Hardwicke off Twilight

Fanboys were whipped into a frenzy when there was even a slight possibility that Jon Favreau might not return to direct IRON MAN 2. I don’t think the TWILIGHT fangirls will be that upset that Catherine Hardwicke won’t be returning to direct that film’s sequel, NEW MOON. Hardwicke and Summit Entertainment released a joint statement this weekend confirming swirling rumors that the TWILIGHT director would not return for the sequel. The reason given was that Summit, somewhat wisely, wants to put the sequel on the fasttrack to get it in theaters next year. This aggressive schedule “does not work with Ms. Hardwicke’s required prep time,” says the press release, which is a nice way of saying they wanted a more action-friendly director for the sequel’s ramped up scenes. Hardwicke was diplomatic and said that she was “sorry” she wouldn’t have the opportunity to direct MOON but that she was “grateful” to the fans and wished the production the best of luck. So the search for a new director has begun. Any ideas? I say bring in Edgar Wright!