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He's accepted Summit Entertainment's offer to direct the movie adaptation of the second book in Stephenie Meyer's Twilight series of vampire novels, New Moon. (I first broke the news that Weitz had received the offer here, and the news that Twilight director Catherine Hardwicke was off the sequel here.) The offer went out to director Chris Weitz in part because he's a longtime pal of Summit's president of production. Now comes a letter that the director will be sending to Twilight fans (below) with his selection endorsed by Stephenie Meyer (below that). Fan approval is very important to Weitz, who initially resigned from directing The Golden Compass, also based on a popular book, because he feared getting dissed by devotees. Despite that, Summit has put its first valuable franchise in his hands. Weitz has successfully worked with tweens and teens in About A Boy as director and writer, and in American Pie as producer and uncredited director. I'm told Summit wanted Weitz because the studio liked the look of The Golden Compass (he was writer and director) even if it didn't heat up the domestic box office. Here's the Weitz letter to fans:
Twilight book series author Stephenie Meyer endorsed Weitz today and published his letter on her website:
December 13, 2008
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.
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Catherine Hardwicke’s ouster from the TWILIGHT franchise should set off a spark with all female directors in Hollywood from Leder to Haines — if this had been a Judd Apatow or equiv situation, they would have given a man all the time in the world, non? So…
Where’s the DGA in all of this with their volume of stats showing how ‘well’ women are doing in the industry helming films?
Where’s the Open Letter to Hwood that restores Ms. Hardwicke to the franchise that her vision and the dreaded ‘female gaze’ — as opposed to the typical Hollywood’male gaze’ — in directing created?
I can hardly wait to see ABOUT A VAMPIRE…..
I hope he keeps Taylor Lautner as Jacob. The fans are used to him and most love him as Jacob. It would be very distracting to see someone else.
Well as long as he trims that boring flat repetitive mid section of New Moon I’ll be happy. I hope he also fleshes out Edward’s time away from Bella as his emotional journey is just as important.
I loved Chris’s work on About a Boy. I hope he has the opportunity to tweak Rosenberg’s script. I’m not a fan of her earlier work on Twilight. New Moon is fundamentally flawed with a boring mid section. You can only read so much about motorbike repair chats between Bella and Jacob. The Cullen’s are far more interesting and I do hope we learn more about their time away from Forks. Edward and Carlisle’s relationship is particularly interesting. Also Edward’s time with the Volturi needs fleshing out.
If the director only focuses on fans of the book the franchise wont do as well. He needs to build a bigger fanbase. Try and get guys to like it too.
I was rooting for Weitz until I read that he included “Jacob” on the same level as Bella and Edward. The four books are a series about B/E. Jacob was always a lame plot device. So he is already off on the wrong foot to me.
Plus, I don’t want a faithful adaptation of that book when it has awful pacing and almost no Edward. I might be skipping out on this movie.
Ah well. Its official now.
No Alfonso Cuaron.
Will Mr. Weitz stay true to the story line or not?
Will he improve it? (one can only hope that they replaces the screenwriter as well).
Or, will this turn out to be “the Cullens meet American Pie”.
As he say’s the proof will be in his “pudding”.
I do think however from his statement, that he understands the “emotional” investment of the fans that the books have and that’s a good thing.
And, it rather interesting to note that he’s gone out of his way to make such a statement.
I say give him the benefit of the doubt and see what happens.
Good luck to you Mr. Weitz.
I am SO happy he’s directing !
I have faith in you Chris!
Ok, Summit. Now just don’t replace Taylor and I’ll be happy.
That is a lovely note Mr. Weitz wrote. Stephenie Meyer gave her “permission”, so that should suffice for the fans.
Looking forward to seeing “the pudding”. Thanks for posting this.
Chris seems like a real mensch.
Classy enough to be concerned for the fans. That’s okay in my book.
Good scoop Nikki!
Kudos to you (once again!).
Ah, well. So its a man telling the story.
I think Ms. Hardwicke is a big girl and she can roll with the punches this business can dish out. You have to or you get out we all know that.
I don’t think a story teller’s sex (in this case the director being; male) really has any bearing on this at all. We’ve seen crappy movies directed by male as well as female directors.
I’m in agreement with the above statements; give the man a shot and cut him a break. Lets see what he can do. He gets the fan base, and hopefully he’ll improve the story line so that he can grow it as well.
I thought you didn’t do geek, Nikki. Why the wall-to-wall coverage of every minute detail of this movie? This is not nearly as big a deal as this site is making it out to be.
Too bad that the New Moon script is atrocious. Summit had to the “good” sense to take one look at it and give Rosenberg the threequel script job too.
Summit will go the way of New Line but not because of Chris Weitz but because they seem to share the same kind of hubris. I cogratulate them for believing that spending a 50 million dollar on a crap script is a good way to keep a hit franchise alive.
Chriz Weitz is the suckiest choice for this ever! He hasn’t got a cinematic bone in his body. He knows only boring realism – which is why he’s alright with About a Boy, but also why he totally screwed up Golden Compass. That would have been an awesome film if they had gotten someone decent to direct it.
He should stick to stuff he’s good at. Fantasy and horror is best left to people who like that stuff – they live it.
Of course Alfonso Cuaron wouldn’t do this. The studio couldn’t afford him. The only times Alfonso works cheap is when he’s doing his own material. As it is with most people in this business. No idea why, if Weitz is such hot shit, the studio didn’t get him in the first place. I’ll never understand why the chose Hardwicke as her strengths have nothing to do with what Twilight calls for. Almost as bad as Woody Allen being chosen to direct a remake of Salo.
Kudos to Chris. He will be great. I agree with Caro that the Cullens must be in the middle of the movie and that Edward’s absence will not sell tickets, so I know that script improvements are in the works. Rob Pattinson is the best actor the sequel has at this point. It is a big deal, folks, because we have been saddled with stupid movies for the past four months and the excitement that Twilight has captured worldwide says how important the sequel is to everyone around.
This letter makes me feel kind of dirty for him. Because I don’t think he should have to write something like that to appease a bunch of overly obsessed 17-year-olds (and their moms) who know nothing about moviemaking. Shut up and let the man do his job, for goodness sake. He shouldn’t have to feel the need to justify why he’s a good choice for the movie. And frankly, I’d be surprised if anyone could make New Moon into a good movie, considering the source material is so shoddy.
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 Meyer’s extraordinary books. And I am very grateful to have received her permission to bring New Moon, the sequel to the blockbuster vampire film Twilight, to the silver screen.
For many fans of the books and of the film Twilight, this might seem like an odd choice. You might feel like someone with my background and experience may not be equipped to take on such a beloved saga. On top of that, the fact that I am male has led many fans to openly question whether or not I have the chops to tell the story of Bella’s emotional journey.
To these people I can only ask: Please, go fuck yourself. Please.
Seriously.
Oh – are you worried that I’m not going to bring to this project the integrity or reverence required of your precious teenage vampire books? Well, your worries are justified. I could not give less of a shit about these “novels”. Do you have any idea how much money they are paying me? Do you? Let me put it this way: If I had a nickel for every pre-teen girl and gay pre-teen boy who will holler at the screen in tears when, in my version of New Moon, Count Chocula shows up to fight a mummy, it would still be many millions of dollars less than I will actually have after I make this movie.
It was originally my intention to sleepwalk through this thing. On a movie this big, I would pretty much just need to show up. But after the reading the outcry on the internet – the name calling on the IMDB boards, the online petitions to pull me off the project – I have decided to make it a personal mission to ruin New Moon. To the point that any other sequels would be direct to DVD AT BEST. Hey – remember everything you liked about New Moon when you read it? I will make sure that none of that is in my version. But remember the scene where The Count from Sesame Street accidentally drinks a fart potion and goes fart-crazy at the vampire picnic and it takes up around 35 minutes of screen time? I assure you, you will not soon forget it.
I thank you for this opportunity and for your faith.
Very best,
Chris Weitz
Chris Weitz destroyed The Golden Compass story with a convolouted and hollow adaptation of a great book. Expect him to do the same with New Moon
I hope his directing has more flair than this emetic, servile letter.
So much for the auteur theory of cinema. How pathetic is it that director’s are now writing politically correct letters to the fans before they’ve even lit the first scene, and then cnsidered a “mensch” for it. Tha’ts probably why Cuaron didn’t do it; is the paycheck worth having every artistic decision being determined by whether the fans will approve (of me?) This isn’t fimmaking, this is fear, and isn’t talking about the Marky Mark movie. People complain that movies suck now, well here’s the reason, this letter represents the very worst of Hollywood’s pandering tactics.
All I can say is, I hope Chris does a better job with “New Moon” than he did adapting the “Golden Compass.” The Compass film was a travesty, but perhaps it was the writer’s fault (although the director should’ve caught it). I’ll be waiting nervously…
carol – how can you say the new moon script is “atrocious”? have you read it? since it just came in and is being considered a conf script i would find that hard to believe but maybe you have.
mr. hollywood – you just sound bitter and angry.
i am worried about weitz directing but i am willing to give him the benefit of the doubt as he as done some great films in the past. i am glad that he reached out to the fans. it shows that he realizes that addressing them on some level is important. i can wait to see the film he present to the audience.
What a joke. This is a very big deal. It is an example of the corruption and sexism in Hollywood. Really? They gave her low low budget hoping to make a “quick buck” return for minimal investment on a hit book with a female fan base that “would not know any better”. Then, with budget cuts, ridiculous time constraints and practically no-name (low cost) casting—Catherine manages to dish us an entertaining film that serves true to those romantic notes we all hoped for, not to mention raking in 70 million for those Summit men. The profits might have surprised the Pres. of Production at Summit, but it should not escape anyones attention that when raises and pay bumps are due, he dumps that “difficult female” for his best bud from the boys club to rake in some dough on a sure fire sequel that Ms. Hardwicke paved the way for. As for Ms. Meyers’ endorsement, that is clouded by legal issues that are so entangled in red tape, I am sure her hands are still sticky and she is just praying for the best. “The Golden Compass” was my favorite book for a decade and even with a 180 million dollar budget and Kidman and 007, Chris screwed it up. It was horrible. Laughable. I think it’s made 70 million to date and “Twilight” beat that it’s OPENING WEEKEND. lol. Doesn’t that just tickle you?
I want to wish Chris a good job doing New Moon as a director. I still feel very optimistic about this choice.
Thank you for the letter.
Mister Hollywood, that was hilarious.
Chris Weitz will only have fan backing when he assures us that he is going to keep Taylor Lautner in New Moon as Jacob Black!! No more changes (other than FX) please!!!!
According to one studio exec: “You’d have to have a very high standard for art, hate the movie business, and hate money to walk off this sequel.” So with Weitz, they get the hack they wanted! The movie is doomed, indeed, to not satisfy any “standard for art.” Mabye it’s a good thing Taylor Lautner might be able to skip out on this dud. (Although the obvious move would be to have Taylor play Jacob pre-werewolf and Steven Strait play Jacob post-werewolf. But I don’t want either of those stellar actors sullied by Weitz. They should play brothers in a Catherine Hardwicke movie.)
Twilight is the gift that keeps on giving for women in Hollywood. Wow! Ya mean if they actually make a decent movie for girls/women they might show up? One step forward! But there’s no misogyny in Hollywood. Nope. Doesn’t exist. Wait. So a woman directs a no-star, low budget movie for teenage girls and it opens with $70 million and she’s replaced – by a man? Two steps back!
As to New Moon:
Script: Rob Pattinson is the big draw and needs to show up in as many frames as possible – but that doesn’t happen in the source material which, by all counts, well, sucks, for a number of reasons. Can they get enough Pattinson screen time (probably 98%?) while hovering around the general reality of the book?
Director: looking past the glare of Hollywood’s anti-women bias – Weitz may be a mensch, but sincere love stories are thus far not his forte. More about young (male) jerks or (male) jerks-gone-good (American Pie 1 & 2, About a Boy, In Good Company, American Dreamz, etc). Chris Weitz certainly has the intelligence – but where’s his heart? So far re romance, it seems he’s done what men love & women are largely desensitized to: romanticizing male assholes.
Golden Compass had no love story and wasn’t good story-telling. Not encouraging that serious script errors were not spotted on that very expensive movie, when New Moon already has script challenges to meet. Geez, even the most macho films know sincere love stories (vs. the hot chick needed for steamy sex & the director’s libido) need to rate at least the B-story (see Braveheart, Bourne Identity, Casino Royale).
Good news: Pattinson, Pattinson, Pattinson, and his chemistry with the talented Kristen Stewart – use it or lose it.
Spot on, WTF! I’ve been reading some of the blogs in the industry media and most people agree with you that without Rob Pattinson in 98% of the movie, New Moon will not be a blockbuster. He is IT. As witnessed by the Beatlemania-type frenzy that is happening around the world when he shows up. He can’t get out of a plane now without being photographed. Harness that talent, Mr. Weitz, and you’ll have yourself a megahit!
Good comments by Mister . Hollywood… funny, even insightful
as much as folks here would like to deny.
In anycase, we hear the budget for New Moon has gone from something like 35M to approx. 50M.
Sources have noted that the extra $$ will not be going to talent (Mr. Pattison or his partner), which may be a good thing for the movie since it does need better sFX, production, writing etc. for this particular sequel (New Moon).
My question to you all has to do with the fall out regarding the director. What are the women director’s in Hollywood and elsewhere thinking about the firing of Ms. Hardwicke?
Is this being looked at as a female vs. male director schmism?
Will the Union have any comment about this? or get involved?
Will there be any action against Summit (whether passive or agressive), etc.
Will this be the preverbal straw that breaks the camel’s back regarding sexism in Hollywood?
Will there be some action taken? (whether passive or agressive?)
Your thoughts please? (Nikki please comment as well if you can?)
I stopped reading Chris’ letter one he spelled Stephenie Meyer’s name wrong. Her last name is Meyer. Not Meyers. Good credibility also comes from knowing your facts — like how to spell the author’s last name and using proper punctuation.
What’s with the reverse sexism going on here? So all of a sudden a guy can’t make a film that related to women? So “Titanic” was what exactly? And maybe if some of you actually sought out real flicks you would see “Slumdog Millionaire”. Jamal and Latika’s love story is better than anything Edward and Bella have done.
Hollywood hates women because American hates women.
And they get away with it because women hate themselves.
No one has the courage to stick with a woman who demand fair treatment. As soon as she asserts herself as an equal, her passion becomes arrogance, her individualism becomes irritation and her requests become demands.
This business will not change until it comes apart at the seams– just like American did. Just like NBC is.
We must embrace the diversity that makes us unique and stop the blind white male worship.
Weitz is tall handsome and has a full head of hair. This means he must be successful at all costs. Newline had to force him to take The Golden Compass and he fumbled it. Why oh why would anyone give him another fantasy franchise? Because he’s white and male and if you fail with him you just lose your job. If you fail with a woman or a black person, they take you out and shoot you.
If Weitz fails again he will be exiled to TV where he will get even more money to be white and male and suck.
If he succeeds and makes a half decent film, he will be hailed as a savior and the stereotype will be reinforced.
Companies have put up with more from male directors less talented than Catherine Hardwicke. And yes, I am fighting for her equal right to be an asshole.
Sexism, racism, nepotism and cronyism is killing this business. The populace wants to see itself reflected in the product but we continue to promote images that are at least half a century old in front and behind the camera.
Meanwhile, rating decline, boxoffice declines and ticket prices go up.
The bubble will burst soon.
I for one cannot wait.
Wait, so Summit is not making New Moon and Eclipse back-to-back? That seemed like a likely possibility given the nickel-and-dime approach they are taking overall…
How sad we’ve digressed to the return of thinking that a successful film must be helmed by a person with a penis. Hollywood, you gravely are missing out on the underlying passion behind this.
Now these wonderful books will go the route of schloky American Pie fare. Not a great decision in my eyes Summit Ent!
Purity, I totally agree with your comment.
“Well as long as he trims that boring flat repetitive mid section of New Moon I’ll be happy. I hope he also fleshes out Edward’s time away from Bella as his emotional journey is just as important.”
Comment by rebecca
Rebecca – how can they trim out the “boring flat repetitive” section, whilst fleshing out Edward’s time away from Bella? It’s happening at the same time! The mid section that a lot of people seem to dislike here is a vital part of the story! If there was no time away from Edward, how could his and Bella’s reunion be as moving?
By saying that the mid section sucks, you’re basically dissing Stephenie Meyers storytelling prowess! Without the downs, you can’t have the ups, and i like the story just the way it is.
The book doesn’t have much Edward, so I don’t think the movie should either. Whats Robert Pattinson got to do with it? This is a chance for the audience to see Bellas anguish-and Kristen Stewart is talented enough to pull it off.
Why would you try to change the story? It’ll just become some generic and predictable romance flick, when the book is so much more!
So, let me get this straight: THE GOLDEN COMPASS presented much the same basic challenges as the TWILIGHT series, but Summit hired the guy who messed _that_ up?! I like Weitz’ work, but TGC proved that fantasy is not his long suit.
Wanted to add that the irony of all this is that while we are looking to issues around this movie to promote empowerment for women in Hollywood & the movies they make for girls/women – the source material for the films is not empowering for women – with the teen heroine saying she’ll kill herself if she loses her boyfriend who wants to kill her, by the second book apparently forgoing said boyfriend for another boy who says he’ll kill himself if she doesn’t make out with him (so she does), and by the last book, apparently they have her barefoot, pregnant and married at 18, dropping college, career, family & friends for the boyfriend she’d kill herself over.
Extreme dysfunction there, and scary to think millions of girls have swallowed it hook, line and sinker. Also scary to think the heroines of Jane Austen were much more empowered over 200 years ago.
So yes, I hope Hollywood tinkers with the source material, or they skip the last books entirely.
What I’d be preparing a script for is the unpublished book that is from Pattinson’s point of view.
To clarify my last sentence above re Pattinson’s pov: while Stewart’s character is a trainwreck in the making for female empowerment, Pattinson’s character seems to relatively – relatively – support more empowering decisions for her, on account of he’s 100 years old, so he’s a gentlemen, and things were better for women in the Victorian era… **bangs head against the wall**
ok new moon was not boring i loved how close jacob and bella got so shut up all you mean people and i dont mind him as long as he keeps taylor
TEAM TAYLOR FOREVER
Re: WTF Comments
Dead on sister and Amen!
Funny how they are talkin about (in this particular blog) about women directors, equal rights and then the story /movie that this is all suppose to support..makes no bloody sense whatsoever.. its just bizzare.
No wonder Kristen Stewart/Bella seems like she’s in such a bad mood when she gives these “interviews” its almost like she can’t stomach playing this character, and who can blame her!
Yeah, Pattinson’s character is pretty liberal for a guy who was born around the turn of the centuary.
Maybe the author forgot about that bit.
These books are rather disturbing on so many levels, but no one seems to comment on that, with the exception of WTF.
Hey Team Taylor.. we know that’s really his mom!
Anyway.. heard the guy playing Jacob is going to be canned. They are going to replace him with another older, bigger, taller actor. Hey, sFX can only go so far you know.
In anycase, the role calls for an older looking guy (like 25 ish or so). So goodbye “team taylor”..
We are big fans of the twilight saga and new moon is surely going to be a sucessful continuation.
However we were surprised and disappointed to find out that the vampires’ eyes were changed from golden brown to orangeish color.
The change doesn’t make sense and is hard to adjust to .
How do they explain the sudden and not quite reasonale change from the so successful first movie ? If at all?
We tried to find a way to contact the production and ask but with no luck!
It is a strange remark/question but we find it hard to ignore since they look so inhuman and strange unlike their fabilous look in twilight.
Thank You!!!