Twilight 5 (DEAR LORD AN OTHER ONE)

[Henry88]

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 and scheduling. (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 the two movies -- which it won't until the talent deals are further along -- and it isn't afraid to recast if agreements 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. The leads are going to fare 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.

Lutz,kellan 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 would make the final movie 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). 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 another cost-cutting measure for the final installments. A deal is currently being negotiated to move the production to Louisiana (the first was shot 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 Summit will go to 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 pretty quickly.

http://thresq.hollywoodreporter.com/2010/05/twilight-breaking-dawn-rob-pattinson-taylor-lautner.html

money it what makes the world go around.

[Henry88]

"Twilight" Nation can breathe a collective sigh of relief. Kellan Lutz and Ashley Greene, the actors who play the Cullen kids in the blockbuster vampire franchise, have resolved their salary dispute with Summit Entertainment, signing on for what will almost certainly be a two-part adaptation of "Breaking Dawn."

Lutz and Greene are getting in the neighborhood of $1.25 million for each of the final movies, we're told. A far cry from either the $4 million or $2 million (depending on who you believe) paydays they were initially seeking. But certainly more than they made for the first three movies.

We're told the deals closed last night after a week of tense negotiations. Will the studio now officially greenlight a fifth "Twilight"? No word yet, and sources say the trigger won't be pulled until everything is 100% finalized. But now that the principal cast (Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson and Taylor Lautner) are wrapping up deals, supporting players are signed and director Bill Condon is on board for two movies, we expect an announcement very soon. 

UPDATE: Summit confirms the entire Cullen clan will return for "Breaking Dawn" but still won't make it official that the book will be split into two films.

http://thresq.hollywoodreporter.com/2010/05/twilight-crisis-averted-cullen-kids-sign-for-final-movies.html

so the world must suffer more for the sake of teenage girls   everywhere

[doggans]

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=369548412197

and

http://www.geekweek.com/2010/03/ill-lyteracy-why-the-rooms-tommy-wiseau-should-direct-twilight-breaking-dawn.html

That is all.

[Henry88]

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=369548412197

and

http://www.geekweek.com/2010/03/ill-lyteracy-why-the-rooms-tommy-wiseau-should-direct-twilight-breaking-dawn.html

That is all.

that would mean........more.......OH HI JOKES.

[Darth Geek]

I think it's funny they refer to Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson and Taylor Lautner as "the talent".

[TTYT]

Well, Pattinson did have some talent, until he took the Twilight job.

[ScottotD]

It's almost like they're going to adapt the whole series or something!!

[Bob]

Yeah, that is a "really good move" for the unknown actors who play the secondary characters to play tough.   No way they could ever be replaced in a heartbeat.   

[Darth Geek]

Yeah, that is a "really good move" for the unknown actors who play the secondary characters to play tough.   No way they could ever be replaced in a heartbeat.   

Eh, it's their most assured payday they'll likely ever have. I don't blame them for trying to get everything they can out of a franchise that never had any value out of it to begin with.

[Bob]

Yeah, that is a "really good move" for the unknown actors who play the secondary characters to play tough.   No way they could ever be replaced in a heartbeat.   

Eh, it's their most assured payday they'll likely ever have. I don't blame them for trying to get everything they can out of a franchise that never had any value out of it to begin with.

Which is why holding out and demanding more money seems like a huge risk to me. 

[Darth Geek]

Yeah, that is a "really good move" for the unknown actors who play the secondary characters to play tough.   No way they could ever be replaced in a heartbeat.   

Eh, it's their most assured payday they'll likely ever have. I don't blame them for trying to get everything they can out of a franchise that never had any value out of it to begin with.

Which is why holding out and demanding more money seems like a huge risk to me. 

Didn't they already get a lot of protests by the fans for the one redheaded vampire's recasting? I think Summit is already over a barrel by the fans as it is. They have to let them have their way.

[Bob]

Yeah, that is a "really good move" for the unknown actors who play the secondary characters to play tough.   No way they could ever be replaced in a heartbeat.   

Eh, it's their most assured payday they'll likely ever have. I don't blame them for trying to get everything they can out of a franchise that never had any value out of it to begin with.

Which is why holding out and demanding more money seems like a huge risk to me. 

Didn't they already get a lot of protests by the fans for the one redheaded vampire's recasting? I think Summit is already over a barrel by the fans as it is. They have to let them have their way.

I think the fans will take whatever movie is thrown their way.   There may be a fan unrest, but if I were one of those C-list actors, I would hold on to that gig like a dog holding on to a pork chop.

[Courtney]

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.

How much do you think Lutz's people paid for that bit? He's arguably the least famous, least important character in the entire cast.

[torgosPizza]

I, as a person who enjoys the Twilight riffs, do not see this as a bad thing.

[THE QUEEN!!!]

Why not recast Kristin "Twitchy" Stewart? Even FANS of the film hate her.