Nikki Finke just hit the trifecta as she is now reporting The Orphanage helmer Juan Antonio Bayona will direct the third film in the Twilight franchise Eclipse.
Rumors started discusing Bayona’s involvement a long while back when Anne Thompson first brought his name up. Recently names such as Drew Barrymore and Paul Weitz bubbled to the surface, but the chatter got a little louder yesterday regarding Bayona taking the helm and it appears it is close to being a done deal.
Of course, Finke doesn’t seem as sure about this announcement as she did about her scoops saying Mickey Rourke and Scarlett Johansson had boarded the cast of Iron Man 2, but she does say “Summit Entertainment is telling Hollywood privately” Bayona has the job.
I see this as a good-thing/bad-thing bit of news. I loved The Orphanage and would prefer Bayona attach himself to something more unique and less Hollywood, but I guess if I want these Twilight films to be worth watching it doesn’t hurt to attach a young director of interest.
Eclipse is set for release June 30, 2010. In the film Bella (Kristen Stewart) 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 (Robert Pattinson) 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 has one more decision to make: life or death.
