Variety has posted a short article about some new rumors about a potential director for Eclipse, as well as who might be cast for Jane or Aro–

Don’t believe everything you hear about Twilight and its sequels. Things are heating up already on the third installment, Eclipse. They haven’t even started the second one yet, New Moon. When you’ve got a robust franchise, filmmakers are eager to get on board. Word is, the Spanish director of The Orphanage, Juan Antonio Bayona, and 3:10 to Yuma helmer James Mangold are both circling the project, but Summit insists that no meetings are scheduled as yet. Both would be strong choices.

As to the last two unfilled roles in New Moon, vampires Jane and Aro, no offers have yet gone out, despite what you may have read. And the role of Leah Clearwater isn’t being filled, because according to writer Melissa Rosenberg, she isn’t in the script!

Twilight Sequels Heating Up

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Hana Pestle is an up and coming songstress that also happens to be a huge Twilight fan. Her song “Need” did well in our recent Soundtrack poll (results coming soon!) and now she’s doing all she can to bring her song to the attention of the New Moon filmmakers. We love the song, too, and think it would fit perfectly in New Moon.

Hana Pestle is a self-proclaimed Twilight fanatic. The nineteen year old singer/songwriter from Billings, Montana believes she has the perfect song for the next movie and has started a movement to get “Need” in the forthcoming New Moon. The hauntingly beautiful track was one of her first compositions written at only fifteen years old in 2004. It was produced /co-written for her album by Ben Moody (co-founder of Evanescence) and Michael “Fish” Herring with string arrangements by David Campbell and piano performance by David Hodges (Kelly Clarkson, Daughtry).

Here’s a video to fans that she made:

We caught up with Hana to ask her a couple of New Moon questions–

NewMoonMovie.org: If you could have your song play during any part of New Moon, what scene would it be, and why?

Hana Pestle: I think that my song would go perfectly right after Edward leaves Bella. I can see it playing when she’s wandering through the forest trying to follow him, as well as when the months are going by. The song is very desperate and despondent and I think that’s exactly how Bella feels right before and right after Edward leaves her.

NewMoonMovie.org: What is your dream New Moon soundtrack?

Hana Pestle:

1. Need by me! [listen on Myspace]
2. Hallelujah by Paramore ( mp3 Preview / iTunes Preview )
3. There There by Radiohead [ mp3 Preview / iTunes Preview ]
4. Drifting by Sarah McLachlan [ mp3 Preview / iTunes Preview ]
5. Sing For Absolution by Muse [ mp3 Preview / iTunes Preview ]
6. Like A Stone by Audioslave [ mp3 Preview / iTunes Preview ]
7. Do You Realize? by The Flaming Lips [ mp3 Preview / iTunes Preview ]
8. Going Under by Evanescence [ mp3 Preview / iTunes Preview ]
9. The Scientist by Coldplay [ mp3 Preview / iTunes Preview ]
10. Push by Sarah McLachlan [ mp3 Preview / iTunes Preview ]

Hana Pestle has set up a Myspace page for her “Need” for New Moon campaign, if you’d like to help her get her song heard be sure to check it out!:

“Need” for New Moon

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Summit Studio chiefs Patrick Wachsberger and Rob Friedman are flush with cash now that Twilight is raking in the dough. The Hollywood Reporter has a great interview with the two about the direction New Moon is taking now that Summit has gone from underdog indie to top-dog Hollywood success story thanks to the Twilight franchise–

THR: Despite the success, you’re going in a bit of a different creative direction with Chris Weitz directing “New Moon,” the sequel.

Patrick Wachsberger: If you look at “Harry Potter” — or other movies sort of like “Harry Potter,” I shouldn’t compare — but they change director every movie. The second book is slightly different. (There are) new characters and more visual effects. Catherine (Hardwicke) did a fantastic job (on “Twilight”), and there is a naturalistic feel to the movie that she created and we’re going to keep. The first movie was very good, and we hope the second movie (will) be even better.

THR: What happened with Catherine?

Friedman: Basically, we had a different vision of what the movie should be, and we decided that the best course of action was to part (ways as) friends. She has done a fantastic job with “Twilight” and continues to promote it. She’s still working with us on the movie — the DVD, she’s doing her director’s cut. We just agreed that we had a different vision.

THR: Will “New Moon” stay in the same $38 million budget range?

Friedman: No. The next one will be higher than that. We believe that the film will naturally be more expensive. Sequels become more expensive, and we have more special effects.

Wachsberger: And locations. In the second movie there is a sequence in Italy.

THR: There is talk that because Edward is out of the picture for much of “New Moon,” there will be elements of the second and third books combined into the second movie.

Wachsberger: No, but Edward is present for the movie.

Q&A: Rob Friedman and Patrick Wachsberger

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According to Twilight and New Moon scriptwriter Melissa Rosenberg, the character of Leah is not even in New Moon. Leah Clearwater is the role that Vanessa Hudgens was purportedly auditioning for:

So…drumroll please…according to Melissa Rosenberg, “if Vanessa is auditioning for the role of Leah, she’s written her own pages to read, ’cause I didn’t write ‘em. “

This is no huge surprise, as Leah is only in a few small bits in the New Moon novel, but it’s good to hear it for certain!

Vanessa Hudgens…One More Time With Feeling

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It looks like the Edward Cullen action figure is finally in stock at Hot Topic! I also hadn’t noticed the beautiful Rosalie Pendant  yet. Now to decide whether or not to take my own little Pattinson out of the packaging…..

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Ashley Greene, who plays Alice Cullen in Twilight, is a big fan of Lautner, telling the press on Sunday that–

“Everyone loves [Taylor],” Ashley added. “I think it’s absolutely ridiculous to think that someone could replace him.”

Greene is also putting in a few words on Robert Pattinson’s short new hairdo, saying that–

“I heard he got in trouble for cutting his hair,” Ashley told E!‘s Marc Malkin Sunday at the InStyle/WB Golden Globes after party. “But what can I say? I like guys with longer hair.”

Ashley, who referred to Robert as “totally adorable,” said though she prefers Robert’s “Twilight” hair, she’s will cut him some slack.

“I think he’s getting enough flack, I’m sure,” she continued. “I mean his every move is recorded and photographed and documented, so I’m not going to give him a hard time.”

Access Hollywood Twilight Section

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