Vampires want more than just blood

Vampires want more than just blood
Sensitivity

By DEIRDRE FULTON December 31, 2008

2008 might have been the year of the nerd (according to us at the Phoenix), the rat (Chinese astrology), and the potato (United Nations), but there's no question that it was also the year of the undead. In these trying times, we've shunned wizards for vampires, in effect exchanging hopeful, magical fantasy for something much darker, much bleaker — and much more romantic.

Three pop-culture elements of this phenomenon — the blockbuster popcorn movie Twilight, HBO's True Blood, and the indie flick Let the Right One In — are evidence of our embrace of the undead.

Watching all three back-to-back leads to some interesting comparisons, as well as insights into the vampiric world.

* ATTRACTIVENESS OF LEADING ACTORS
* SOUNDTRACK
* SPECIAL EFFECTS/GORE FACTOR
* ROMANCE/SEX

(Source)

The Honor Roll: 20 People That Made an Impact in 2008

Posted by Cole Abaius (cole.abaius@filmschoolrejects.com)
on December 30, 2008







Robert Pattinson

Somehow Pattinson transformed a small role in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire into a role in a phenomenon of his very own, starring as Edward in Twilight and winning the hearts of every tween girl in the country. He’s already received some positive buzz for his role as Salvador Dali in Little Ashes and has several projects in development. Some of our readers may scoff his inclusion in this list, but as of publication, he’s ranked #1 on IMDB as the most searched for film entity, and that’s hard to ignore

Click here to read article

How to Be News!!!!!

How To Be in 2009

How To Be is a British indie comedy about a struggling musician, played by Robert Pattinson, who shot the movie just before making Twilight. How To Be had its world premiere last January and has been screening in film festivals all over the world ever since. We’re now hard at work getting ready for a release during 2009.

This mailing list, the news section of our website and our Facebook group are the best places to keep up to date. (And we do read every post on our Facebook page, even if we don’t have time to reply to them all!)
It has been an amazing year for How To Be. But first, let’s start with some announcements for 2009!

* We have sold distribution rights for Italy to Just Us Films! Details of the release are being worked out right now, and further news on the Italian release of How To Be will follow in the New Year.
* For all you American Fans, How To Be is very close to securing a distribution deal for the US! We are also looking forward to UK and other international releases. We will do all we can to keep you up to date!
* We are also very happy to announce we have been accepted to CineQuest Film Festival in San Jose, California. We’ll pass on dates, locations and times as soon as we have them. This will be the first California screening of How To Be!

* Official film posters, which we debuted at the Austin Film Festival, are now on our website. Please download them, send them to friends, and print them out!

Click here to go to the How to Be site

Robert Pattinson: People.com

Move over Zac Efron!

British import Robert Pattinson has arrived, and the reaction is Beatles-like.

With his signature tousled mop and brooding stare, Hollywood's newest heartthrob has tongues wagging, mobs stalking, and tweens begging.

Pattinson first made his mark on American audiences as hunky Cedric Diggory in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.

But his casting as Edward Cullen, the beautiful vampire at the center of the best-selling Twilight Saga, has turned the man dubbed R.Pattz into the apple of every teen girl's eye.

Twilight's record-breaking opening has paved the way for more sequels. But before he makes his immortal return, Pattinson will display his acting chops as Salvador Dalí in the indie drama Little Ashes.

FIVE FUN FACTS:

1. Robert Pattinson was often taken advantage of by his older siblings. "Up until I was 12 my sisters used to dress me up as a girl and introduce me as 'Claudia'!" the actor told the BBC.
2. Robert Pattinson became known to his fans as 'Spunk Ransom' after admitting he disliked his name. "I hate any reference to my name," he told MTV. "I wish people would just completely invent a new one." 'Spunk Ransom' was Pattinson's suggested alternative.
3. Robert Pattinson, who plays piano and guitar, has two songs featured in Twilight. "I cried the first time I heard the two songs," director Catherine Hardwicke told MTV. "They're deep; they're very soulful."
4. While filming Twilight, Robert Pattinson injured himself on his very first shot. "I wasn't even doing a stunt. I was just trying to pick up Kristen [Stewart] and I almost tore my hamstring because I hadn't been doing enough squats," the actor told the Los Angeles Times. "It was very embarrassing."
5. While on the Twilight set, an enthusiastic fan asked a crew member to bring her baby on set and have Robert Pattinson take a photo with the child. "So there's a photo of me like biting a baby's head," he said.

(Source)

SpyingOnSuburbia: Twilight Gives

SpyingOnSuburbia: Twilight Gives
Elizabeth James

Twilight Gives

I gave the complete series to two of my friends. My sister is completely hooked and as I type she is curled up on the other couch in our parent’s home reading book three. This is so interesting to me, this love affair with a story that was written for teenagers. I ran into a friend of mine who has a teenage daughter. I asked her if she had read the books and she said that she did not but her daughter just finished them.

It was funny. I immediately said that her daughter was mature so not to worry. It was funny to me that I felt the need to reassure her that the book was ok. The book really is not ok. It is crack. I cannot stop saying this or talking about it. I recently read the authors latest entries for her next book which was posted on her website. I read all 264 pages in one sitting.

I dreamed all night about Edward. It was so strange. The brilliance of this writer is that she has captured all the raw human emotions of love, loss, jealousy, heart break, fear, lust, passion and anticipation. She evokes these feelings from the reader. You are literally feeling your heart ripped out or beating hard and you are certainly feeling the lust, anticipation and despair and anguish of their love. It is intense. The book leaves you feeling a loss. You cannot put it down but you also are almost relieved to walk away from it.

This will be my last piece about it until the movies start to roll out. It has just been so fascinating to watch such a simple book grab the hearts of so many people. And grab is too light of a word, it is more like stab a knife and rip it out and squeeze it and smash it.

I spent my holiday spreading the best kind of present to all my girlfriends. I gave them this series and told them it was the gift that would keep on giving. It is and it gives back to me as I relish in every text message and phone call they send to me. As they discover the beauty between the lines.

E

http://spyingonsuburbia.blogspot.com/

(Source)

Who were 2008's most influential tastemakers?

Who were 2008's most influential tastemakers?
Updated Sun. Dec. 28 2008 7:50 AM ET
Philip Stavrou, CTV.ca News
.....................
"Pattinson is even influencing young boys.
"With the explosion of 'Twilight' it's becoming almost attractive and desired for boys not to wash their hair a la Robert Patterson," Lainey said.
She said Patterson has managed to dethrone "High School Musical's" Zac Efron as a teen heartthrob.
Efron, so perfectly coiffed Lainey calls him "lip-gloss," has been "blown out of the water" by Patterson.
"It's very interesting to see how someone gets dethroned, it's fascinating," said Lainey.
Patterson will likely reign well into next year with the "Twilight" sequel already scheduled for release in late-2009. " (click here)
............................................................

I wonder if Lainey misspell Robert's last name or if it was Philip Stavrou who wrongly quoted Lainey ???
They should pay more attention on the stories they write...don't you think??
That lets you know how much research they did.

Sam Bradley Interview with Pop Star

Sam Bradley Interview
Posted by cjoyce on Tuesday, December 23, 2008 at 7:38am

Sam Bradley hit gold when his song Never Think went viral and helped the Twilight soundtrack hit number one on the charts. PopStar was lucky enough to talk to the enthusiastic musician about co-writing Never Think with childhood friend, R.Patz.


The sweet pure sounds of Sam Bradley will immediately grab your attention and draw you in note by note. While enjoying Sam's music expect that each lyric is perfectly written, each note perfectly placed, and that each song was recorded with such passion by a truly talented musician. Sam is ready to share his beautifully orchestrated music with fans. (click here)


...."PopStar: Have you read Twilight?
Sam Bradley: No, I am going to. I have been pretty busy at the moment. It’s the next read.
PopStar: Okay, so we know that you are partial to this question but we feel compelled to ask. Team Edward or Team Jacob?
Sam Bradley: Edward. Team Edward, no question"......

Sam talks about "Never Think" and "Let me sign" plus a project to make a song for New Moon
that sounds GREAT!

Sam Bradley is an amazing musician

(Read it Here)

POP Candy Top 100 People of 2008

Top 100 People of 2008
By Whitney Matheson

The day has finally come! I hope you've enjoyed this week's countdown of the 100 People of the Year (here)


20. Rob Pattinson. His glistening skin distracted millions of teen girls this year, and it's safe to say the Twilight franchise will transform the actor into a superstar. Even if the sequel bites, Pattinson's hair is a box-office cash machine.

(source)

Top Soundtracks for the 1/3/2009 issue - Routers UK

Fri Dec 26, 2008 2:00pm GMT

Top 10 Most Sold Soundtracks of the week

(go here)

Top 10 Box Office Movies of 2008

9. TWILIGHT

Total Gross: $158,461,000

Fueled by an enthusiastic fanbase, Stephanie Meyer's hit literary phenomenon jumped from the page to the big screen to take a bite out of the annual box office, grabbing the number 9 spot during the last weeks of the year. (Here)

Stephenie Meyer's Twilight series dominates list of 2008's bestselling books in Canada

Posted: December 22, 2008, 7:14 PM

by Mark Medley

BookNet Canada released their list of the bestselling books in Canada in 2008, and, not surprisingly, Stephenie Meyer's Twilight series took four of the five top spots.

The only book that outsold Meyer was A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life's Purpose by Eckhart Tolle. J.K. Rowling's latest book, The Tales of Beedle the Bard, finished in twentieth spot. However, the book was only on sale for two weeks before the list was compiled; the list encompasses January 1, 2008 until the week ending December 14.

“Bestseller lists this year were shaped by two themes: a desire for personal and spiritual affirmation, and sexy undead guys and the women who love them. Behind the scenes, what we’re really seeing is the continuing ability of TV media, like Oprah to drive sales and the power of young adult titles that break out into larger adult audiences,” said BookNet CEO Michael Tamblyn in a statement. “A New Earth and The Shack also give us something rare and exciting: Canadian authors finding success in categories outside of literary fiction and non-fiction.”

(Source)

Sizzling Popcorn Movie Awards- GO VOTE!!

SIZZLING POPCORN MOVIE AWARDS 2009

Voting for the 2009 SizzlingPopcorn Awards will end at midnight on December 31st, 2008!!!

Readers can cast their votes in over 15 categories.

Twilight has been nominated in the following categories:

-Sizzling Hot Actor Of The Year
-Sizzling Hot Actress Of The Year
-Blockbuster Of The Year
-Teen Movie Of The Year


Go now and vote!!!
(Source)

Teen vampire movie "Twilight" tops UK box office

Mon Dec 22, 2008 10:19pm GMT

LONDON (Reuters Life!) - Teen vampire movie "Twilight" topped the British box office over the weekend, taking 2.5 million pounds and beating animation picture "Madagascar 2" into second place, its distributor E1 Films said on Monday.

The movie, based on the bestselling novel by U.S. author Stephenie Meyer, also topped the North American box office at its opening weekend last month with ticket sales of $69.6 million, and its backers hoped the success would extend beyond the book's core U.S. following.

Independent studio Summit Entertainment is going ahead with the sequel "New Moon" based on the second novel in the four-book series.

According to E1, the British subsidiary of Entertainment One Group, "Twilight" was comfortably ahead of Madagascar 2 (1.8 million pounds) and "Four Christmases" (1.0 million pounds).

Meyer's Twilight series has sold more than 25 million copies worldwide, 17 million of which have been in the United States. Her publishers are hoping the movie franchise will boost sales around the world.

(Source)

MSN Lifestyle's Most Influential Women of 2008

Stephenie Meyer

The former English major and Brigham Young grad claims that she never sought a career in writing. In fact, she was perfectly content being a full-time mother to three boys.

But after penning "Twilight", a book based a relationship between a male vampire and a high-school student, she was transformed into a literary luminary with a book debuting at number five on the New York Times bestseller list.

Her fame rose in 2008 once Twilight was adapted for the big screen. The casting of English actor Robert Pattinson as Edward Cullen, the male vampire, sent female fans into hysterics and sold out theatres everywhere.

The movie earned $72 million during opening weekend, giving Meyers a blood-sucking success any author would want to sink her teeth into.

(Source)

Bailey on the MTV Blog !!!!!!!!

‘Twilight’ Superfan ‘NoMoreMarbles’ Offers Her Acceptance Speech, Have You Sent In Yours?

Published by Brian Jacks on Thursday, December 18, 2008 at 5:55 pm.

The amazing and passionate female Twilighters been awarded MTV News’ prestigious 2008

Woman of the Year award…so what’s there to do? How about film your acceptance speech and reaction to taking home the (virtual) trophy? We’re proud to honor this impressive fanbase and we want to hear from you.


Send yours!!! (Go to MTV)

Video Interview : Robert Pattinson - movies.ie

From Wizards to Vampires, teen heartthrob Robert Pattinson chats about his latest movie "Twilight"

......

From co-starring in Harry Potter as wizard to his very own franchise, things are certainly looking up for Britain's up-and-coming star Robert Pattinson.

But as the actor revealed to Movies.ie, pride almost got in the way of him taking the role of Edward Cullen, teen vampire, in the film version of Stephenie Meyer's hugely popular Twilight:
"I didn't realise it was going to be this big... I guess it was my own pride; I didn't want to be involved in a teen thing. I was just thinking: how can I not look like an idiot.".....

(Read Full Article)

MTV News' Woman Of The Year: Twilighters!

YAY MEEEEEE!!!!!!!!......LOL...I mean YAY US!!!!!

Your undying support for Edward and Bella left the movie's stars (and us!) awestruck.

By Larry Carroll

When Hollywood dismissed "Twilight" as a "one-quadrant" niche film, you responded by giving it a bigger opening than "WALL-E," "Chronicles of Narnia" or "Star Wars: Episode 1." When Harry Potter fans looked down their noses, you fired back by standing in midnight lines for hours to help "Breaking Dawn" rock the publishing industry. You took over Comic-Con, Westwood and the rest of the world.
If you're one of the millions of women who live and die by "Twilight," please take a quick glance into the nearest mirror — because MTV News' Woman of the Year is you.

WHOO HOOO ....*doing a happy dance...screaming out loud...holding Twilight Book in one hand...etc etc etc!*....

(Click here to see and read it all)

Congratulations Fellow Twilighters!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WE ROCK!!!

MTV Twilight Exclusive

Taylor Lautner Talks About His Campaign To Stay On 'New Moon'

'As far as I know, I haven't been told 'no' yet,' says the young star, who's put on 19 pounds to play Jacob Black.


By Larry Carroll

.....

"I have been working out. I've been working out since the day we finished filming 'Twilight.' I just weighed myself today; I've put on 19 pounds," the noticeably larger Lautner told us, promising that he'll be big enough to fit Stephenie Meyer's physical description of Jacob Black in "New Moon" when cameras begin rolling in 12 weeks. "I'm guaranteeing Weitz 10 more [pounds] by filming. I get to meet Chris on Friday, in two days, so I'm excited. I'm going to have lunch with him." .....

(Read the whole article)

Move over Harry Potter...

By Victoria Lindrea

Entertainment reporter, BBC News

"There was something about Rob.
"Among his many other talents, he had something otherworldly that he brought to the screen.
"Something special, and tortured, and interesting and strange…" says Twilight director, Catherine Hardwicke.

So how does a boy from Barnes become this autumn's hottest vampire and the talk of American fan sites? Robert Pattinson first came to public attention playing Cedric Diggory in 2005's Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, the fourth film in the series.
In a noteworthy, if short-lived performance, Diggory lost his life and the girl to bespectacled love rival, Potter.

But Pattinson is having the last laugh - his new role as vampire Edward Cullen has seen him crowned Rolling Stone's hottest actor of the year.

The 22-year-old British star beat 3,000 hopefuls to land the role of the "vegetarian" vampire Cullen - the youngest of a surrogate family of vampires who have chosen to renounce human blood.

Twilight has been hugely successful in the US, where it set a new record for the biggest opening weekend for a movie directed by a woman - and toppled James Bond from the top spot.

"Seeing my face on buses - it's like being in 1984," says Pattinson, from under a mass of hair. "It's not good for someone who suffers from extreme paranoia.

"I can go on the tube and hardly anyone knows who I am, but then you go to these screenings where people scream at you. Sometimes I wonder if they have all been paid to be there!"

(Read article here)

Fancy man: Robert Pattinson

December 14, 2008

Fancy man: Robert Pattinson

Make way for Robert Pattinson, star of Twilight and Hollywood's new heart-throb

" "........I’m thrown. Is he flirting with me? It would be easy to imagine it — he’s so gentle and charming and reticent, and so much the ultimate crush of my 15-year-old self, that I have to consciously pull myself together.

I don’t know what to say, so I continue. That feeling — does he know it? “The oh-God-I’m-stuck feeling?” he says. “Yeah, I think I had it once. I was going out with a girl, and I saw a missed call from her and felt it. Mostly, I never care, though. Right now, I don’t even bother checking my phone.” ................." "

(Read the article here)

@<<<

MOVIEmeter Top 25 Films of 2008 - IMDb

MOVIEmeter Top 25 Films of 2008

December of every year brings the inevitable year-end lists of movies -- which ones made the most money, which ones were the biggest flops, which ones were the best, which ones were the worst, which ones might get nominated for awards... But very few of these lists tell you what movies people were most thinking about, most interested in, most excited to find out about. It's easy to say which movies grossed the biggest amount, but that doesn't always tell you what movies made the biggest splash in popular culture.

To that end, IMDb presents the MOVIEmeter™ Top 25 Films of 2008, rankings based not upon critical assessments or box-office performance, but the actual search behavior of over 57 million users of IMDb.com. They're the movies that were most often on people's minds, ones they were keen to get information on. It's a mix of box office hits, upcoming films in production, and classic user favorites -- you'll be surprised to see that some of the highest-ranked movies on our site don't come out until next year (or in the case of one movie, 2011), but they're the ones that generated the most heat. And neither dollar amounts nor flashy awards can tell you that definitively.

2. Twilight (2008)

That screaming sound you hear is the thousands -- nay, millions -- of fans who waited with bated breath for the film adaptation of Stephenie Meyer's runaway vampire bestseller.




(Source)

Forbes' List of Breakout Stars of 2008

Robert Pattinson Included in Forbes' List of Breakout Stars of 2008
December 09, 2008 04:45:53 GMT

Forbes has just named Robert Pattinson as one of the Breakout Stars of 2008. Ranked 5th in the list, he is praised for his leading role as Edward Cullen in vampire flick "Twilight."

"Once little known for his supporting role as Cedric Diggory in the Harry Potter series, Pattinson is now drawing big crowds--and drooling ladies--of his own," Forbes writes on its site about the high rising British actor. "In recent weeks, he's graced a slew of magazine covers and scored dozens of interviews for his starring role as Edward Cullen, the vampire in the silver screen's heavily hyped Twilight adaptation. Still more proof of his fan interest: The flick's opening weekend delivered a jaw-dropping $70 million at the U.S. box office."

(Source)

Stephenie Meyer Message

Hey guys,

There's been a lot of worry and speculation on the boards lately, and I want to let you know what's going on.

First of all, like you, I'm sad that Catherine is not continuing on with us for New Moon. I'm going to miss her, not just as a brilliant director, but also as a friend. She has such a distinct, authentic voice that did amazing things for Twilight. I'm looking forward to every movie she does in the future.

And she didn't leave us empty handed. We still get the benefits of her amazing casting and the beautiful visual world she created. This foundation puts us in a good place for New Moon.

Summit Films is moving forward with a new director for New Moon. They've asked Chris Weitz, director of American Pie, About a Boy, and The Golden Compass, to join us, and I am very pleased to announce that he's agreed to be a part of our Twilight world. I've had the chance to talk to Chris, and I can tell you that he is excited by the story and eager to keep the movie as close to the book as possible. He is also very aware of you, the fans, and wants to keep you all extremely happy. (Torches and pitchforks are not going to be necessary.)

I'm excited to work with Chris and I think he brings a lot to the table, not the least of which for me is that he wrote the screenplay for and directed one of my favorite movies of all time, About a Boy. I'm really looking forward to seeing his vision for New Moon.

Below is a letter from Chris to you. I think you'll get a glimpse in this note of how cool it's going to be having Chris as part of our community.

One more thing, unrelated but fun: I finally got around to posting a few pictures from the premiere on the Twilight movie page.

--Stephenie

Summit Entertainment New Moon

Summit Entertainment announced today that filmmaker Chris Weitz has been hired to direct the second film in the studio's TWILIGHT film franchise. The film, NEW MOON, is based on the second book in author Stephenie Meyer's blockbuster book series. The announcement was made by Erik Feig, Summit's President of Production.

..............

Feig stated, "We love Stephenie Meyer's fantastic TWILIGHT series. Thinking long and hard about how to turn NEW MOON into the amazing movie we know it will be, and working with Stephenie Meyer to find the right candidate, we are thrilled to announce Chris Weitz as director of the film. Chris very much understands the world of NEW MOON and has the skill set required to bring the book to glorious life as a movie. We think he will be an excellent steward of Stephenie Meyer's vision."

"I am honored to have been entrusted with shepherding NEW MOON from the page to the screen," said Weitz. "The extraordinary world that Stephenie has created has millions of fans, and it will be my duty to protect on their behalf the characters, themes and story they love. This is not a task to be taken lightly, and I will put every effort into realizing a beautiful film to stand alongside a beautiful book."

.....

In NEW MOON, Bella Swan (Kristen Stewart) is devastated by the abrupt departure of her vampire love, Edward Cullen (Robert Pattinson) but her spirit is rekindled by her growing friendship with the irresistible Jacob Black. Suddenly she finds herself drawn into the world of the werewolves, ancestral enemies of the vampires, and finds her loyalties tested. Production on NEW MOON is scheduled to begin in the coming months and the studio is planning to release the film towards the end of 2009 or early 2010.

(Read complete article)

Chris Weitz to direct 'Twilight' sequel - Variety Article

Chris Weitz to direct 'Twilight' sequel

Summit taps 'Compass' helmer for 'New Moon'
By DAVE MCNARY

Fresh from three weeks of solid box office performance for "Twilight," Summit Entertainment has officially tapped Chris Weitz to direct a "New Moon" sequel.

Summit made the announcement Saturday morning. It was unable to reach an agreement for "Twilight" director Catherine Hardwicke to return for the sequel.

"Twilight" has generated domestic grosses of more than $144 million and another $33 million overseas. The vampire thriller's a ready-made franchise for Summit with the four books in Stephenie Meyer's series, already selling over 17 million copies worldwide.

"New Moon" is the second title in the series and is centered on Edward Cullen leaving Bella Swan in order to keep her safe from other vampires. Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart play the leads in the film.

(Read All)

Message from Chris Weitz

Dear fans of Twilight, New Moon, Bella, Edward and Jacob,

In the past few days I have been involved in a whirlwind romance with Stephenie Meyers' extraordinary books.

And I am very grateful to have received her permission to protect New Moon in its translation from the page to the screen.

For fans of the books and of the film of Twilight, this may come as an unexpected twist. So I want to write briefly to try to put you at ease, and to give you reason to hope for and expect the best.

For the last decade of my career as a director, I have chosen to make adaptations of complex and involved works of literature. This has always begun with the love of a book and its characters, story, and theme; and it has always involved a respect of and responsiveness to the feelings of other people who loved those books.

When I saw the film of Twilight, I was alternately entranced and left hungry for more. I was also struck by the extraordinary passion for the characters, story and theme that was evident in the people sitting in the seats around me. My job is to live up to that devotion.

Like many of you, I am a fan of Catherine Hardwicke's work. I can't really say much about why she is not doing New Moon because I wasn't involved in those decisions. But I can say that I will devote myself to making the very best and most faithful version of New Moon that can be brought to the screen. To those who doubt that as a male director I can capture Bella's experience, I can only say that emotion is universal and that my work has often involved working with some of the most talented actresses in the world.

For the rest, the proof will have to be in the pudding. But I promise to remain responsive to your hopes and fears. I thank you for this opportunity and for your faith.

Very best,

Chris Weitz

'Parts Per Billion' - MTV Movie Blog Article

Robert Pattinson Teams With Rosario Dawson For ‘Parts Per Billion’


MTV 'Parts Per Billion' Article

Rosario Dawson talks to MTV about costar Rob and their upcoming film 'Parts Per Billion'

Robert Pattinson Sure, we’ve devoted ample time to “Little Ashes” and “How to Be,” two long-ago-wrapped indie films that should hit theaters in 2009, marking Robert Pattinson’s first appearances after his “Twilight” breakthrough.

But now all eyes are on “Parts Per Billion,” the first film that the 22-year-old leading man will shoot as a certified star.“It’s an ensemble story,” explained Rosario Dawson, who will also appear in the film alongside Olivia Thirlby and Dennis Hopper when it begins shooting next month.

“[The script features several] different storylines that are going on.”Directed by newcomer Brian Horiuchi, “Billion” tells the story of three couples (including Pattinson and Thirlby) dealing with the same reality-shaking event that threatens to tear them apart.

Pattinson will shoot “Billion” before he reports for duty on the “Twilight” sequel “New Moon,” and the film is expected to be released in late 2009/early 2010.“I don’t have a relationship to him in the film,” Dawson said of RPattz. “So we never meet. But we’re all within the same group of people, and the same city of people, that are responding to a life-threatening situation.

”The “Sin City” and “Clerks II” star (who will next be seen in the Will Smith drama “Seven Pounds”), also revealed to us that she’s been keeping a close eye on the “Twilight” phenomenon – and her future co-star – as both have spent the last few weeks running amok on the world of pop culture.

“I haven’t met him yet, but I’m really looking forward to it,” she explained, adding another reason why she’s a newly-minted “Twilight” fan herself: “Catherine Hardwicke is someone I really adore, and have been casual friends with over the years.

”Out of “Little Ashes,” “How to Be” and “Parts Per Billion,”

which Spunk Ransom film are you most eager to see?

(Source)

Hotter than Potter - Irish Times

Hotter than Potter
Fri, Dec 12, 2008

Four years ago Robert Pattinson's vignette in Vanity Fair hit the cutting room floor. Now he's set to become one of the actors of the decade, taking the lead in the phenomenally successful vampire love flick, Twilight, and playing Cedric Diggory in the upcoming Harry Potter. It's all happened so fast, he tells Donald Clarke

HERE IS a sad story. Four years ago, Robert Pattinson, then just 18, secured a role in Mira Nair's lavish adaptation of Vanity Fair. When the night came for the premiere, he slapped down his unruly hair, polished his shoes and stepped out proudly for Leicester Square.

"It was my first real job," he says with a wry smile. "I went along to the premiere, but nobody had told me that I had been cut out. I didn't realise until the film ended." Happily, the story has a jolly coda.

"The casting agent was the same one who did Harry Potter. They felt so bad about it they gave me an early meeting for the next Harry Potter film. And that went well." Indeed it did. As 2009 looms, 22-year-old Robert Pattinson finds himself teetering on the brink of full-blown stardom.

That meeting with the Harry Potter people went so smoothly that he secured the role of Cedric Diggory - doomed rival of the hero at the Triwizard Tournament - in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. The odd TV job and the occasional independent film followed. Then, early this year, he secured the role of Edward Cullen, teenage vampire, in the film version of Stephenie Meyer's hugely popular Twilight.

"I didn't even know there was a book series of that name," he says.

.........

It sounds as if he is ideally suited to the vampire lifestyle.

(Source)

• Twilight opens next Friday

© 2008 The Irish Times

The Improper News

Celebrity News & Views
By Samantha Chang

'Rob Pattinson Is Perfect,' Says Kristen Stewart
Twilight sequel set to start shooting in March with new director

Robert Pattinson is perfect, gushes his gorgeous Twilight co-star, Kristen Stewart.

"[Rob's] a good actor and has a really insane work ethic," she says. "He is really sensitive; he's perfect. He's my perfect Edward."

Indeed, the palpable chemistry between Pattinson, 22, and Stewart, 18, has propelled Twilight into a bona fide cult phenomenon. Despite having cost just $37 million to make, the vampire romance has raked in a staggering $176 million worldwide since its Nov. 21 release.

Thanks to its stunning box office debut, a sequel, New Moon, is scheduled to begin shooting in March 2009. But so far, pre-production has been plagued with problems. For one, fledgling film studio Summit Entertainment abruptly fired director Catherine Hardwicke in early December while the cast was still on its European promotional tour.

(Read full article)

'Twilight' sequel: 'New Moon' director will be Chris Weitz

Dec 11, 2008, 06:52 PM by Nicole Sperling
Categories: Movie Biz


There will be a new director atop the Twilight franchise: and he'll be a man.

Sources tell EW.com that Summit Entertainment is about to hire Chris Weitz (The Golden Compass) as the shepherd for New Moon, the second installment of Stephenie Meyer's best-selling Twilight series.

Weitz is best-known for his work with his brother Paul. The two directed and produced American Pie and then were nominated for an Academy Award for best screenplay for About a Boy, which they also co-directed.

Chris' first solo directing gig, The Golden Compass, didn't do well stateside but was a hit internationally. (Read All)

Rolling Stone - Interview

Hot Actor: Q&A With "Twilight" Star Robert Pattinson

MELISSA MAERZ Posted Dec 11, 2008 1:15 PM

"There's only so much adoration you can take" ......

Why do you think he's attracted to Bella?

I think it's a progression. The way I did it the, whole thing comes as a complete surprise to him. He has so many issues. He's stopped killing people for 50 years, she comes in and he's like, "Oh, I can't control myself!" I just thought that the guy would think, "This @#$! girl is not gonna ruin [me]," like, "She's not better than me and I can control my base instincts." And so the relationship starts as [testing] his own power of will.

It's like, "I can go a little bit closer to her, and closer and closer and closer," ....

(Read full interview)

Official Twilight The Movie News Update

OFFICIAL TWILIGHT THE MOVIE NEWS UPDATE -

As most of you have already heard, Catherine Hardwicke will not be returning to direct NEW MOON.

Summit and Catherine worked hard to make schedules work, but ultimately the decision to bring the fans the next chapter as soon as possible would not fit with Catherine's schedule.

We will miss Catherine's involvement, but please know that Summit and Stephenie Meyer will make sure the next director to take the reins will have the same devotion and respect for the property and the fans.

It is our priority at Summit to make sure the TWILIGHT saga proceeds with the fans in mind.

We appreciate the overwhelming support you have given us, and look forward to working with you on NEW MOON. Thank you!

Official Twilight movie web site: http://www.twilightthemovie.com/

SpyingOnSuburbia: Bloody Twilight Addictions

By Elizabeth James


Bloody Twilight Addictions

So, I spent this weekend reading the third book and half of the final book, in the deliciously wrong Twilight series. I am addicted to this craziness. And it is so funny because I keep waiting for these characters to have mad sex and then it hit me, I mean this is for young readers and ya know, would I want my kids reading this, even as teenagers? I mean what are all the 15 year olds thinking, if I am thinking what I am thinking? Does that make sense? Even, if they are mystical creatures. I must be having a mid-life crisis. I feel like calling this writer up and being like hey there, can you put out the rated X or R version for us 30 year old women out here…those of us sheepishly roaming through the young adult reader section of Barnes and Noble pretending to buy the box set for our “niece”. (Source)


Love this post @<<<
http://spyingonsuburbia.blogspot.com/

Khaleej Times Online - Dubai,United Arab Emirates - Article

The Vampire who loved me

9 December 2008

Will Robert Pattinson’s bloodless performance as a vampire in love with a human in Twilight replicate the Harry Potter phenomenon?

Speaking by telephone from Los Angeles, where he now lives, Pattinson says that initially he couldn’t decide on the best way to play Edward. However, his audition with the previously cast Stewart clarified things.

“When you read the book, and you don’t think about it as you’re reading it, it’s very much like you’re reading a Mr. Darcy-type character,” Pattinson says. “It seemed very much for girls. Then I did my screen test with Kristen and Catherine Hardwicke and, the way Kristen played it, she wasn’t damsely at all and she had a strange energy about her.

“It was quite intimidating,” he says, “because I’d gone in thinking, ‘Oh, I just have to pose, pose and pout,’ and that would be enough. So, after meeting Kristen, I adapted my way of thinking about it.

“What interested me was the core of the story,” Pattinson says. “When you take away all the other elements, being beautiful and every cliched thing about being a vampire, I just liked the idea of there being this ridiculous amount of conflict. It’s a love story, but it’s a completely unresolvable love story..." (continue here)

France Premiere

Summit Entertainment 'New Moon' and 'Eclipse' Auditions

Summit Entertainment has started preparing the sequel New Moon, based on Stephenie Meyer’s second book in the series, and to contain costs, the studio is filming the third book, Eclipse, back to back using the same new director. On Sunday, December 7th, Summit Entertainment confirmed that Catherine Hardwicke will not direct the films New Moon or Eclipse. Filming begins on New Moon in March, 2009, and will continue right through completion of Eclipse. (Source)






The audition information for Eclipse is online. Eclipse and New Moon will be filmed back to back and go all the way until Eclipse is done. Filming is set to begin in March 2009.

Is Official - Hardwicke will not direct 'New Moon'

Summit has just confirmed that Twilight director Catherine Hardwicke will not be returning to direct New Moon. Official statement:

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.”

(Source)

Forbes - The Breakout Stars Of 2008

No. 5 Robert Pattinson

Once little known for his supporting role as Cedric Diggory in the Harry Potter series, Pattinson is now drawing big crowds--and drooling ladies--of his own. In recent weeks, he's graced a slew of magazine covers and scored dozens of interviews for his starring role as Edward Cullen, the vampire in the silver screen's heavily hyped Twilight adaptation. Still more proof of his fan interest: The flick's opening weekend delivered a jaw-dropping $70 million at the U.S. box office.

(Source)

Hardwicke off Twilight Franchise? - IESB.net article

Hardwicke Off TWILIGHT Franchise? NEW MOON/ECLIPSE Back to Back?
Written by Stephanie Sanchez
Sunday, 07 December 2008

So says Nikki Finke over at Deadline Hollywood. Finke says director Catherine Hardwicke has been let go from any future TWILIGHT sequel films
The articles states that insiders have said Hardwicke was, "was 'difficult' and 'irrational' during the making of Twilight."

Additionally, Finke quotes her source saying, "Summit didn't like her....

(Source more here)

Catherine Hardwicke Off ‘Twilight’ Sequel? - Ropeofsilicon article

UPDATED: Catherine Hardwicke Off ‘Twilight’ Sequel, ‘New Moon’

Back on November 27 I asked you “Who Should Direct the ‘Twilight’ Sequel - ‘New Moon’?” and out of 661 voters 214 of them voted for Catherine Hardwicke. Guess what, not gonna happen as Nikki Finke at Deadline Hollywood announces she has “confirmed that Summit Entertainment is taking Twilight director Catherine Hardwicke off the sequel [New Moon] in this big new franchise.” Snap, boom, bang. Did you see that coming? I did.

As Finke points this out she also reminds us that Hardwicke is currently in the midst of a European press tour with the cast of the film as the film opened in the UK on December 3.

(Source more here)

Hardwicke Won't Direct Twilight Sequel - Variety article

Hardwicke Won't Direct Twilight Sequel

While Summit has wasted no time moving ahead with the next installment in the Twilight series, New Moon, Catherine Hardwicke will not direct the picture. This is unusual when a director has successfully launched a franchise of this magnitude.
The problem that stalled negotiations was that Hardwicke had strong opinions about what to do with the next installment, and so did Summit. The debate was how to focus the adaptation of the second book, which deals more with werewolves than vampires, as well as Bella's long depression after her vampire lover leaves her. One issue will be how to get more of teen heartthrob Rob Pattinson into the film...
(Source more here)

Why Women Love Rob Pattinson's Edward Cullen

What is the secret to Edward's cross-generational appeal?

Celebrity News & Views
By Samantha Chang

British actor Robert Pattinson smolders as the seductive Edward Cullen, the male lead in the blockbuster vampire romance, Twilight. Interestingly, London native Pattinson was not the first choice to play the super-sexy teen vampire.

In fact, fans of the Stephenie Meyer book on which the film is based loudly protested when they first learned Pattinson had been cast as Edward.

But now that's all water under the bridge, as Twilight has officially become a cult phenomenon, having grossed over $151 million since its release on Nov. 21. Thanks to its monster box office, Pattinson, 22, and his beautiful co-star, Kristen Stewart, 18, will reprise their roles as star-crossed lovers Edward and Bella in the upcoming sequel, New Moon.

What surprised many about Twilight was Edward's widespread appeal to women of all ages. Originally targeting teen girls, the Edward character has instead emerged as a universally appealing romantic hero. After reading a bit about the character's background, frankly, I'm now surprised that people are perplexed by Edward's sweeping allure.... (Continue article here)