The true “Twilight”/ Catherine Hardwicke was fired story — or at least Hardwicke’s version has come out via EW (though god forbid it can be found on their maze of a site).
Hardwicke says Summit Entertainment offered her a huge payday to direct “New Moon,” but the catch was she had to turn around the entire film from production to completion, in less than a year and she felt that was far too rushed. She said she was offered “more money than I or anyone in my family has ever seen,” but the deadline was too tight and the budget — especially for a film that had just gone gangbusters at the box-office — was too small.
So the filmmaker turned them down.
“I was devastated. I really did feel a strong connection to the people around the world that liked the movie — and to Stephenie and the actors. But I just didn’t think I could make a good movie under those circumstances.”
Sure, this is her version, but it makes complete sense and Summit Entertainment’s motives are transparent. Every single person in the blogosphere had already assumed what she’s said and any monkey could tell that turnaround schedule screams, “rushjob for cash.”
“Twilight” has grossed $188 million (!) since opening last November. New “New Moon” director Chris Weitz better hope that script is up to snuff, he really has his work cut out for him. The sequel is supposed to hit theaters November 20, later this year. Summit have been so lame to her, we’re almost rooting that the film fails. [AP via Vulture]