`Twilight' director Catherine Hardwicke could leave 'If I Stay'

Catherine Hardwicke may not be working on a new movie for Summit Entertainment after all.

The "Twilight" director, who parted ways with Summit on its vampire franchise in late 2008, had since struck a deal with the company to direct "If I Stay," another dramatic film with a teenage girl at its center.

That movie, based on Gayle Forman's young-adult novel, looks at a 17-year-old who is perilously injured in a car crash, floats out of body, and then spends the arc of the story deciding whether she wants to live or die. (Sounds like "The Lovely Bones," but we'll reserve judgment.)

However, sources close to Hardwicke say she is poised to commit exclusively for a period of several months to another project -- the Leonardo DiCaprio-produced "The Girl with the Red Riding Hood" at Warner Bros, which would take her off "Stay."

"Riding Hood," a gothic update of the classic fairy tale, is a priority for Warner Bros. The script has a shiny pedigree -- it's from David Johnson, the writer behind the sleeper horror hit "Orphan" -- and the studio is awaiting a revised draft, which is due in January. With strong teen characters and gothic elements, you might be excused for thinking it could be Warner Bros.' "Twilight." (With the studio's eagerness to lock up Hardwicke, it looks as though Warner Bros. is thinking that way too.)

A year ago, Summit decided not to re-up Hardwicke for "Twilight" sequel "New Moon," bringing on director Chris Weitz instead. But several months later the company quelled rumors of bad blood with Hardwicke when it hired the director to develop "Stay." If the director did indeed leave the Summit project, it won't be the result of any rancor, though the move means that the company and the director will not be reprising any "Twilight" magic in the near future.

It's not hard to see why Hardwicke would opt for "Riding Hood." The director, who capitalized on the $351 million global success of "Twilight" by signing on to direct several films, is not currently attached to any movie that's on the fast track. (In addition to "Stay," she's attached to direct an update of Hamlet with Emile Hirsch at Liberty Media's Overture Films as well as the children's adventure "Maximum Ride" at Sony, but those projects remain in development too.)

Summit is doubling down with another figure key to its "Twilight" success, as it prepares a March release of the Robert Pattinson drama "Remember Me" -- also, coincidentally, about young people and family tragedy.

--Steven Zeitchik

Photo: Catherine Hardwicke. Credit: Frederick M. Brown / Getty Images.

Comments

[Kat]

I hope Summit hires Catherine Hardwicke for Breaking Dawn. I'll be so excited to see BDawn if she directs it - but, if she doesn't direct it - then I'm done with this franchise. NMoon was so awful, so ghastly as to defy belief. I sure won't be seeing Eclipse. TWILIGHT was gorgeous on the other hand, the design, sexiness, suspense, magic, etc., and Carter Burwell's score perfection; all thanks to the wonderful, supremely talented Catherine Hardwicke.

[LaylaViolet]

no way. Breaking Dawn must be directed by Chris Weitz!!! Twilight (the film) sucked compared to New Moon (the film) mainly because it made Edward look like a total douche. New Moon had much better visual and was closer to the book. Twilight was done the way SHE wanted. Chris did an acceptable job with New Moon, and would--definitely should--do a better job with Breaking DAwn. Burwell can definitely come back, but his music should be mostly piano.

[Tamara]

I saw New Moon in Australia. From what all the cast have said, Chris Weitz was an amazing guy to work with, but it did just not come across well on screen. I'm not sure if that is because he is a guy (sorry for being sexist) but he just did not "get it" in the way Catherine did. If you read this post Ms Hardwicke I'd like to say how amazing I think you are, especially now seeing another person's point of view and interpretation, it really highlights how well you captured the essence of the book. Twilight was amazing. Subtle, emotive, beautiful, quiet and so much more. I am sad you didn't do New Moon, I would have loved to see what you did. I hope you get to do Breaking Dawn.

[CleverTitania]

I agree w/LayLaViolet. Twilight is an absolute disaster compared to New Moon. I was flat out angry when I watched the first movie, and shocked to find myself happy when i walked out of NM. Just the timeline in NM was far better built, compared to Twilight, where all events seems supercrunched.

Personally, I feel like those who preferred the first movie see only the love story element as key to the Twilight, and in reality, the love story(ies) are completely secondary. Bella's finding her place between two (and in some ways three) different worlds, and her journey throughout the entire series, is what the most important story is. It is NOT about Edward vs. Jacob. I think Weitz did a far superior job of conveying the meat of the story without sacrificing the relationships. And cinematography was definitely better.

And if they screw up Breaking Dawn, the entire movie series could be ruined. I'm already worried enough at how Kristen will handle the new Bella, without worrying that Hardwicke will jack up the depiction of the birth scenes.