SUMMIT BEGINS SEARCH FOR NEW MOON DIRECTOR
Los Angeles, CA, December 7, 2008 – Summit Entertainment and director Catherine Hardwicke jointly announced today that the filmmaker will not be directing the next installment in the newly minted TWILIGHT film franchise. Summit’s targeted end of 2009 or early 2010 release of the film, NEW MOON, does not work with Ms. Hardwicke’s required prep time to bring her vision of the film to the big screen. Thus as has been done before with many successful film franchises, the studio will employ a new director for NEW MOON.
"I am sorry that due to timing I will not have the opportunity to direct NEW MOON,” said Hardwicke. “Directing TWILIGHT has been one of the great experiences of my life, and I am grateful to the fans for their passionate support of the film. I wish everyone at Summit the best with the sequel– it is a great story."
“Catherine did an incredible job in helping us to launch the TWILIGHT franchise and we thank her for all of her efforts and we very much hope to work with her on future Summit projects,” said Erik Feig, Summit’s President of Production. “We as a studio have a mandate to bring the next installment in the franchise to the big screen in a timely fashion so that fans can get more of Edward, Bella and all of the characters that Stephenie Meyer has created. We are able to pursue an aggressive time frame as we have the luxury of only adapting the novels into screenplays as opposed to having to create a storyline from scratch.”
Anyone else wanted to call Summit and give them a piece of your mind and tell them what you think of them?? Here is the number: (310) 309-8400. Give them Hell
The only thing i am worried about is the style changing….. look what happened to the 3rd harry potter movie *a total bust* . I feel bad for catherine. I think she really wanted to do New Moon. Hopefully they will get a GREAT director. I just pray its not Alfonso Cuaron *the man who murdered The Prisoner of Azkaban*
If its Alfonso Cuaron I’m gonna be sick. I just think a female director would be better because most of the guys I know hate Twilight cuz they’re all jealous of Edward, lol.
This kinda stinks. Because of this, New Moon will most definitely have a different look and feel (think Harry Potter). While this could be a good thing, it can screw up the continuity of the movies, so that they feel almost too diferent from each other.
Also, I really, really, really hope that whoever they get is not only a fan of the books, but female. I’d be really disapointed if it wasn’t. Anyone else agree?
Sometimes a new director can be a good thing. I can’t say I was blown away by Twilight, it had some faults, some campy stuff not needed and some really great things. I loved Catherine’s excitement and wanting to please the fans. That’s all I hope for. A director who is just as passionate as I am and doesn’t do a completely different version of the books. We have Catherine to thank for getting us Robert etc. so she left her mark. And really a thank you to Summit for doing both books!! In a short time. It’ll be okay. =I hope= I think they want to cash in on the frenzy now before they get older and fans drift. They don’t realize we aren’t going anywhere. Just do it right is all I’m asking.
Yeah thats sad. I love Catherine. But it will still be good, though. As long as they keep the same actors, then theres no problem.
Yes this movie NEEDS a female touch…. I mean how can a guy fall in love with Edward the way we ALL are…. Well I mean a guy “can” fall in love with edward. A gay director would be just as good. Too many guys who read the series like Jacob too much. *ick* I dont need to see Bella and Jacob’s relationship deepen more than it already does…..
first off, i think this is GOOD.
catherine did a good job with the movie with such a small budget, but i think a movie like new moon, wihich will certainly have a higher budget, needs a better director. and with all the money coming in from twilight, they will be able to do that.
and by the way, harry potter had a different director for almost evry movie.
this is sad,, but i hope the new director wont tear the story line apart.. I wonder what stephanie meyer has to say about this..
malaz: i’m quite sure she does know how to use them. you don’t go into film school meaning to become a director and do nothing but direct. until you get hired by studios, you are making your own films and you generally write, direct, and edit. yes, the director is in the room and has a lot of input, but if the editor had no control over the flow of the movie there would be no need for an editor to be there – and it would save money not to hire one.
believe me, i know what i’m talking about.
I dont think a male should direct this film tho..
Well I guess I’m looking forward to the
EPIC FAIL
that will happen… I’m seriously FURIOUS!!!
CH BROKE RECORDS!!! and brought it MILLIONS over $160 MILLION!! SO FAR!!!
WHAT IDIOTS!!!!
to those claiming a bigger budget film needs a better director:
NOT true. the director of a smaller budget film has to be much more creative and resourceful because they don’t have as much money to work with to get what they need.
Im completly worried! People are happy about this?! They dont even know who the next director even is. He or she could screw the whole movie up! Im really sad right now….
They better not skimp on the budget. That would be a nightmare.
this surprises me! i mean i watched all of these interviews of catherine talking about her plans for new moon and now she won’t be involved. it scares me a little to know that someone new will directing the next movies… they better not mess it up!!
WE LOVE YOU CATHERINE!!!!!!!!!!
Not because i am anit-feminist. But i want a dude to direct the movies. Honestly, i wouldn’t care. But guys dominate this field and hence being more experienced, therefore new moon = epic (like harry potter)
Frankly, the prisoner of azkaban is my FAVOURITE of the whole harry potter movie franchise, so far. HBP will be EPIC. and i think a male director can pull this off. really good.
another thing. WHY IS EVERYONE MAD AT SUMMIT? do you guys realize that the “catherine doesn’t have time to fill the new moon film in her time table” is just an EXCUSE? there are reasons behind it.
Summit is not being greedy nor are they low life scum.
So. i hope everyone just calms down. it’s making me sad that everyone is taking it out on Summit.
I agree with wildfire girl.
Catherine has so much passion and drive.
She made twilight fricking #1!
She brought in over 160$. Its the #1 movie of all time directed my a woman!
What ?(%*&)%?) idiots!
I liked Twilight, but it looked incredibly low-budget to me. I agree that switching directors destroys the continuity, but I’m kind of interested in seeing what someone else would do with the story. I can only hope they will go up from here.
I’m not sure whether or not I’m happy about this.
“But guys dominate this field and hence being more experienced, therefore new moon = epic (like harry potter)”
that’s stereotypical and illogical. plus, harry potter benefits from a little something called a big budget. no matter how good the director, when you have a budget as small as twilight’s there are going to be constraints on the film.
My fear is that Summit is so wanting to have another blockbuster on its books that they’ll sacrifice the vision of the story and the world Stephenie created.
I really hope they can find a director that can balance keeping Summit happy and stay true to New Moon and Eclipse. Nothing we can do but wait and see.
I have to agree with malaz here on her couple of posts on this one. Catherine did okay job. Now, new director=GREAT job.
Dawn, it LOOKED low budget because it WAS low budget. that’s summit’s fault, not catherine’s. and if they don’t increase the budget for new moon, it’s going to have that exact same problem no matter who directs it.
Oh please don’t pull a Harry Potter where it goes from happy and nice to COMPLETELY dark and scary in a matter of one movie.
-crosses fingers-
this better end up good…
asdkhaskdhas i can’t believe it though! she did such a good job in Twilight and we all love her! (well at least, i didn’t hear anyone hating her) ughhhh….
let’s just hope this turns up good and that the werewolves are done/shown correctly and so is the movie.
i don’t want to watch a completely different style of movie, though. that would be a nightmare. D8
“Frankly, the prisoner of azkaban is my FAVOURITE of the whole harry potter movie franchise, so far. HBP will be EPIC. and i think a male director can pull this off. really good.”
PoA made the least amount of $$ of any HP film I think. Most people didn’t like it that much cuz it messed with the story too much. I just don’t know if a male director would actually bring the romance out. Action is cool and all, but if a dude tried to turn New Moon into an “action packed adventure” or something like that it would totally suck.
Malaz- PoA was awful. The whole feel of the movie changed. The everything was different. The school was all of a sudden set in a rocky hillside. I dont mind different directors. Especially if they are anything like David Yates. Do you know if Melissa Rosenberg is still staying on? That would enough of feminine touch I think, especially if the director ends up as a man. *which will most likely happen*
I’m glad that Catherine isn’t back to direct New Moon. She seems like a really cool person, but I don’t like the way she directed Twilight. It had too much of an Indie feel for me. The camera angles were really weird for me as well. I enjoyed the movie, but I was not pleased with how it was directed. What I especially did not like was how they went back to shoot flashback scenes after they finished shooting the movie. Those were so awkward and unnecessary! I don’t want to see Carlisle making out with Edward’s neck. Much too awkward.
Anyway, I’m glad that there will be new director. This sounds like a good move on Summit’s part and I’m hoping that whoever is hired will do a better job.
kizmet – well, i was guessing. and now realizing that Catherine said she used to be an editor…
Well, i know what i am talking about too. An Editor, edits the film. They have no control over how to edit it. That’s the directors job. Their jobb is to bring their vision to the big screen, therefore being there in the editing room and directing the flow and pace of the film. and which scenes should be cut and which scenes should stay. and which angles that were caught on film are used. THAT’S what i mean.
The editor proberly has small input but not as big as the director’s.
Anyhow. what i should have said i suppose was that the end result of the film was catherine’s vision. The way she directed the movie didn’t please me even though i adored the movie. LOL, if that makes sense. i am just trying to be fully honest here. i don’t want to lie and say no i loved it.
From someone on the inside:
The shoot was a nightmare. Catherine had no control whatsoever and never knew what she wanted. The actors basically rewrote the script and completely changed scenes as the film went along, and the producers were constantly playing with the film’s theme.
The final product is the result of the producers’ meddling with the film’s direction, actors’ on-the-spot rewriting, influence from the writer and screenwriter, the DP, and the editor. Catherine was probably the least influential of all. She was really in over her head.
She was asking for an exorbitant amount of money for films 2 & 3 (as is everyone involved) and the studio is already looking at a huge budget.
uh what does it mean that they’ll film new moon and eclipse back to back???
idk if this is good or bad… HP changed directors and the movies didn’t look so different from each other.. IDK i love how all HP movies came out
Some of you are wrong. Catherine did not break records nor did she bring Twilight to #1.
We, as fans, did. We’re the ones that bought movie tickets to see the movie. Did we know whether Catherine was going to do a good job or not? Most likely not. We’re the ones that saw the movie multiple times and dragged our friends, boyfriends, lovers, mothers, fathers, brothers to see it regardless if they were fans or not or if they even knew anything about Twilight.
Catherine just directed the movie, whether how poorly or great she did. We are the ones that made it a success.
btw i agree with minnie WE were the ones that made twilight so good… not to bash on catherine coz really idk if NM will be good or not but yea she has a point…
im so sad!! i loved her style!! they better get someone EXTREMELY good
I LOVE that Catherine was a fan first! Please, PLEASE don’t let them rush this so much that they screw up the next movie! PLEASE take the time necessary to make a good film.
UGH, is someone official from “TWILIGHT LEXICON” going to send an official response to this. At least let Summit know that the fans expect a good movie or they won’t get my dollars at the box office.
oh and to add onto what i said before..
they really need to change the writer too, please.
i’ve seen people before me say that and i completely agree with that.
the lines and the scenes were a little too quick to get to the point and i think they could have done a wayy better job with the special effects too.
when edwards running/jumping=ew.
the fight and baseball scenes were amazing
but when he was like, jumping and running when hes telling bella about the vampires or when hes running to show her what he looks like in the sun, you can tell it was a low-budget film.
i think they should have done more things like what they did in Handcock. the special effects in the movie were amazing.
i’m not sure how i feel about this whole thing now…
i just hope it turns out well.
and that they have another girl director/ or a boy director that gets the books from how the audience gets it and knows what we want and such.
-continues to cross fingers-
i already commented on this, but im staying positive. who knows? this new director may be brilliant and send New Moon soaring through box office records. Don’t get me wrong, I’m disappointed that CH is leaving, but maybe it’s for the best. The movie could have been better, and this new director could be exactly what it needs. New Moon has a lot of complicated stunts and such, so a director who is experienced in those things could help.
And Lacey? You said : “Oh please don’t pull a Harry Potter where it goes from happy and nice to COMPLETELY dark and scary in a matter of one movie.” Twilight and New Moon themselves are kind of like that, don’t you think? Twilight is like “Yay, first love!” and New Moon is like “How can I go on?!”
I respect all of your opinions, but who knows? This could be a good thing.
OMG, THIS IS AWEFUL!!!!!!!!!!
Catherine did such an AMAZING job!!!
Now New Moon will be totally different and it might ruin the whole Saga!!!!!!!!!!!
If the new director totally screws this up, I will be sooooo pissed!!!!!!!!
Jeez, I scared now!!!!
Here here minnie. But would we have kept seeing the movie if it was awful? I sure wouldnt have. I truly enjoyed the movie. So in my opinion, yes Catherine did a good job. The actors did an AMAZING job. The majority of the credit should TRULY go to them. Does anyone know who is demanding big salaries…. *I cant stand when actors do that– I mean they should get a pay raise but NOT to the extreme*
I was wandering around on another website and saw this announcement. The reasoning is stupid as Catherine already gave out a very similar time frame for New Moon in earlier interviews. Something is up with Summit as I also read awhile back that Summit was still trying to go cheap with the budget saying that they didn’t think they were going to need a bigger budget. Lord, let us hope that they are going to do this right. While I didn’t like everything that Catherine did and surely hope they get a better editor this, I liked the overall feel of the film and loved her enthusiasm. Right now all we know is that Rob and Kristen will return. Hope they do a good job like the Potter films. Fingers are crossed.
Yay! :3 I’m kinda happy… I wanna see another approach.
She did great… and I loved the only other movie I’ve seen directed by her (The Nativity Scene) but I think a change would be okay.
I think it is good for another director to get a chance at New Moon. Personally, I think Twilight was way to fast paced and since New Moon has so much more detail to it, they are going to have to slow it down.
I loved Catherine’s dedication to the project but even Twilight came out good, it could have been better. But that could just be from comparing it to the book. I really hope they find someone as dedicated to the project as Catherine was.
I think David Yates should do it, because he did the fifth Harry Potter movie, and I thought everything about it was great, the special effects, the camera angles, and the action scenes. Twilight was okay with all that stuff, (could have been better with the special effects), but New Moon has a lot more of that, and so I think he would be great for it because of how he did Harry Potter and the order of the Phoenix. Someone should convince him to get his butt over to the states and do this movie!
Ok. let’s be fair. Catherine did a wonderful job, but this isn’t the end of the world! The Harry Potter series only IMPROVED when they changed directors. Whoever they bring in will have a fresh perspective and bring something new and probably BETTER to the series.
And in my own opinion Summit is probably doing this to increase their profits. Catherine wanted to take time and make the movie everything we want it to be, and summit didn’t want to wait!
Hey guys? Male directors have done many many love stories and have actually turned out amazing. It shouldn’t matter if it’s a woman or a man, as long as they direct better than Cathrine Hardwick. I’m sorry I didn’t like the way she directed Kristin, or the awkward camera angles that made no sense. I am really happy for this.
P.s.
On the Harry Potter movies; Yes, changing the directors gave totally different vibes to each but seriously, the first movie sucked major and had we have stuck with that director the rest would have been in the same manner. It then had the ability to grow as the Harry Potter books did, albeit they all suck comparatively to the books, they still were able to take the movies to the darker place they needed to go. Now they have the same director for the next 3 movies (DH split into two) who’s done the one before, and I think he gets it more than the rest, even if he smudges on the rules of apparation into Hogwarts grounds (grumblegrumble)
okay, finished with my rant ^.^;
I also agree with nicole, Twilight was too fast paced and New Moon has even more details, so it will be good for another director to have a shot at it.
I think Catherine Hardwicke did an amazing job on Twilight…I’m sad to hear she won’t be doing New Moon.
Forgot my most important requirement aside from an increased budget, good director, good editor, etc. Please, by all that is holy, let them keep Stephenie’s input in the production!!
Haha. Stephenie directed a music video, so why not a movie? xD Haha, here I go getting my hopes up. Even though it’s impossible, I do hope they work w/ Stephenie closely though.
Also… it would be so cool if they get it out by the end of next year. Again, unrealistic, but it would be cool. But then again, we want a good quality movie, so.. take your time, Summit.