Salary Dispute Holding Up "Twilight 5" Announcement?

From The Hollywood Reporter:

EXCLUSIVE: Summit Entertainment is working furiously to close the talent deals required to split Stephenie Meyer's fourth "Twilight" novel into two films. But an unlikely roadblock is holding up an announcement -- and could even lead to cast changes for the series' final installment.

The studio is close to finalizing agreements with leads Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson and Taylor Lautner, all of whom will get big raises to return for a fifth installment of the vampire romance saga. And director Bill Condon is already signed to film two "Breaking Dawn" movies, which would be shot back-to-back starting in the fall and released in November 2011 and summer 2012, respectively.

But Summit is having a harder time locking in some of the franchise's secondary characters. Deals for Peter Facinelli (who plays Carlisle Cullen) and Billy Burke (Bella's father, Charlie Swan) are done, but we're told the actors who play the Cullen kids (especially Kellan Lutz and Ashley Greene) are trying to sink their teeth into bigger paydays that, at least at this point, the studio behind the billion-dollar franchise is unwilling to provide. "We may have a situation where one of them is thrown out on the street to make a point," says a source close to the dealmaking.

So are we headed for a recasting on the final "Twilight"?

There is precedent for such a tactic. After the success of the first film, Summit axed Rachelle Lefevre, who played Victoria, in part because her reps played hardball on money. (Bryce Dallas Howard got the job instead.) Now, two films into the series, even the minor Twilighters (Lutz in particular) have become sought-after stars, so it makes sense they'd want to be paid more for the final film. But we're told that the offers from Summit -- which are said to be at least 10 times what the actors made on the first movie -- were deemed "offensive" given the mega-money the franchise has generated.

Summit declined to comment on the situation. But the studio wants to move quickly to pull the trigger on two movies -- and it isn't afraid to recast if deals can't be reached. Plus, it has even more reason to be concerned about costs this time around. As is typical with blockbuster franchises, the "Twilight" movies are becoming more expensive with each installment. And the leads are going to do especially well if "Breaking Dawn" is split into two parts. The trio were initially signed for three films (remember, this was back when "Twilight" was a low-budget adaptation of a niche YA novel), but in the spring of 2009 -- after the first movie became an international hit -- they renegotiated all their deals so Summit could lock them for a fourth movie.

The studio then realized that "Breaking Dawn," with its 900-plus pages and narratives told from two perspectives, was dense enough to be split into two installments (as Warner Bros. announced it would do for the final "Harry Potter" book). Just one problem: The cast wasn't signed for a fifth movie. They're all huge stars now, with Lautner in particular running up his quote to the $7.5 million range, so another renegotiation commenced.

That meant ponying up big-time for the leads, which will make the final movie far more expensive than the others ("Eclipse," which hits theaters June 30, is costing around $65 million, a figure sure to be dwarfed by the fourth and fifth, even if costs can be amortized by shooting them at the same time). For that reason, Summit is still holding out the option of simply doing one "Breaking Dawn," although multiple sources say they'd be shocked if the fifth film doesn't happen. "This thing is gonna be two movies," one source says. "With or without the cast intact." Meyer has already signed off on the plan to make two, a key hurdle, given the approval rights she has in her deal.

Summit also is eyeing other cost-cutting measures for the final installments. A deal is currently being negotiated to move the production to Louisiana after making the first in Portland and the second two in Vancouver and Italy. Luring "Twilight" would be a huge "get" for the state -- and, given the tax credits, a money-saver for the studio.

"Twilight" has thus far been the rare tentpole franchise made on a non-tentpole budget. It'll be interesting to see the lengths that will Summit go to keep it there. Booting an actor from the final installment of a successful series could be a risky move, though we're betting that as long as their precious Bella, Edward and Jacob return, fans would get over any disappointment.

Breaking Dawn Will Start Filming in October?

The Australian Herald Sun posted an article about the Twilight cast in Melbourne for the Twilight Convention, where Christian Serratos let it slip that Breaking Dawn starts shooting in october.


While Serratos’s Eclipse co-stars Gil Birmingham, Daniel Cudmore and Booboo Stewart remained coy about the film’s start date, the actor and sometime model accidentally let the cat out of the bag.


“No word is out yet,” Stewart said, to which Serratos quickly replied “No, October.”


Birmingham, who plays Taylor Lautner’s father Jacob Black, quickly tried to cover up the blunder.


“We could tell you, but we’d have to kill you – like we will Christian,” he said.


The four Eclipse stars, who flew out today, have been in Australia for the Twilight convention held at Melbourne University on Sunday.


Serratos said she had got used to the Twilight mania.


“People say it is like Beatle-mania,” Serratos said.


“But after a while it becomes second nature, I mean it has nothing to do with you and everything to do with the character you’re playing.”


source: RobertPattinsonOnline

Robert Pattinson & Kristen Stewart Might Stun The Critics In Breaking Dawn...

In the final installment of Twilight series Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart might puzzle their critics with their performances as Summit Entertainment is trying to rope in an Oscar winning director for the final series.

The production house is in talks with Bill Condon who won the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay for the movie “Gods and Monsters”. He also wrote and directed the 2006 Oscar nominated movie “Dreamgirls”, which gave Idol singer Jennifer Hudson her first Oscar as the Best Supporting Actress.

A talented director like Condon can actually hone the acting skills of the leading stars who have pushed the Twilight franchise to winning heights with their sheer charm and grace.

So far the pair’s sizzling chemistry has been the main crowd puller but that can change if the Twilight franchise can get a renowned director onboard. The first Twilight movie was directed by a little known director Catherine Hardwicke.

The sequel “New Moon” was directed by Chris Weitz who made movies like “About a Boy” and “The Golden Compass”. New Moon opened with $26.3 million at the US box office breaking the record previously held by Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, which grossed $22.2 domestically.


But Chris Weitz didn’t return as a director for the third installment “Eclipse”, the job went to David Slade who mostly directs music videos.

source via The Pattz Code

'Breaking Dawn' Closes In On Director Bill Condon, So MTV's Hollywood Crush Weigh His Pros And Cons...

From Hollywood Crush:

There have been a lot of back and forth rumors regarding the final installment(s) of "The Twilight Saga," and the latest comes from Mike Fleming over at Deadline: New York. He reports that sources close to him have disclosed that Bill Condon, one of the three main directors Summit Entertainment had short-listed for "Breaking Dawn," is negotiating with the studio to helm a two-part "Breaking Dawn" back to back, starting in the fall.


It's a pretty loaded declaration, similar to one his colleague Nikki Finke reported earlier this year. Summit was quick to shut down the rumor that "Breaking Dawn" was set to be two films (not saying it wouldn't, just saying it wasn't set), but now, two months later, it seems like Nikki won't end up being too far off. In light of Summit coming out later today and shutting down Mike's report as well, we'd like to weigh the pros and cons of Bill Condon helming "Breaking Dawn."


Pro: He's a well known director


The Beyonce-starring, Oscar-winning "Dreamgirls" got a lot of attention when it came out in 2006, as was Bill's other better-known film "Kinsey" in 2004. Bill has only directed five films over his 23 year career, but he still would be considered an A-list director in today's Hollywood. The only problem is the last time he directed a project was in 2006 for "Dreamgirls," though he does have two other projects lined up for 2011 (not including "Breaking Dawn").


Con: He's better known for his screenwriting


Bill is an Oscar winner, but it was for his 1998 screenplay for "Gods and Monsters," not for any of his directing attempts. He also earned a nomination for his screenplay for "Chicago," but lost to "The Pianist." And while we aren't trying to knock any of his achievements, we're just saying maybe he would be better off replacing Melissa Rosenberg as screenwriter than helming the final, potentially two, installments.


Pro: His strength is dark and twisty


We'd toss "Chicago" in the "dark and twisty genre," as well as "Gods and Monsters" (Bill's film which chronicles the final days of the director of "Frankenstein's" life) and "Candyman: Farewell to the Flesh" (a you-get-what-you-pay-for 1995 horror film). All of this will lend really well to the way too many dark and twisty moments that occur during the course of "Breaking Dawn." We're sure Bill could film a vampire c-section way better than Sophia Coppola and Gus Van Sant combined.


Con: He's never made a film about teenagers before


This is our biggest qualm with Bill directing "Breaking Dawn": He's never dealt with any of its content during the entire course of his career. Catherine Hardwicke had "Thirteen," which lent itself very well to the teen angst in "Twilight." Chris Weitz had "About A Boy" and (yes, we'll go there) "American Pie," both of which dealt with various aspects of teenage life. David Slade was the only director with previous vampire experience with "30 Days of Night," which lent itself to the action elements in "Eclipse." Even Sophia and Gus had films that showed they understand the teenage mentality ("Marie Antoinette" and "Elephant," respectively). But Bill has us worried. Sure he's done some good films in the past, but we aren't quite sure he has proved his worth in being able to adapt a passable film interpretation of "Breaking Dawn."

Will 'Breaking Dawn' Be Directed By Bill Condon?

From MTV:

No deal is in place, but there have been negotiations between the 'Dreamgirls' director and the studio.

Last month, word dropped that three Oscar-nominated directors were on Summit Entertainment's short list to helm "Breaking Dawn," the yet-unannounced final installment of the "Twilight" franchise: Gus Van Sant ("Milk"), Sofia Coppola ("Lost in Translation") and Bill Condon ("Dreamgirls").


Now, it appears Condon has established himself as Summit's top choice for the gig, according to a Deadline.com report. No deal is yet in place, but several meetings have led to negotiations between the director and the studio.

What's more, citing unnamed sources, Deadline reports that "Breaking Dawn" will be split into two films (as has long been rumored) and will begin shooting in the fall. The director search kicked off after "New Moon" director Chris Weitz declined the chance to return to the franchise.

MTV News' request for comment has not yet been returned by Summit.

As made clear by the eight-time Oscar-nominated "Dreamgirls," Condon has experience taking established source material and churning out a visually dramatic box-office success. He's also dabbled in supernatural subject matter with "Gods and Monsters" (about the real-life director of "Frankenstein") and horror genre material with 1995's "Candyman: Farewell to the Flesh." "Breaking Dawn" prominently features horror-like elements, including a bloody, supernatural birth scene.

Condon already has two projects lined up: an adaptation of the novel "Salmon Fishing in the Yemen," starring Colin Firth, and a Richard Pryor biopic, starring Marlon Wayans. Both films would be delayed if Condon works on the potential two films of "Breaking Dawn."

Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart, meanwhile, have already come out in support of Van Sant hopping into the director's chair. "It's all about teenage love and obsessions," Pattinson said of "Breaking Dawn." "I think Gus Van Sant would be great."

'Breaking Dawn' Directors: Which Would You Pick?...

A new name entered the potential directors pool for "Breaking Dawn" yesterday: Stephen Daldry. He previously directed only three films -- "The Reader," "The Hours" and "Billy Elliott" -- but he received Academy Award nominations for all three of them. Daldry joins a group of three previously named talents who Summit is considering to helm the final installment in the "Twilight" series.


Last week, the news emerged that the studio had Gus Van Sant, Sofia Coppola and Bill Condon on their short list of potential helmers. These are four serious names; Summit clearly wants to bring out the biggest guns they can in capping off the high school romance-meets-vampires saga. They also want to serve the fans, since you're the ones who made this series such a big deal. And we're here to help. Tell us which of the four directors we know to be in the running you'd most like to see get the gig. I can't promise you that Summit will listen, but I can't promise they won't either. Let's just quickly recap the potential directors one more time before we get to the poll.

Sofia Coppola: The "Lost in Translation" and "Marie Antoinette" director knows her way around nuanced female roles, and Kristen Stewart's Bella is definitely that. She also knows how to make challenging relationships compelling for film audiences; "Breaking Dawn" also has a lot of that.

Gus Van Sant: Van Sant is admittedly an odd choice. He's had mainstream success with the likes of "Good Will Hunting" and "Finding Forrester," but he's known best for his indie/arthouse work. "Twilight" is many things, and it does indeed have its roots as an indie, but "arthouse" is not a direction I can see Summit wanting it to go in for the final chapter (or chapters, if it is broken into two movies). That said, star Robert Pattinson is keen on Van Sant being the guy, and the director has proven himself capable of blockbuster success.

Bill Condon: The random nature of Bill Condon's resume is exactly what makes him a good fit for "Breaking Dawn." From the "Candyman" sequel to "Kinsey" to "Dreamgirls," you never know what he's going to do next. He's directed a supernatural, hook-wielding psycho-killer, a sex-crazed scientist and an up-and-coming soul singer... a teenage romance involving vampires, werewolves and a violent, bloody birth feels like the culmination of everything he's ever done!

Who would you pick? You can vote at MTV.com

'New Moon' DVD Release Party: Nikki Reed And Chris Weitz On 'Bitchin' 'Breaking Dawn' Director Choices...

From Hollywood Crush:

Last week's announcement that Gus Van Sant, Sophia Coppola and Bill Condon were being considered as potential directors for "Breaking Dawn" made some waves in the film and "Twilight" fan communities. When MTV caught up with Nikki Reed and Chris Weitz at the "New Moon" midnight release event at Santa Clarita's Wal-Mart, both had a lot to say about the subject.

Movie Trailers - Movies Blog

"You're telling me for the first time. I was trying to ask them earlier today, and they wouldn't give me anything," Nikki admitted after MTV told her Gus and Sophia were being considered. "But all the directors that you mentioned, I mean, they would be fantastic, both of those people. Either one. I mean, we would be honored."

Chris agreed, saying, "Completely, personally, as a director, I think [Gus] would be bitchin', but I think that's just me." He added that Sophia was "another interesting idea."

This support just adds to a whole slew of other "Twilight Saga" cast members who gave their endorsements last week and *#8212; in Robert Pattinson's case — back in November.

"I think it's awesome," Kristen Stewart said last week. "I think it's so cool that they're reaching. I think any one of those people would be great."

"It's all about teenage love and obsessions," Rob said back in November about the content of "Breaking Dawn." "I think Gus Van Sant would be great."

Kristen Stewart Confirms Three Top Directors Have Been Considered For 'Breaking Dawn'...

From Hollywood Crush:

The directors who have been brought in for the first three "Twilight Saga" films have had a variety of range. Catherine Hardwicke was best known for her hard-hitting "Thirteen" and "Lords of Dogtown," while Chris Weitz had "About A Boy" and "The Golden Compass" and David Slade had "Hard Candy" and "30 Days of Night." Each director had some sort of unique style that made him or her worth following, but also had a similar trend of high school or fantasy themes that made them fitting for the "Twilight" series.

Movie Trailers - Movies Blog

The question of who will direct "Breaking Dawn" (the final one or two installments in the film series) has been hotly debated. Fans seemed to want Chris to return to the helm after the success of "New Moon," but it seemed a bit obvious that Summit would want to bring someone new in for the final installment(s). According to a special report from EW today, three new directors have been approached to helm the film: Gus Van Sant, Sophia Coppola and Bill Condon.

Robert Pattinson and Peter Facinelli have both told MTV News previously that Gus would be their top choice to direct "Breaking Dawn." "He shoots everything in Portland. He's good at making it look beautiful," Rob said, adding of "BD," "It's all about teenage love and obsessions. I think Gus would be great."

The teenage love and obsessions line is of course a shout to Gus' much celebrated film about high school life in the light of Columbine, "Elephant." However, the too-serious tone Catherine Hardwicke took for "Twilight" — which seems along the lines of what Gus would take with "Breaking Dawn" — didn't suit the film very well. "New Moon" felt like it fit a bit more, with Chris taking the novel for what it was and representing that fairly faithfully on screen.

There is no doubt that Gus, Sophia ("Lost in Translation") and Bill ("Kinsey," "Dreamgirls") are some of the most widely respected directors in Hollywood. But "Breaking Dawn" is not anywhere near one of the most widely respected works of fiction in recent history. In fact, reviews from both fans and critics were fairly split, and it's hard to say whether it's one of the high or low points of the series. It certainly had many elements like a vampire c-section and an anti-climactic finale that make it seem not as suited to the screen as its previous installments.

But the choice for one of these esteemed and serious directors who make hard-hitting and important films seems out of sync with what "Twilight" is all about. Fans want to see Edward and Bella getting married and having a baby on the big screen, not a metaphorical look at teenage life (if there is any of that even left in "Breaking Dawn").

What do you think of these possible directors?

Kristen Stewart Says 'Breaking Dawn' 'Absolutely Warrants' Two Films...

MTV writes:

We've all been there: School is coming to an end, it's time to graduate and the half of you who can't wait to leave is doing battle with the half who will miss it.


These days, the "Twilight Saga" stars are grappling with similar feelings, looking at the end of a three-year process that has had them all go from little-knowns to household names together. So how does Kristen Stewart feel about the possibility of double "Breaking Dawn" movies that would keep their franchise in session a little bit longer?

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"I am down. I wanna do it," Stewart said of the increasingly real possibility that Stephenie Meyer's final novel will be split into two films, "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows"-style. "I understand why they'd wanna do it."


In the minds of some, Stewart and Robert Pattinson are talented actors in good positions to move past the "Twilight" franchise and onto other projects. To Twilighters, however, the longer this now A-list cast (including Oscar-nominated Anna Kendrick, "SNL" host Taylor Lautner, magazine cover girl Ashley Greene, etc.) can stay together, the better.

Stewart, meanwhile, is one of the only stars who has nothing but "Twilight" on the horizon. "I actually have no idea [what I'll shoot next]," she said of her 2010 plans. " 'Breaking Dawn' is supposed to happen in maybe November, I think. But until then, I have a clean slate, and that's rare for me, so that's actually cool. It feels good, like I have no idea what I could do."

Such statements don't bode well for rumored projects like "K-11" and "An American Girl," but the actress seems to be in a good place as she approaches her upcoming 20th birthday. KStew seems eager to take a few months off as she promotes films like March's "The Runaways" and said she's ready to tackle one "Breaking Dawn" film — or stick around longer for two.


"I don't know yet [whether they're going to split it]," Stewart revealed, shooting down recent reports that indicate a decision had been finalized. "They don't know yet."

As for whether she has a preference, Kristen said, "The story absolutely warrants two films. But I think you could do it with one. It just depends."

By all accounts, Kristen has a big future ahead of her whenever she's done playing Bella. Next week's "The Yellow Handkerchief," which features her in a heartbreaking love story, is only the latest indicator of her talent. But if the "Twilight" producers ask her to stay back in school for just a little bit longer, she said she won't have any complaints.


"It would be a six-month shoot [if we made two movies back-to-back], compared to a three-month shoot," Kristen explained, indicating that she has discussed the options with those involved. "It would be much more satisfying to do [two films], because we wouldn't have to drop so much of the story; it wouldn't be like, 'Well, we didn't get to do this scene, this scene or this scene.' You'd get less of that — which would be good."

A Breaking “Breaking Dawn” Rumor Gets Busted...

Here we go again.

Gossip Cop writes,


Gossip Cop’s inbox overflowed today with questions about purported production and casting notices for The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn. A site claims that production has been greenlit, Gus Van Sant “has signed on” to direct, a talent search to cast new characters is underway, and a production timetable is set.

The same site made similar declarations back in October.

It was wrong then.


It’s wrong now.


A source with Summit Entertainment tells Gossip Cop there is still no director or any production arrangements for Breaking Dawn, which will probably be two films, although even that has not been finalized as of now.

Gossip Cop will continue to monitor production rumors, separating fact from fiction.

'The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn' to be two films...

Twilight Examiner writes:

Back in November, shortly after The Twilight Saga: New Moon was released to theaters, the conversation was had about whether The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn should be made into one film or two. While there was some dissension in the crowd about the idea of the book being split into two films, there was certainly a crowd in the idea's corner.




The "yeahs" have it, according to Nikki Finke at Deadline Hollywood.



"I have this from several sources, and it's definitive. Filming on the back-to-back movies would begin in mid-October, and Summit Entertainment is looking at 'high-end' directors," it is reported. Finke goes on to say that the films would be made "back to back."


Finke, a reliable source of this sort of information, says that "Screenwriter Melissa Rosenberg (who's written all the Twilight Saga films) is currently adapting Breaking Dawn."

Of course, you might recall that in that same month, Variety assessed the Breaking Dawn situation, saying that the - to use an Edwardian term - impasse was only a contractual matter, and you also might recall that in November, Summit Entertainment assured fans that the company "look[ed] forward to bringing 'Breaking Dawn' to the big screen." When the issue of whether the film would be one or two made it to the . . . well . . . breaking point in gossip-style commentary, Stephenie Meyer reached out to say that the issue was no bone of contention between herself and the studio and that her "personal feeling is that it would be very difficult to cram the whole story into one movie."

So there you have it folks. Two movies it is. (Note that there are two major factors missing from this announcement: shooting location and directors. As it seems to stand, a director for these films is as yet unchosen.)

source: Twilight Examiner

What do you guys think?

Breaking Dawn Filming in Vancouver?

Lainey Gossip writes:

Some non-romance related updates for you Twi-Hards, this has to do with shooting location in response to the daily flurry of emails I receive for production information related to the 4th and possibly 5th movie(s).

You’ll recall I was the first to report that due to provincial tax credit drama and competing incentives, Portland became a more viable location. Despite reports elsewhere, as of this weekend, no final decision has been made. Having said that, Vancouver remains Summit’s first choice even though the tax credit situation has yet to be sorted.

My sources tell me exclusively Summit representatives met with the BC government just before Christmas to see if a favourable arrangement could be worked out. That meeting concluded with NO commitments from government officials who explained that they were not prepared to look at any new tax structure until after the Olympics. Summit was hoping to make a decision sooner.

Further, many crew members who worked on Twilight New Moon and Eclipse are now working on the new Fox show Human Target (shot in Vancouver) which enjoyed a solid debut the other night. As of two days ago, those crew members have not been informed of any movement to go back to Twilight. Yet.

There’s been some buzz among certain local special effects firms that a contract is coming, anticipating a June start date. The timing is encouraging for those lobbying for a Twilight return. This would allow for 3 months of prep before principle photography in September. So it looks promising... but there are still many variables at play. Will keep you posted.