My Blog

New ‘Eclipse’ TV Spots 7: “Epic”

New ‘Eclipse’ TV Spots 6: “Protect You”

CGSociety has an awesome rundown of how exactly they made the CGI wolves so realistic in New Moon.

From: His Golden EyesEyes and Face
The book described the wolves as having eerily human eyes. “We were told early on that they literally they wanted us to plop the actors eyes into wolf, which always sounds like a good idea on paper but it does not work visually,” said Fredenburg, “so we had to play how much to accentuate them as human eyes and how much to push them towards wolf eyes. The eyelid shape around them is definitely wolf. For the eyeball itself we tended to play a little bit dark so they wouldn’t stick out as these funny white eyeballs in the head of the wolf.”

Keep Your Shirt On
The wolves also had to switch from human to wolf form and back again, creating some humorous situations. Tom Gibbons, Animation Supervisor, got a chuckle out of the young wolf shape-shifting process and the dilemma it created.
They wanted to approach this in complete opposition to the way they did it in American Werewolf in London, which highlighted a long protracted painful metamorphose. In Twilight, it’s very fast, it happens in half a second. “In the blink of an eye the boys explode into wolf forms. When you first become a werewolf, you are not very good at controlling it. What happens is, these kids explode into wolves and destroy their clothes and shoes, and when they transfer back, they don’t have any clothes and have to go get more. It’s kind of like hitting puberty or something, as these boys mature from human boys into shape shifting into werewolves and not being able to do it very well, which is the perfect metaphor for everything that is adolescent.”
Read the entire article and see all the pics HERE!

The online retailer Amazon.co.uk has revealed its top 10 highest-selling books of the decade, with Harry Potter and Twilight featuring heavily.

The final two tales in JK Rowling's Harry Potter series occupy the top two positions, with another Rowling work, The Tales of Beedle the Bard, also in the Amazon top 10.
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, released in 2007, and 2005's Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince lead the way, followed by three of Stephenie Meyer's Twilight books.

The series of vampire romance novels has spawned film adaptations and catapulted Meyer, who was virtually unknown at the start of the decade, to worldwide fame.

Eight of the 10 books on the list were written by women. The only male to make an appearance is the Afghan-born novelist Khaled Hosseini, whose books The Kite Runner and A Thousand Splendid Suns round off the list.

Top 10 best-selling books of the decade:
1. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Book 7) - JK Rowling
2. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (Book 6) - JK Rowling
3. Breaking Dawn (The Twilight Saga, Book 4) - Stephenie Meyer
4. Twilight (The Twilight Saga, Book 1) - Stephenie Meyer
5. Eclipse (The Twilight Saga) - Stephenie Meyer
6. The Tales of Beedle the Bard, Standard Edition - JK Rowling
7. The Twilight Saga: New Moon - Stephenie Meyer
8. The Time Traveler's Wife - Audrey Niffenegger
9. The Kite Runner - Khaled Hosseini
10. A Thousand Splendid Suns - Khaled Hosseini

Top 10 best-selling authors of the decade:
1. JK Rowling
2. Stephenie Meyer
3. Julia Donaldson
4. Terry Pratchett
5. Jamie Oliver
6. Dan Brown
7. Enid Blyton
8. Bernard Cornwell
9. Alexander McCall Smith
10. William Shakespeare

From: The Telegraph

The Baltimore Sun has declared 2000-2009 “The Stephenie Meyer Decade”

In the coming weeks, we’ll review some of the decade’s biggest books and trends, beginning with this pronouncement: I hereby declare 2000-09 to be the Stephenie Meyer decade. (That sound you just heard was Nancy hitting the floor.) Meyer’s novel “Twilight,” released in October of 2005, hit the top of the best seller lists and has hardly budged since — while being joined by others in the series. Just look at the latest list: Sarah Palin’s on top, but Meyer has the #2, #3, #4 and #7 spots with “New Moon,” “Eclipse,” “Twilight” and “Breaking Dawn.” What could she have done if she hadn’t waited until the decade was half-over to start her series?

Her tales of teen love and angst, set in a world of vampires and werewolves, have sold by the jillions and have spawned hugely successful movies — not to mention a “Team Edward” t-shirt empire. Her writing style has been skewered by accomplished authors such as Stephen King, but her fans defend her with a fervor worthy of a werewolf. And though some think her fan base consists solely of teen-age girls, many older women adore her books, too. (And at least one guy.)

It’s always nice when people recognize that the Twilight Saga has a very diverse demographic of fans.

From: Twilight Moms

IMAX Corporation (NASDAQ: IMAX; TSX: IMX) and Summit Entertainment announced today that The Twilight Saga: Eclipse, the third film in the studio’s Twilight franchise, will be released to IMAX® theatres simultaneously with the film’s launch on June 30, 2010. Directed by David Slade (30 DAYS OF NIGHT, HARD CANDY) and starring Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson and Taylor Lautner, The Twilight Saga: Eclipse will be digitally re-mastered into the unparalleled image and sound quality of The IMAX Experience® with proprietary IMAX DMR® (Digital Re-mastering) technology. The crystal-clear images coupled with IMAX’s customized theatre geometry and powerful digital audio create a unique environment that will make audiences feel as if they are in the movie. The film franchise is based on the book series by Stephenie Meyer.

“Twilight moviegoers will have a whole new way to experience this next installment of the series, with the enhanced image and sound quality of The IMAX Experience putting them IN the movie,” said Richie Fay, Summit Entertainment’s President of Domestic Theatrical Distribution. “The IMAX release puts us on the event film calendar for 2010, and we’re very excited to work with IMAX to bring a new kind of film to the IMAX theatre network.”

“Our 2010 film slate continues to fill out with strong titles, and a film from this incredible franchise is a very welcome addition,” said IMAX CEO Richard L. Gelfond. “This title fills a valuable spot in our 2010 summer release window, and will no doubt thrill IMAX audiences.”

“We’re very excited to work with our new partners at Summit Entertainment to transport the very loyal and enthusiastic Twilight fans into the world of the Volturi via The IMAX Experience,” added Greg Foster, Chairman and President of IMAX Filmed Entertainment. “With our growing theatre network, we’re poised to take advantage of the rapidly growing fan-base devoted to this dynamic, cutting edge series.”

In The Twilight Saga: Eclipse, Bella once again finds herself surrounded by danger as Seattle is ravaged by a string of mysterious killings and a malicious vampire continues her quest for revenge. In the midst of it all, she is forced to choose between her love for Edward and her friendship with Jacob - knowing that her decision has the potential to ignite the ageless struggle between vampire and werewolf. With her graduation quickly approaching, Bella is confronted with the most important decision of her life.

"December 8, 2009

Hey everybody. I just received a call from Stephenie and she wanted me to let everyone know that, contrary to some rumors that have recently started circulating, she is alive and well.

Have a great day.

--Seth"

From: stepheniemeyer.com

Led by the late Michael Jackson and the vampire-driven "Twilight" series, Yahoo's Top 10 Searches for 2009 show that penny-pinching consumers are escaping to the Web "to pursue news and their guilty pleasures," according to a Yahoo search trend analyst.

World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) came in third on this year's list of Top 10 Overall Searches for 2009, rising celebrity Megan Fox landed in fourth place, and Britney Spears came in fifth.

Rounding out Yahoo's top ten this year were, in consecutive order, Naruto, American Idol, Kim Kardashian, NASCAR, and Runescape.

To me, the celebrity orientation of this year's Internet searches seems almost reminiscent of how, during the Great Depression, people found their escapes in movie magazines and lavish musical entertainment

But Vera Chen, a Yahoo Search trend analyst, also acknowledges that during the current deep recession, "with economic uncertainty looming, people looked for ways to find stability by searching the Web."

Accordingly, Yahoo's "Top 10 Economy-Related Searches for 2009" include coupons, Stimulus Plan, student loans, and foreclosures, for example.

As many of us already know, however, sales of mobile devices stood out as one big bright spot on 2009's bleak economic canvas.

"Mobile devices emerged as essential and indispensable to the lives of many Americans," according to a Yahoo press release. Thus, Yahoo has also put together a list of the Top 10 Mobile Searches for 2009.

Some members of the overall Top 10 list - such as Megan Fox and Michael Jackson - also made the mobile list, although others - including WWE and Kim Kardashian - did not.

Those searching the Web from their mobile phones were also particularly interested in Lady Gaga, the NFL, and - not at all surprisingly - Mobile Games.

What will Yahoo's Top 10 list look like for the year 2010? Hopefully, the economy will have turned the corner a bit. For one thing, maybe consumers will be able to forego some of their searches for coupons and the like.

Top 10 Overall Searches for 2009
1. Michael Jackson
2. Twilight
3. WWE
4. Megan Fox
5. Britney Spears
6. Naruto
7. American Idol
8. Kim Kardashian
9. NASCAR
10. Runescape

From: PC World

The Twilight Saga: New Moon has been in cinemas for almost a week. So, depending on your feelings towards sparkly vampires and extremely buff werewolves, you will either have seen it three times already (ZOMG RPattz!) or avoided it altogether. Either way, the fandemonium has subsided enough for us to look to the future. It's just seven months until Eclipse, the third instalment of Stephenie Meyer's popular book series, hits the big screen. RT caught up with the cast in LA's Four Seasons hotel during their manic New Moon press tour to get the latest on the eagerly anticipated film. We learned that Robert Pattinson hates pranks, that Nikki Reed loves werewolves and that we may just see a fifth film.

Fact #1: It's Darker

The brand new poster for Eclipse (above) hints at a darker tone with its brooding storm clouds. With 30 Days of Night director David Slade at the helm, it's unsurprising. "Every movie is different because we work with a different director on each one, which I love," Taylor Lautner tells RT. "David Slade is perfect for the third film because it's darker. Eclipse was my favourite book."

Ashley Greene, who plays vampire Alice, tells RT that Slade isn't just a prince of darkness. "David is actually hysterical," she laughs, "He has such a dry sense of humour that sometimes you don't know if he's kidding or not. Eclipse will be amazing because he has made it far edgier and more dramatic. It's going to look very cool."



Fact #2: There Will Be Less "Love Story" and More "War"

"Eclipse isn't as intimate as Twilight or New Moon," Robert Pattinson explains to us. "We're at war, so I get to interact with more characters, not just Kristen. You'll also find out more about the other members of the Cullen family. It just feels bigger." But -- fear not, Twihards -- that isn't to say the love story is cast aside altogether. "New Moon set up a love triangle with Bella, Edward and Jacob," says Lautner. "So we explore that further in Eclipse. It's a tough situation for all of them because Bella is torn between two guys, Jacob can't get the girl that he loves and then there's Edward, with all of his issues."

Fact #3: The Werewolves Will Crank Up the Sex Appeal

"We all know the appeal of the vampire family," says Nikki Reed, who plays vampire Rosalie. "But the werewolf boys are on a whole different level. They interact with a youthful, playful, comfortable warmth. It's very sexy."

As for Pattinson, he admits that his personal jealousy about Taylor Lautner's newly-ripped physique actually comes in handy for the role. "In Eclipse, Taylor and I have lots of scenes together where we have to be jealous and petty with each other," he says. "So it helps that I actually do feel inadequate when I see his body, especially because he's younger than me. He fulfills every criteria of what teenage girls want, physically, in a guy. I felt like a had to prove myself against him."

Fact #4: There's More Action

"Filming Eclipse actually changed my life," says Nikki Reed of the arduous training regime the cast had to endure. "I have never been so fit -- this is the first time in my life I have actually had a bicep. It's bizarre to compare how we look now to how we all looked in the first movie. The entire cast turned up on set for Eclipse looking super-buff."

New cast member Bryce Dallas Howard tried to play a prank on the crew during one stunt, but she didn't count on Pattinson's awkwardness. "We had a fight scene where Bryce had to grab my hair," he laughs. "So she took a clump of hair from my stunt double's wig and was going to pretend she had pulled it from my head. She told me to scream and storm off set, but it was so embarrassing. She had this huge clump of hair in her hand, and I was like 'oww,' really unconvincingly."

While the rest of the cast were having fun with stunts, spare a thought for poor Taylor Lautner. "Eclipse is a lot more physical for my character," he explains, "but any time I have any kind of action, I'm a wolf, so it's all done with CGI. It's a bummer."

Fact #5: The Ending Will Be Nicely Set Up For a Fourth - And Perhaps Fifth - Film

There are four books in The Twilight Saga: Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse and Breaking Dawn. But Ashley Greene gave RT the strongest indication yet that there might be five films. "We have finished filming Eclipse and one would assume that, if New Moon does as well as Twilight, then we'll start filming Breaking Dawn next year," she says.

"The only thing is, Breaking Dawn is a very large book so it would be a really long movie. We're thinking they might decide to split it into two parts, like they did with Harry Potter. Either way, we need to get on with shooting them because, unlike Harry Potter, vampires don't age. So we all need to look the same!"

From: rottentomatoes.com

The third highest grossing movie in Hollywood history, The Twilight Saga: New Moon won the highest opening day score with $67.2 million, the film's studio Summit Entertainment reported.

Though the weekend records remain with the cartoon superheroes, The Dark Knight and Spider-Man 3's second-place position, New Moon broke records for midnight showings and November openings.

The percentage of males seeing the film increased from 17 percent with the first Twilight to 20 percent with the sequel. Also, not just a teen movie, 50 percent of the audience was over age 21. It doubled Twilight's opening weekend last year.

Internationally, New Moon grossed $118.1 million, bringing its three-day, worldwide total to $258 million.

The studio Summit Entertaining reported that New Moon was the number one grossing opening movie in many markets outside the US, beating Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, the previous top performer at the box office or coming close.

It was number one in Argentina, Belgium, Croatia, Greece, Holland, and France, where it earned $17 million since last Wednesday, November 18. Also, it's expected to be the biggest at the box office in the Philippines.

In its largest grossing international market, the UK, New Moon was the number two opening film behind Quantum of Solace.

The second installment of the romantic teen vampire hit of 2008, starring Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart, earned its $50 million budget back on Friday.

From: The Independent