The Twilight Saga’s third film, Eclipse, finally has its director and his name is not Juan Antonio Bayona as rumors suggested.
Summit Entertainment today officially announced 30 Day of Night director David Slade will lens the third of four Twilight films. Though Slade’s resume is relatively thin, 30 Day of Night does give him a little experience in the supernatural bloodsucking genre.
Twilight author Stephanie Meyer commented on the announcement, “I am thrilled that David Slade will be directing Eclipse. He’s a visionary filmmaker who has so much to offer this franchise. From the beginning, we’ve been blessed with wonderful directorial talent for the Twilight Saga, and I’m so happy that Eclipse will be carrying on with that tradition.”
Erik Feig, Summit’s President of Production who made the announcement, added, “Stephenie Meyer’s Eclipse is a muscular, rich, vivid book and we at Summit looked long and hard for a director who could do it justice. We believe we have found that talent in David Slade, a director who has been able to create complex, visually arresting worlds. We cannot wait to see the Eclipse he brings to life and brings to the fans eagerly awaiting its arrival in summer of 2010.”
Feig went on to confirm Twilight’s Eclipse is still on track for release Wednesday, June 30, 2010. New Moon will arrive on November 20.
Pre-production work is likely already underway on Eclipse given the accelerated release schedule for all of Twilight’s sequels.
