Variety Reviews Eclipse
Check out Variety’s review of Eclipse!!
“Taking a cue from the “Harry Potter” series, which maintains continuity on the writing and casting fronts while introducing a different feel with each change of director, the “Twilight” producers have embraced a variety of different visions behind the camera. Capitalizing on her indie sensibility and keenly observed teen insights, Catherine Hardwicke set the tone with the low-budget first film, with Chris Weitz expanding (and flattening) the world with his broader, daytime soap-opera style in “New Moon.” Now, the task falls to Slade, who clearly understands how to work with actors while also demonstrating a welcome competence in the action and melodrama departments.
It’s no easy task taking a piece of material auds already know inside-out and spinning it in such a way that individual scenes still generate tension and suspense. Slade sets us on edge from the outset with an atmospheric vignette merely alluded to in the book, as small-town boy Riley (Xavier Samuel) is ambushed and bitten by an unseen vampire in shadowy Seattle (looking every bit as ominous as Tim Burton’s Gotham City).
Slade and screenwriter Melissa Rosenberg wisely intercut these puppy-love scenes with uneasy horror-movie jolts. After all, “Eclipse” builds not to a showdown between Edward and Jacob (no matter how often he takes off his shirt, the poor wolfboy will never be Bella’s first choice), but to an uneasy alliance between the Cullen clan and Jacob’s tribe of shape-shifters, united to protect Bella from the vengeance-seeking Victoria (Bryce Dallas Howard, taking over the role from Rachelle Lefevre) and her army of “newborns,” undisciplined but super-strong new vampires.”
Another Project With Taylor Lautner and Summit Entertainment?
It appears that film studio Summit Entertainment has enjoyed working with The Twilight Saga: New Moon star Taylor Lautner.
At least that’s what it would seem like after the news that Variety has just announced.
According to them, Lautner and Summit will be teaming up once again for another project “that is best described as a teen-aged Taken meets Die Hard,” a consequence of Lautner’s affinity for Taken and his interest in doing similar films.
Summit Entertainment producers Wyck Godfrey and Marty Bowen are teaming up with Lautner’s father, Dan Lautner, to produce the untitled script (by Eric Champnella and Grant Thompson) under their new company Tailor Made Entertainment.
According to Godfrey, Lautner’s forthcoming work in Max Steel isn’t the only action flick he’s qualified and ready to do, and they “wanted to continue working with Taylor and feel he’s got the chops to become a big action star.”
Read more HERE
Kiowa Gordon and BooBoo Stewart @ Power of Youth Event
Kiowa Gordon and BooBoo Stewart were both in attendance at the Power of Youth event held by Variety.
Variety Discusses Breaking Dawn Issues
Variety just posted an article about Summit Entertainment’s Breaking Dawn dilemmas. These include splitting the book into 2 separate movies and re-negotiating contracts. Check it out -
The two-week $481 million worldwide gross of “New Moon” has vaulted Summit Entertainment into the big leagues, but it also has created a high-class challenge for toppers Rob Friedman and Patrick Wachsberger.
They will likely have to cut a few big checks if they decided, as rumored, to split Stephenie Meyer’s final “Twilight” novel, “Breaking Dawn,” into two pictures. Sources said Summit has set Melissa Rosenberg — who wrote the first three films — to finish the series, but Summit has to clear several hurdles before Rosenberg learns how many more scripts she’ll write.
One of those hurdles is figuring out whether “New Moon” director Chris Weitz will respond favorably to overtures from the film company and the cast to shoot two more films, back to back.
Summit execs would not comment, but multiple sources said the company wants to go the two-film route, which means reopening negotiations and securing approval from the author. It also means making new deals with a principal cast that is only locked up for four films. If “Breaking Dawn” becomes two pictures, all of the key cast members will get fat raises, and the three principals — Robert Pattinson, Kristen Stewart and Taylor Lautner — could land paydays in the eight-figure range.
Read more HERE
New Moon Poster Auction for Charity
Bid on this autographed Volturi poster from New Moon, signed by Dakota Fanning, Jamie Campbell Bower, Michael Sheen & Cameron Bright. The proceeds will benefit Variety – The Children’s Charity of Southern California. For more info on the signed poster, head over to the auction!
Thanks Isabel at Variety!
New Moon Makes $72.7 MILLION in 24 hours!!
According to Variety.com New Moon has beaten The Dark Knight’s openning day record. After having the best midnight showing ever New Moon has now made $72.7 million in 24 hours.
Summit Entertainment’s The Twilight Saga: New Moon tore up the box office record for best opening day, grabbing the title away from Warner Bros. The Dark Knight, and earning a spectacular $72.7 million yesterday at 4,024 theaters.
An exceptional feat for a film playing outside the summer frame.
Dark Knight had minted $67.2 million from 4,366 runs on July 18, 2008 before making a three-day opening weekend of $158.4 million.
You can read the rest of the article HERE
New Moon Soundtrack Number 1
According to Variety, The Twilight Saga: New Moon official soundtrack is number one of the music charts this week! The album debuted at number 2 last week but has moved into the top position!
The indie-rock soundtrack for Summit’s “The Twilight Saga: New Moon” moves up a notch to take the No. 1 slot on the U.S. album chart this week.
The Chop Shop/Atlantic title, which debuted at No. 2 last week after three days in stores, sold 155,000 copies in its first full stanza, according to Nielsen SoundScan figures for the week ending Oct. 25. Teen vampire pic, featuring songs by Death Cab For Cutie, the Killers, Grizzly Bear and other indie acts, opens Nov. 20.
Billy Burke in Highland Park
Here is some information from Variety on Billy Burke’s latest film that he’s currently filming in Detroit – Highland Park.
Billy Burke (”Twilight”) has signed on to co-star in “Highland Park” with Danny Glover. The film follows a group of high school faculty members who seek to restore a public library to help build hope in the community.
The cast also includes Michelle Forbes, Bob Gunton and Deborah Ann Woll, with Andrew Meieran helming. Burke can be seen next reprising his role of Charlie Swan in “The Twilight Saga: New Moon,” which bows this November.
