009 at 07:39 AM
Yeah, anyone wanting Catherine Hardwicke back is clearly smoking crack. She is a terrible director. There were so many parts in Twilight that were unintentionally funny. Summit made a very smart move getting rid of her. What I don't understand is why they don't ditch Melissa Rosenberg. She has written some of the worst dialoge I've ever witnessed in cinema. The scenes seen wooden and lifeless. She also changes things that are completely pointless to change. It's as if she just wants SOME credit. But all she's doing is ruining the franchise. Why else do the movies not have the benefit of repeat viewings by the fanbase? If anyone from Summit is reading this, get a new screenwriter!!! Melissa Rosenberg ain't up to snuff. You only have to look to the destruction of the meadow scene in Twilight and the addition of the restaurant scenes with Bella and Charlie as well as the bad vamp hunting scenes to know that.
Posted by: JettaJameson | 12/01/2009 at 07:53 AM
I am not a fan of Melissa Rosenberg at all but I think at least New Moon was an improvement over Twilight. Some added scenes, like Jacob getting angry in the movie theater worked while others, like Harry Clearwater's "kung fu" comment may have added a laugh, but seemed contrived. I don't understand how people can think New Moon felt long because to me, it was very short. I wonder if the people who loved the Twilight movie and Catherine had seen the movie before they read the books. Although I appreciate what Catherine did with the script she had, it really wasn't her fault as much as the screenwriter.
I loved Chris Weitz's direction and the cinematography. I really hope he will direct Breaking Dawn whether it is one movie or two. The CGI was even better than I thought it would be. I just hope David Slade can do Eclipse justice since it is my favorite.
Posted by: JRO | 12/01/2009 at 08:16 AM
Breaking Dawn will not be an "R." The author will not allow it. If Jackson can make "the Lovely Bones" into a PG-13, "Breaking Dawn" can be done as well.
Posted by: J | 12/01/2009 at 08:21 AM
twilight was one of the weirst directed and produced movies i have ever seen.
Posted by: Kurt | 12/01/2009 at 09:21 AM
Think Breaking Dawn should be 2 films too. I hope Catherine Hardwicke directs them. I loved TWILIGHT and thought NMoon was ghastly: choppy, rushed, zero character development, and the audience I saw it with laughed all the way through. Everyone forgets that these books are written from Bella's point of view. BDawn is very much a "woman's" story; wedding, birth, transformation, etc. Catherine Hardwicke already proved she could make a sexy film with TWILIGHT. There was zero heat in NMoon.
Posted by: Lily | 12/01/2009 at 09:53 AM
Although I thought a few parts of Twilight were cheesy, I still think it was a better movie than New Moon. It WAS sexier, held my attention better, had better flow, and had better character development. New moon seemed rushed (especially at the end), choppy, had poor character development, and no real sex appeal. It played to beefcake and not to romance like Twilight did. And although the CGI effects were much better overall (volturri fight scenes), the wolves were very much lacking. They looked cartoonish. Such a shame too. I just saw 2012. Its too bad my beloved Twilight series couldn't get graphics like that. :P
Posted by: Susan | 12/01/2009 at 10:11 AM
hardwicke should definately not direct any more of the twilight saga... if you think her directing was good then you need to get out and watch a ton more movies and learn a thing or two about directing. the only reason i saw new moon was because the books were amazing and they had a new director... if they had stuck with hardwicke then i would have gone into the theater expecting to be disappointed in new moon. of course twilight was a sexier movie because that was its point t introduce this passionate love, new moon wasnt supposed to be sexy it was supposed to be about bella and her struggles and the introduction of the wolves (which by the way was done amazingly and if you dont think men walking around half naked isnt sexy then u dont know what your talking about). if yall want a cheap love story that has been done a million times than you obviously didnt read and understand the books very well because they are about so much more than that. today all the movies are the same and tell the same story over and over and the twilight books tell a different story that i hope doesnt get ruined because people want another sexy love story and miss everything else that the books are saying.
i dont think they could make it pg-13 and i dont think they should make the last book two movies.
Posted by: Debra | 12/01/2009 at 11:10 AM
They wont make it rated "R" b/c they would lose their under 17 fan base.
Posted by: KNOWITALL | 12/01/2009 at 11:36 AM
I hope Catherine come back to shoot Breaking Dawn.
I didn't enjoy new moon. It doesn't seems like Forks. I was also disappointed with the end of the movie. how can Edward say : 'Marry me, Bella'. I didn't remember Edward saying that at the end of the novel :( really disappointed.
Posted by: Jovita M. | 12/01/2009 at 12:16 PM
I totally agree with KK, why would you want to bring in C.H????? She did not even stick with the Story, Where the hell did Spider Monkey come from??? I sure don't remember reading that in the first book. We need someone who knows what they are doing.....end of story.
Posted by: Jamie | 12/01/2009 at 12:16 PM
I dont want Breaking Dawn to be made into two movies, but it is impossible to get everything from the novel into one movie. So, therefore, the 2 movie idea is needed. I think that Chris should direct it because he did so much better than Catherine and I think that the quality of the movie would suffer if she was given the job.
As for the whole PG-13 thing...I dont understand why Stephenie wouldn't go see a movie that is based on a series that she wrote. She was the one who chose to include the sexual content and the gory details. She created this, so why not go see a movie that she helped create? I understand that she has kids that would probably want to see the movie as well, but this is something based on her imagination and if she denies us the opportunity to see Breaking Dawn made into a film, than that would be so wrong and mean of her!! :(
Posted by: Amira | 12/01/2009 at 01:10 PM
I disagree with the comments about the direction of the films. I felt that the Success of Twilight had nothing to do with Catherine Hardwicke and everything to do with the buzz surrounding the series. Twilight was well cast, but watching it felt like a series of filmed highlights from the book without proper character development. New Moon was much better cinematically and had better character development. The casting was wonderful; Aro was perfect, as was Jane. Felix was the only downer for me; too Herman Munster for my taste. I firmly belive that Breaking Dawn should be divided into two movies, to be released back to back. Stay on it while the Franchise is hot. don't let it turn into a Harry Potter with the audience waiting years for the finale and losing interest in the story. The Harry Potter buzz is nothing like it was a few years back.
Posted by: Heather | 12/01/2009 at 01:15 PM
I hated New Moon. Catherine has got to come back and direct Breaking Dawn. I feel so sad about New Moon, it was a complete disaster.
Posted by: Yamila | 12/01/2009 at 01:51 PM