The Twilight Saga: Eclipse To Be Released In IMAX

Summit Entertainment has announced that The Twilight Saga: Eclipse will be released to IMAX theatres next June. For the few /Film readers interested, you can read the press release after the jump.

SUMMIT ENTERTAINMENT TO DISTRIBUTE THE TWILIGHT SAGA: ECLIPSE TO IMAX® THEATRES BEGINNING JUNE 30, 2010

Los Angeles, CA – December 9, 2009 – IMAX Corporation (NASDAQ: IMAX; TSX: IMX) and Summit Entertainment announced today that The Twilight Saga: Eclipse, the third film in the studio’s Twilight franchise, will be released to IMAX® theatres simultaneously with the film’s launch on June 30, 2010. Directed by David Slade (30 DAYS OF NIGHT, HARD CANDY) and starring Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson and Taylor Lautner, The Twilight Saga: Eclipse will be digitally re-mastered into the unparalleled image and sound quality of The IMAX Experience® with proprietary IMAX DMR® (Digital Re-mastering) technology. The crystal-clear images coupled with IMAX’s customized theatre geometry and powerful digital audio create a unique environment that will make audiences feel as if they are in the movie. The film franchise is based on the book series by Stephenie Meyer.

“Twilight moviegoers will have a whole new way to experience this next installment of the series, with the enhanced image and sound quality of The IMAX Experience putting them IN the movie,” said Richie Fay, Summit Entertainment’s President of Domestic Theatrical Distribution. “The IMAX release puts us on the event film calendar for 2010, and we’re very excited to work with IMAX to bring a new kind of film to the IMAX theatre network.”

“Our 2010 film slate continues to fill out with strong titles, and a film from this incredible franchise is a very welcome addition,” said IMAX CEO Richard L. Gelfond. “This title fills a valuable spot in our 2010 summer release window, and will no doubt thrill IMAX audiences.”

“We’re very excited to work with our new partners at Summit Entertainment to transport the very loyal and enthusiastic Twilight fans into the world of the Volturi via The IMAX Experience,” added Greg Foster, Chairman and President of IMAX Filmed Entertainment. “With our growing theatre network, we’re poised to take advantage of the rapidly growing fan-base devoted to this dynamic, cutting edge series.”

In The Twilight Saga: Eclipse, Bella once again finds herself surrounded by danger as Seattle is ravaged by a string of mysterious killings and a malicious vampire continues her quest for revenge. In the midst of it all, she is forced to choose between her love for Edward and her friendship with Jacob — knowing that her decision has the potential to ignite the ageless struggle between vampire and werewolf. With her graduation quickly approaching, Bella is confronted with the most important decision of her life.

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Bryce Dallas Howard Plays Bad Girl In The Twilight Saga: Eclipse

It seems that more and more Eclipse is becoming the Twilight film to pay attention to. First we caught word that David Slade would be directing the film—which is interesting not only because he’s a talented up and coming director, but because he’s also had some unkind words to say about the series (Slade has since distanced himself from his earlier remarks). Now we’ve learned from that Bryce Dallas Howard is taking on the villain role of Victoria, replacing Rachelle Lefevre who portrayed the character in the first two Twilight films.

The official reason for Lefevre’s departure is a “scheduling confict”, though you’d have to wonder what would convince someone to drop one of the biggest new film franchises. Hitfix points out that Lefevre has been a big supporter of the series who seemed adamant on making the time for Eclipse back in May, so there’s very likely a bigger story behind this casting change.

As for the addition of Howard, I’m certainly not complaining. While I’m far from looking forward to this film, I would be interested to see how the series ends up with higher caliber direction and actors. I wouldn’t be surprised if more of the lesser known actors in the series get replaced later on. The Twilight Saga is a franchise not unlike the budding comic film franchises we’re seeing now, and we’ve learned from The Dark Knight and Iron Man 2 that comic film casts aren’t really set in stone.

Discuss: Do you think this is a smart move for Bryce Dallas Howard? Are there any roles you’d like to see replaced in the Twilight series?

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Twilight Stars Looking Forward To Filming ‘Eclipse’

The back-to-back filming of The Twilight Saga: New Moon and a third installment, Eclipse, means that Twilight fans will only have to wait half a year for their next fix. The stars of the series have just shown footage of their first sequel at San Diego Comic-Con, and they’re getting ready to work on part three.

“We’ve been doing a lot of prep work,” said star Taylor Lautner (Jacob) in a group interview last week in San Diego. Co-star Kristen Stewart added: “There’s been a lot of rehearsal.”

David Slade (30 Days of Night) steps in to direct the third Twilight Saga film, bringing yet another new vision to the series from previous directors Catherine Hardwicke (Twilight) and Chris Weitz (New Moon). “I’ve only met him twice while I was actually filming New Moon,” Lautner said. “I know that he’s been up there for a while, scouting locations and stuff. So I’m excited to get up there to talk with him and pick his brain. It’s really awesome to have the opportunity to work with so many different directors and work with their different styles. So I’m looking forward to getting to know David.”

Stewart is still busy working on the film she crammed in between Twilight films, playing rocker Joan Jett in the biopic The Runaways, and still has her Joan Jett hair to show for it.

“It’s hard to talk about [Eclipse] now,” Stewart said. “I still have four days of shooting left. I feel that what we’re doing is really important. I feel like what The Runaways did was really important, so trying to convey that is really awesome. It’s daunting, to say the least.”

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‘Twilight: Eclipse’ Selects First New Cast Member – Xavier Samuel

Looks like the Twilight series is looking to launch one more career. Empire writes that Australian actor Xavier Samuel will join the cast of Eclipse, the third movie in the series due out in June 2010, playing Riley, “a newborn vampire…instrumental in an evil plot to kill” our heroine, Bella Swan (Kristen Stewart).

Odds are, you don’t know very much about Xavier Samuel, and unless you’ve seen movies like Newcastle and September, the odds are even slighter. It’s a notable casting choice, though, because Samuel is the first new face to join the cast of Eclipse, which will go in front of cameras later this summer.

As you know, Summit really, really, really wants to cash in now on the Twilight movies, so they’re rushing – perhaps too much – to get parts two and three in production and in theaters. New Moon opens a year to the weekend that Twilight opened to hordes of screaming fans. Eclipse follows about seven months later.

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‘The Twilight Saga: Eclipse’ Shoot Dates Revealed!

This seemingly minor blip of news is going to be very exciting for a lot of you readers. The third movie entry in the “Twilight” series, “Eclipse,” will shoot at Vancouver Film Studios between August 17 and October 31 (Halloween wrap!), ComingSoon reports. The David Slade-directed adaptation of Stephanie Meyer’s novel will come from a script by series scribe (and occasional “Dexter” writer) Melissa Rosenberg.

The Halloween wrap is perfectly timed to coincide with what will likely be the start of a massive publicity push leading into the release of “New Moon” on November 20. “Eclipse” is currently set for a June 30, 2010 release, a fact which I’m sure that many of you readers are already well aware of.

So mark those calendars if you haven’t already, and prepare for an increasing onslaught of “Eclipse” news as the wheels spin faster and faster. And since you’re here, here’s that “New Moon” trailer one more time:

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‘The Twilight Saga – Eclipse’ Sends Out Casting Call

FROM MTV.COM: While we only just debuted the first trailer for “New Moon,” the second film in the “Twilight” franchise, it’s never too early to turn our attention to the third adaptation of Stephenie Meyer’s vampire books, “Eclipse.” And turn our attention we must, because casting for the June 2010 movie is currently under way.

E! Online reports that a casting notice has gone out for at least three “Eclipse” characters: vampire Riley and two siblings in the Quileute tribe of werewolves, Seth and Leah Clearwater.

According to the casting notice, Riley "is a handsome, blond, clean-cut college boy who falls victim to [vampire] Victoria." The character is in his early to mid-20s and "plays an integral role in Victoria’s attempt to murder Bella Swan."

For the Clearwater siblings, filmmakers are looking for Native American or First Nations (Canadian Indian) actors. Seth is said to idolize fellow werewolf Jacob Black and to be a "tall, gangly limbed boy with a huge, happy grin," the notice explained.

Leah is 19-years-old and the only female member of the wolf pack. "She is tall and slender with beautiful skin and short cropped black hair," the notice said. "She would be considered gorgeous if not for the perpetual scowl she carries due to a broken heart and her anger issues."

Stars Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart are already set to reprise their roles in "Eclipse." Shooting on the film is slated to begin in August, with David Slade ("30 Days of Night") taking over directing duties from "New Moon" helmer Chris Weitz.

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‘Eclipse’ Gets a Release Date – But How Do the Twilighters Feel?

In case you haven’t heard, the “Eclipse” release date has been leaked. And my honest thoughts? I could put a hundred more G’s after my “OMG!” and it wouldn’t even begin to convey them.

Okay, Twilighters, here’s the good news: You’ve made it to prime time. The release date is in late June, prime tentpole territory typically reserved for the likes of Will Smith, superheroes and hundred-million-dollar Michael Bay movies. No more of these November, let’s-hope-we-catch-the-teens-while-they’re-home-for-the-holidays release dates for you guys. In fact, a quick peek at the 2010 release schedule shows that “Eclipse” will be butting heads with such heavyweights as “Prince of Persia,” “Toy Story 3” and Jackson Rathbone’s “The Last Airbender.”

Unfortunately, there’s also some bad news: Eyebrows were raised among the fans when the “New Moon” release date was announced as being a year after “Twilight” arrived in theaters. Now, “Eclipse” will hit screens a mere seven months after “New Moon.” Figuring in the roughly three months that Chris Weitz required to prepare the second film, that gives the director of the third movie barely four months to shoot it, edit it, get the special effects up to speed and put the film in theaters.

Of course, if a director other than Weitz is chosen to film “Eclipse,” he or she could have longer to prepare the movie. But any “Twilight” fan would be right to be a bit concerned about the new date – because, as Hollywood has shown us time and time again, hastily-made sequels like “Legally Blonde 2,” “Conan the Destroyer” and the “Saw” films often, well, suck.

The advantage of “Eclipse,” obviously, is that the text is already written – and amongst the Twilighters, it’s perfect just as it is. Stay tuned to MTV as we’ll keep following all the details on “The Twilight Saga” films in the months (and now years!) to come.

Enough about my thoughts, what are yours? Are you more happy that “Eclipse” is being filmed, or nervous about the super-fast turnaround time awaiting the third film’s director?

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