Breaking News: Catherine Hardwicke Not Coming Back For New Moon – Updates
source: Deadline Hollywood
UPDATE: Summit Entertainment Co-Chairman/CEO Rob Friedman just phoned me to say: “Catherine and Summit have agreed to part ways on the sequel because our visions are different.” The quickly issued start-up studio’s statement (below) notes: “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.”
Here is Summit’s Press Release:
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.”
Here are the news links posted about Catherine Hardwicke today.
- Deadline Hollywood
- /Film.com
- FirstShowing.net
- Cinematical
- Intoxicating Scent: Have you found yours?
- Robots & Vamps
- Touched by Twilight
- Twilighters Anonymous
- Just Jared
- ComingSoon.net
- National Post
- Variety
- Variety Part 2
- Looking Closer
- Cinema Blend
- Entertainment Weekly – Hollywood Insider
- Market Watch
- Mania
- MTV | Movie Blog
- The Hollywood Reporter
- E! Online
- The Envelope LA Times Blog
- ABC News
- io9
- Film.com
- Yahoo!/ Thanks Tammy!
- Yahoo! Part 2 / Thanks Tammy
- Reuters
- ShockTillYouDrop
- Reel Movie News
- Kaleb Nation
- Huffington Post
- Ropes of Silicon
- the INSIDER
- The Inquisitor
- Actress Archives
- The Brock N Roll Blog
- Roy & Ryan’s Infinite Blogspot
- The HD Room
- The Reading Room
- Screenhead
As the news spreads, what are your thoughts? Are you glad she’s been canned or could not rearrange her schedule or are you sad and sorry to see her go???
