Weitz to Direct Twilight Sequel New Moon

Summit Entertainment is announcing that Chris Weitz will direct the sequel to Twilight, New Moon, based on the book by Stephenie Meyer.

Weitz isn’t a bad choice, not so much because he delivered the rather flat fantasy adventure Golden Compass (which served to demonstrate that he could handle VFX) but rather that he is a good screenwriter with a light touch who can handle relationships (About a Boy) as well as comedy (American Pie). As reported, Summit plans to open the film at the end of 2009 or beginning of 2010. So far Twilight has grossed $142 million in North America.

“Chris very much understands the world of New Moon and has the skill set required to bring the book to glorious life as a movie,” said Summit production chief Erik Feig. Weitz promised to protect on Twilight fans behalf “the characters, themes and story they love,” he said. “This is not a task to be taken lightly, and I will put every effort into realizing a beautiful film to stand alongside a beautiful book.”

Why would Weitz want to do this? Well, he hasn’t yet really proved his directing chops separate from his brother Paul, who directed About a Boy with him, and directed the very good In Good Company with Chris producing. They wrote and directed American Pie, but Chris Weitz took a producer credit.

A juicy franchise hit would give Weitz a lot of breathing room.

Here’s Summit’s synopsis of the next Twilight movie:

In New Moon, Bella Swan (Kristen Stewart) is devastated by the abrupt departure of her vampire love, Edward Cullen (Robert Pattinson) but her spirit is rekindled by her growing friendship with the irresistible Jacob Black. Suddenly she finds herself drawn into the world of the werewolves, ancestral enemies of the vampires, and finds her loyalties tested.

Courtesy of www.variety.com