Wednesday, May 19, 2010

The Cullen Family Cast Returns for Twilight


Summit Entertainment has confirmed that Peter Facinelli, Ashley Greene, Kellan Lutz, Jackson Rathbone, Elizabeth Reaser, and Nikki Reed will all return as members of the Cullen Family in The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn. These cast members join Billy Burke as Charlie Swan.

Academy Award winner Bill Condon will direct "Breaking Dawn" based on the fourth novel in author Stephenie Meyer's "Twilight" series, starring Robert Pattinson, Kristen Stewart and Taylor Lautner. The project is currently being written by Melissa Rosenberg with Wyck Godfrey, Karen Rosenfelt, and Stephenie Meyer producing. "Breaking Dawn" is slated to be released November 18, 2011.

"Breaking Dawn" illuminates the secrets and mysteries of this spellbinding romantic epic that has entranced millions.

The family of vampires, to which the leading male character Edward Cullen belongs, is comprised of Facinelli as Carlisle, Greene as Alice, Lutz as Emmett, Rathbone as Jasper, Reaser as Esme, and Reed as Rosalie.


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Thursday, May 13, 2010

'Twilight' negotiation update on Breaking Dawn Problems

We've got new details in that "Twilight" salary standoff.
As we first reported Monday, the actors who play the vampire Cullen kids (Kellan Lutz and Ashley Greene) have rejected Summit Entertainment's offer to return for a fourth and fifth movie, thus holding up the studio's plan to send teenage girls into fits of euphoria by announcing that "Breaking Dawn" will be split into two installments.
Nicole Sperling at EW says they are demanding $4 million for each of the two "Breaking Dawns," but our sources close to the dealmaking say that number is high, and that reps for Lutz and Greene are asking for less than $2 million for each movie (for a total of about $4 million for both). The negotiation is just kicking into high gear, so these numbers could change; Sperling says co-star Nikki Reed has settled for a payday in the $750,000-$1 million range for each movie.
What are the secondary characters in a blockbuster franchise worth? That's always a tricky question, and especially here, where fans have such a close connection to the material and have come to associate the actors with their parts. On the other hand, "Eclipse" probably won't suffer at the boxoffice in June despite Victoria (Rachelle Lefevre) being recast after playing hardball. 
Ashley Greene A couple of interesting wrinkles in the negotiation: While lead actors Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson and Taylor Lautner all re-did their deals for huge raises after the first "Twilight" hit big (and are said to be close to deals for No. 4 and 5), Summit did not offer to renegotiate with the Cullens. So their pay for the first three movies has been very low, which would explain them wanting to cash in on "Breaking Dawn."
Also, while the Cullen kids don't play a huge role in the second or third books, they're both in "Breaking Dawn" a lot more. That fact is said to be fueling the demands, though Summit won't lock the script for the final movies until it's a 100% done deal there will be two, so parts could still be minimized or beefed up.
Neither side expects a speedy resolution. Summit wants to move quickly but isn't afraid to recast. Reps for the actors want to make a deal but don't understand why the studio won't take care of the cast in a franchise that has generated more than $1 billion.
While fans might miss the secondary characters, we doubt Summit's boxoffice take would suffer if the Cullens are recast. Would it?
UPDATED: Earlier version of this post said Rachelle Lefevre was recast for "New Moon." Nope, she's in that one but was replaced by Bryce Dallas Howard for "Eclipse."

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Tuesday, May 11, 2010

Breaking Dawn Problems

Numerous reports have confirmed that Summit Entertainment and The Twilight Saga producers will divide Breaking Dawn into two films.

So, why has an official announcement still not been made regarding the final story in this franchise? Because a salary dispute may actually keep two key players from appearing in the final chapter.

No, not Robert Pattinson or Kristen Stewart. Both of these stars, along with Taylor Lautner, have agreed to anchor both Breaking Dawn installments, with significant raises to show for it.

HOWEVER, neither Kellan Lutz nor Ashley Greene is close to a deal for the second of the two flicks. According to The Hollywood Reporter, each wants a bigger payday ($4 million) than the studio is willing to deliver.

"We may have a situation where one of them is thrown out on the street to make a point," a source actually said.


Such a drastic move would not be unprecedented, even within the Twilight universe itself:

Following her role as Victoria in Twilight and New Moon, Rachelle Lefevre was replaced by Bryce Dallas Howard in Eclipse.

Fans were distressed enough about that decision - but there could be an all-out mutiny if anyone in the Cullen clan is replaced with a new actor or actress. What do you think of this development?

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