According to our good friend John at TheMovieBlog.com, Twilight 2 has set a release date for November 20th, 2009 and it also seems that the actor, Taylor Lautner, who played Jacob is being replaced.
Wow, I guess more money = more problems. First they replace the director, and now they are replacing cast members. What’s next, they going to decide it’s not actually about vampires but about teenagers that want to start a band?
I don’t mind changes, however these changes seem to be all about $$$. Nothing to with anything except trying to optimize the chances of raking in even more big bucks.
In that case, I’m rooting for the sequel to bomb.
http://www.themovieblog.com/2008/12/jacob-being-replaced-for-twilight-2
Hmm well – Let’s face it – entertainment is a business – and honestly that’s not a bad thing to me. There is room for a small business and a big chain and really it’s your choice where you choose to patronize on any given day. So now they have more money and they are making some different decisions – well I hope one of them is to improve the special effects and I imagine it is – as that was the number one complaint amongst fans.
I read the series last week – and in my mind – they needed to replace the character of Jacob. I thought about it before I heard it.
In the second novel (warning – spoiler here)
Jacob becomes a werewolf, ages to 25 in a month’s time, grows to be a big muscular man and stands as a rival to uberhunk Edward. So as much as it sucks – I can’t completely disagree with the recasting of Taylor Lautner. It’s just too bad that no one considered what would be needed out of the actor in the sequel when they cast him in the first place. In any case – it doesn’t look like anything is official yet – so if he stays – let’s hope he can pull it off. The Jacob Black of the book is both the charming boyish best friend and an animalistic force to be reckoned with.
As to replacing Catherine Hardwicke – time really will tell. I happen to really like her – Thirteen felt like the most realistic depiction of what it feels like to be a teenage girl that I have ever seen. I think she was a great fit for to the teenage romance and the overall tone of this film. But Chris Weiss has directed a fantasy film with successful special effects – and intimate romantic comedies. So it will be interesting to see what he brings here. Perhaps he can ground the emotional intensity and amp up the fantasy effects. That would be great. BUT if this series audience looses one ounce of their “I’ll love you forever” angst – they are sure to go Brunel on his ass and burn down the theatre.