The search for a director for Eclipse, the third film in the ‘Twilight saga,’ continues. We last heard that Drew Barrymore wanted the job, but now the Hollywood Reporter is reportering that Summit may be looking at someone likely to get you a lot more interested in the franchise: Juan Antonio Bayona.
Bayona is a protege of Guillermo del Toro, and he made his big splash with the ghost movie The Orphanage. Bayona has been prepping his English language debut film, Hater (once a GdT project, now being produced by the big guy) at Universal, but if this rumor is true, Summit will need to grab him before he starts on that movie, as Eclipse is going before cameras later this afternoon or some other time in the very near future.
Could Bayona be the Alfonso Cuaron of this series? Would he even take the gig? I understand why Summit would want him – apparently Eclipse has werewolf vs vampire battles in a big way – but what’s the upside for him?
The other thing that raises some eyebrows in Twilight fandom about this rumor is that hiring Bayona would mean that two out of three Twilight films (everybody hates the fourth book so much I bet they never adapt it) would be directed by men. This is a very femme-centric series, and having men helming does seem to send a message about how women are considered by Hollywood.
UPDATE: Russ here, updating Devin’s article for him while his wrist heals from…whatever. Variety confirms that Bayona has been hired to direct. Oddly, Summit still has no comment.