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New Moon to rise as planned

Twilight fans can breathe a sigh of relief after studio executives confirmed the upcoming sequel New Moon will not be affected by an ongoing lawsuit against author Stephenie Meyer.

The writer, who penned the books on which the films are based, is facing legal action from her former college roommate, who alleges Meyer based the novels on a short story she wrote as a student.

The lawsuit was reported to have had severe implications for the film franchise - which stars Robert Pattinson - with internet gossips speculating that the shooting of New Moon in Canada had been halted.

But a spokesperson from Summit Entertainment, the company behind the movie, insists New Moon remains on schedule for a 20 November release.

The rep tells MSNBC.com, “Production is underway, in Vancouver, totally as planned. There is no delay. Whatever you’re hearing about a lawsuit interfering with the film (and) its release, all I can say is it’s totally false.”

Source: Yahoo!

New Moon 'halted over lawsuit'

Twilight sequel New Moon has been thrown into jeopardy - author Stephenie Meyer is facing a plagiarism lawsuit over the vampire franchise, according to reports.

The original 2008 movie - starring Robert Pattinson - was a major international hit and has spawned a follow-up which is currently being shot in Canada. The film franchise is based on the popular book series, written by Meyer.

But production on the second film has reportedly been halted following claims Meyer is facing legal action from her former college roommate, who is said to have accused the writer of basing the books on her ideas.

According to I'mnotobsessed.com, Heidi Stanton - who studied alongside Meyer at Brigham Young University, Utah - claims the vampire books are similar to a short story she wrote when she was a student there.

Stanton filed her lawsuit against Meyer in Utah last Tuesday, alleging idea infringement.

She states in the papers, "Quite frankly, I was shocked when I began watching the movie with my husband last week. I immediately told him that she got that idea from me! I wrote a fictional short story with the same ideas when we were in college together."

Meyer claims the premise for the popular series came to her in a dream in 2003 and she completed the first novel three months later.

And the legal battle has reportedly cast doubt on the highly-anticipated New Moon, with production being "put on hold" until the case is resolved, according to the website.

New Moon is scheduled for release at the end of the year.

Source: Yahoo!

Michael Sheen Joins New Moon

"Underworld" franchise star Michael Sheen is returning to the world of vampires by starring in the sequel to the blockbuster Twilight. In The Twilight Saga's New Moon, Sheen will play play Aro, the leader of an Italian vampire clan called the Volturi.

Director Chris Weitz confirmed Sheen's casting to The Mail on Sunday and said he had "aggressively" pursued the actor.

"Michael's role is so important because he's the head of all vampires," he said. "Aro is, on the surface, a very gracious and friendly vampire, but beneath that he is a tremendous threat."

Sheen, who is best known for such films as The Queen and Frost/Nixon, will join a cast that includes Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, Taylor Lautner, Dakota Fanning, Nikki Reed, Chaske Spencer, Bronson Pelletier, Alex Meraz, Kiowa Gordon, Tyson Houseman and Jamie Campbell-Bower.

In the film, based on author Stephenie Meyer's book series, Bella Swan (Stewart) is devastated by the abrupt departure of her vampire love, Edward Cullen (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.

Summit Entertainment is planning a November 20, 2009 release.

Source: The Mail on Sunday

Jamie Campbell-Bower Joins New Moon

Summit Entertainment has cast British actor Jamie Campbell-Bower in The Twilight Saga's New Moon, which began shooting last week in Vancouver.

Campbell-Bower, whose credits include RockNRolla and Sweeney Todd, will portray a member of the Volturi, an Italy-based coven of vampires.

"New Moon" stars Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson reprising their "Twilight" roles as Bella and Edward with Chris Weitz directing. The film, centering on Bella being drawn into the world of werewolves while threatened by the Volturi, will be released domestically on Nov. 20.

Source: Variety

Dakota Fanning Confirmed for New Moon

In January, Dakota Fanning said she was in talks to play Jane in the Summit Entertainment sequel The Twilight Saga's New Moon.

Now, People has confirmed that she is officially on board.

The 15-year-old actress is set to star as a sinister vampire with an angelic exterior who works for the Volturi.

Filming of the Twilight sequel is set to begin in Vancouver later this month. The movie hits theaters on November 20, 2009.

"We did just get a script. We're shooting the rest of the films back to back," said Nikki Reed, who plays Rosalie Hale in the film.

Source: People

Details on New Moon's Italy Shoot

The Twilight sequel New Moon rolls cameras in Vancouver this March.

Shortly after, however, director Chris Weitz and his team are packing up and heading overseas where, according to Variety, the follow-up will "will shoot in the ancient Tuscan city of Volterra in May for two weeks. In Stephenie Meyer's bestselling New Moon tome, Volterra is the town where the powerful Volturi vampire coven reside. Dakota Fanning is reportedly in talks to play a teen Volturi vamp, while Twilightstars Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart are on board."

In New Moon, Bella Swan is devastated by the abrupt departure of her vampire love, Edward Cullen 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.

Source: Variety

Dakota Fanning Cast in New Moon?

E! Online is reporting the rumor that Dakota Fanning (upcoming Coraline and Push) is in talks to play Jane in New Moon, the upcoming sequel to Twilight.

Jane is a member of Italy's Volturi, the most deadly group of bloodsucking killers in author Stephenie Meyer's best-selling series.

Chris Weitz will direct the sequel, to again star Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson and Taylor Lautner, for a November 20 release.

Source: E! Online

Taylor Lautner Reprising Twilight Role

Despite rumors that he would be replaced, Taylor Lautner will reprise his role as Jacob Black in New Moon, Summit Entertainment's sequel to its hit Twilight.

Summit and director Chris Weitz made the announcement Wednesday.

In New Moon, the Jacob Black character becomes a central figure in the plot as Bella Swan is drawn into the world of the werewolves, the ancestral enemies of vampires.

Weitz noted there has been speculation about whether Lautner could portray the character who goes through many changes physically, including growing taller and bulkier and aging 10 years. The 16-year-old Lautner has been spending time in the gym, trying to add 19 pounds of muscle.

Weitz added that Lautner is "emotionally right" for the part.

Lautner joins castmates Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart in New Moon, set to begin production soon for a Nov. 20 release.

Summit Schedules New Moon Date

Looking to replicate the box office success that Twilight has enjoyed after debuting over Thanksgiving, Summit Entertainment will release sequel New Moon on November 20, 2009.

Through Sunday, Twilight's domestic total was $150 million in its fourth week.

Chris Weitz to Direct 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.

Weitz, an Academy Award®-nominated writer, director and producer, has a proven track record working with a broad range of material dealing with youth-oriented characters, fantasy and action. As such, he has the potential to bring alive in New Moon the dimensions and depth that fans will demand in the next installment.

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."

Weitz previously penned About a Boy, which led to an Academy Award Nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay in 2002, and adapted and directed The Golden Compass (2007), which was nominated for two Academy Awards and won the Academy Award for Best Visual Effects. Additionally, Weitz co-wrote the 1998 animated film Antz and went on to produce the major box office success American Pie and executive produced the film's two theatrical sequels. Weitz also produced In Good Company starring Dennis Quaid and Topher Grace and executive produced American Dreamz starring Hugh Grant, Dennis Quaid and Mandy Moore.

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.

Feig will oversee New Moon for the studio along with Summit Entertainment's Director of Production Gillian Bohrer.

New Moon Release Date, Script Update

Entertainment Weekly is dishing all sorts of dirt on New Moon, the sequel to Twilight which introduces werewolves into the vampire mix.

According to EW's sources, Summit Entertainment is hoping to have New Moon in theaters on November 20th. Also, there is talk of re-casting Taylor Lautner.

The studio doesn't want to rehire baby-faced Taylor Lautner as Jacob, though Lautner's agent has apparently reached out to the imaging company behind The Curious Case of Benjamin Button in an attempt to demonstrate to Summit how a digitally bulked-up Lautner could work. (Summit says it won't make a decision until a new filmmaker is on board.) There’s also the matter of finding a cast of Native American actors to play Jacob's werewolf clan - a difficult challenge [director Catherine] Hardwicke was also faced with before settling on Lautner, who isn’t completely Native American.

With a first draft of New Moon completed, Melissa Rosenberg is reportedly at work on tweaking the script. And EW confirms The Golden Compass' Chris Weitz is in talks to pick up the directing reins.

Summit Begins Search for New Moon Director

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."

Summit Greenlights Twilight Sequel - New Moon

Summit Entertainment announced today that the studio is officially moving forward with the production of New Moon, the second installment of its filmed franchise "Twilight," the action-packed, modern day vampire love story. The movie will be based on the second novel in author Stephenie Meyer's "Twilight" series titled, "New Moon." The first movie in the "Twilight" franchise, the self-titled Twilight, arrived in theaters this weekend to sold-out showings.

Stephenie Meyer stated, "I don't think any other author has had a more positive experience with the makers of her movie adaptation than I have had with Summit Entertainment. I'm thrilled to have the chance to work with them again on 'New Moon.'"

Starring Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart, Twilight tells the story of 17-year-old Bella Swan who moves to the small town of Forks, Washington to live with her father, and becomes drawn to Edward Cullen, a pale, mysterious classmate who seems determined to push her away. But neither can deny the attraction that pulls them together... even when Edward confides that he and his family are vampires. Their unorthodox romance puts her in physical danger when Edward's nemesis comes to town and sets his sights on Bella.