LA Times Talks to Robert Pattinson and Bill Condon

The LA Times spoke with Robert Pattinson on the Golden Globes red carpet, and by phone with Bill Condon.

“Speaking by phone this month, director Bill Condon, who’s helming both installments of the finale, said he has been thrilled with what he’s seen from his leads. “All the characters are moving [in this chapter],” he said. “It’s really about the passage from adolescence to adulthood, and they all seem energized by that. It’s the stuff they are all connecting to in their lives.”

As for Pattinson specifically, Condon added, “Now he’s dealing with a character who’s like him. The final movie allows us to step behind the curtain of what it’s like to be a vampire. It doesn’t seem that exotic anymore; It’s trying to be more real.”

The director, though, was reticent to share any details of the production, which is filming in both New Orleans and Vancouver, Canada, with a jaunt to an island off the coast of Brazil — a location that might in the end prove the most memorable to Condon, because the entire cast and crew needed for the honeymoon scene was stranded after a long day of filming.

“It was incredible. We got caught in the middle of this huge rainstorm — I’ll remember it forever,” Condon said. “Eighty people sleeping on the floor of the set. We couldn’t leave.”

See more on the LA Times

LA Times: Eclipse Destined to Make 180 Million By Monday

According to the Los Angeles Times:

“Last November’s “The Twilight Saga: New Moon” grossed $179 million in the U.S. and Canada by its sixth day and “Eclipse” will likely do at least that much by Monday and possibly as much as $200 million, said people who have seen prerelease surveys. The new film has an advantage over its predecessor given the holiday weekend, the fact that many students are off from school and can go to weekday matinees, and that it is the first “Twilight” movie to play on premium priced Imax screens.

As a result, total receipts for the new film will almost certainly be very front-loaded, with most of its revenue coming in the first week.

“It’s a compressed period during which we expect to do a whole bunch of business,” said Summit domestic distribution president Richard Fay.

It remains to be seen, however, whether “Eclipse” will significantly outperform the $297-million total gross of “New Moon,” or if it will simply be the same “Twilight” fans turning out once again.”

To us, what they are not taking into consideration here is that the rewatch factor on Eclipse is going to be far higher because we are no longer dealing with depressed Bella,and a movie where Edward is largely absent. We are now moving on to the book that is (in our opinion) most fans’ favorite, and the romance is there. People are going to want to see it again and again. As for the twiguys, not sure how it’s factoring in, but in the showings we’ve gone to there are far more testosterone laden guys who were not dragged there by their girlfriends. To quote a pair that Alphie met, “Team Bella! Kristen Stewart is HOT!”

See more on the LA Times.

LA TIMES Cheat Sheet and 100 Years Questions

The Los Angeles Times came up with a Twilight Cheat sheet so that people could keep all the characters straight, not that any Lexicon readers will need one! What was also cute, is that if you roll over a character’s name you get their mini bio, the actor who is playing that character’s favorite scene, and what that actor thinks their character will be doing in 100 years.

We liked Jackson Rathbone’s response:

Jackson Rathbone

Character: Jasper Hale is the adopted son of Carlisle and Esme, adoptive brother of Edward, Emmett, and Rosalie, and husband of Alice.

Back story: In “Twilight,” Jasper is pretty low key — until he helps Emmett rip James, a vampire on the hunt for Bella, into pieces. In “New Moon,” Jasper’s rookie status as a vegetarian vampire is demonstrated after Bella gets a paper cut while opening a birthday present; he’s overcome by his thirst for her blood and tries to attack Bella, leading to Edward’s to separate the clan from bella. His years as a fighter before he met the Cullens are put to use in training the family for battle. He also votes in favor of transforming Bella into a vampire.

Favorite “Eclipse” scene: “I paid [screenwriter] Melissa Rosenberg to write in a scene where Alice kisses Jasper. I see my bribed pay off,” Rathbone says.

Where is Jasper 100 years from now? “Jasper would be right behind Alice; wherever she is, he’ll be there.”

Check it out on the LA Times.

TY to MTV’s Hollwood Crush for the tip

LA Times interviews the Wolf Pack

It seems the LA Times is working their way through the various groups of Twilight characters.  Today they have an interview with Chaske Spencer, Alex Meraz, and Julia Jones.  Alex Meraz said:

“The fans are going to love this film,” he said. “I didn’t get my chance to touch anybody in ‘New Moon.’ This time I go at it with Emmett [ Kellan Lutz]. I give him a nice bitch slap. But I’m in wolf form, so maybe it’s a big paw slap?

Read the whole story over at the LA Times.

Peter Facinelli to Sign Autographs for UNICEF, Haiti

Folks in SoCal are in for a treat. Peter Facinelli will be hosting a charity even for UNICEF and Haiti on February 21st in Rancho Cucamonga.  CHeck out the LA TIMES for all the details.

Pics with Facinelli, who also stars in “Nurse Jackie” on Showtime, will be $40 a pop and autographs are $25; a portion of proceeds will go to UNICEF. Lifestream will conduct a blood drive, and there will be a live radio remote by KGGI-99.1/FM. (Psst: 20 winners of a KGGI contest will get a VIP meet-and-greet with Peter in advance of the noon-to-6 p.m. event, held at Victoria Gardens’ AMC Courtyard.)

Phenomenal New Moon Behind the Scenes Pictures

According to the LA Times Blacklot, photographer “David Strick was on the set about 15-20 minutes outside of Vancouver as director Chris Weitz and the cast and crew shot scenes late at night, in a very chilly Capitano Park Forest, until at least 4 a.m.”

There are nearly 40 photos, that’s right 40,  in all that are just stunning. Guess your best if they are flashbacks, outtakes, or dream sequences…or maybe all three, as Bella’s bed seems to be in the forest.  Which is your favorite?

TY to ME for the heads up.

LA Times Comic Con Buzz-makers

The LA Times evaluated the pieces that rose to the surface during Comic Con, and perhaps to the surprise of no one, New Moon made the list.

“The teen vampire sequel didn’t disappoint the cultish crowd, many of whose members camped out overnight for a scream-filled (not for scares, but for star Robert Pattinson) presentation in Hall H. Director Chris Weitz said the fan base is excited no matter the setting, including during production of the Nov. 20 “Twilight” follow-up: “There was a moment where I had to go to the bathroom, and there was not a cafe I could go into without being mobbed,” he said. “Not because I’m me, but people wanted to know if I could set up meetings with Rob.”

See their entire play-by-play on the LA Times.

USA Today also has a similar list.

Chris Weitz: LA Times Interview

The LA Times Interviewed Chris Weitz about New Moon, and Chris dished some never heard of before details:

“Driving home from a day of post-production, Weitz says he understands what’s at stake. There are 450 visual effects shots to complete, in addition to the score and the movie’s soundtrack, which he says will feature songs from Radiohead, Muse and Band of Skulls, among others. But the sequences he’s readying for the event — one, an action scene that will feature some of those effects, the other, a love scene sure to elicit hysteria from the crowd — will be done in time.

With so much on the line at Comic-Con, where word of mouth can often make or break a project, Weitz is feeling fairly confident that the reaction will be positive, especially since many of the cast members will be there.”

See the whole interview on the LA Times.

LA Times Has New New Moon Movie Photo

The LA Times describes behind the scenes shooting New Moon:

“Robert Pattinson is having an Obi-Wan Kenobi moment. Inside a soundstage where “The Twilight Saga: New Moon” is shooting, the lanky English heartthrob stands in front of a tall, wide green screen murmuring a tender admonition, “You promised me nothing reckless.” Motion capture cameras hurtle toward him across a length of track affixed to the stage floor, while a team of technicians studies his stance and the tilt of his head.

Get the full LA Times story here.

Paul Morrison On Robert Pattinson

Little Ashes director, Paul Morrison, talks with the LA Times about Robert Pattinson and what he sees as Rob’s future.

“He is serious about acting and I am sure that, yeah, he will want to do roles that challenge him. I can’t tell you how hard he worked on the role of Dali. I was encouraging him to just play the script, but he was for himself hunting down every day bits of film or tape or interviews or a biography of Dali. He worked really hard at it, both intellectually and emotionally. I think that’s in his blood now, I think. I don’t think he’ll be satisfied with playing less than interesting roles.”

See the whole article here.