The stars of "Twilight" are certainly capitalizing on the success of the angsty vampire phenomenon. I just wonder: with such a large portion of the ensemble landing roles in other films, what will that mean for the production of the still-unannounced adaptation of "Breaking Dawn," the final chapter in Stephenie Meyer's series? Hard to say, but that definitely leaves a big question mark hovering over this latest bit of potential casting news.

The word is that Robert Pattinson may soon be sharing a bill with two-time Best Actor Oscar winner Sean Penn in an adaptation of Sara Gruen's best-selling book, "Water for Elephants," Variety reported yesterday. The news describes the two superstars as "circling" the gig -- ie they're in talks right now -- though Variety mentions that Pattinson at least will likely land the part. Read more...

UPDATE: Thanks to a tip from twitter follower @KimberChambers, we have an update on this direct from Stephenie Meyer herself:

Just a quick note on the subject of the Breaking Dawn film: there is no drama over whether the book should be one movie or two. My personal feeling is that it would be very difficult to cram the whole story into one movie (as I've said in many interviews previous to this), but if a great way of doing that surfaces, I'm all for it. Two or one, whichever way fits the story best is fine by me, and everyone I've spoken with at Summit seems to feel the same way. We're all excited to move forward on this, and we are slowly and surely getting there. I know people are anxious for news, and so sometimes gossip get fabricated to stir things up, but there's no basis to this particular story.

Steph

So move along. Nothing to see here. The original post is preserved after the jump, for posterity. Read more...

FROM MTV.COM: A copyright-infringement lawsuit against author Stephenie Meyer alleging plagiarism in "Breaking Dawn," the final book in her "Twilight" vampire series, has been dismissed, according to a statement sent to MTV News by Meyer's publisher.

Jordan Scott, the author of a 2006 supernatural novel called "The Nocturne," filed a suit in August accusing Meyer of lifting elements — including plot lines and developments — from her book for use in "Breaking Dawn." On Wednesday, United States District Court Judge Otis D. Wright II dismissed Scott's claim.

Continue reading Stephenie Meyer 'Breaking Dawn' Plagiarism Lawsuit Dismissed

Well it's official. Okay, not official official, but pretty damn likely. A big screen adaptation of "Breaking Dawn" is on, and it's being split into two movies. Or it might be. Why don't I just tell you what's going on?

No one ever really doubted that "Breaking Dawn" would get made, and fairly soon. "Twilight" license holders Summit Entertainment know they've got something big, and so they've been hitting us fast and hard. A year after the first movie, we've got two more hitting just six months apart. And now, if Variety's sources are correct, "Breaking Dawn" is percolating for a two-movie release, with scripts to be written by series scribe Melissa Rosenberg. Read more...

Earlier this week, I considered the absence of female-oriented blockbuster fare in today's Hollywood. The staggering weekend success of "New Moon" and the "Twilight" phenomenon overall both point to the value in catering event films to a wider market of viewers. It's a point driven home by the fact that James Cameron's "Titanic" still owns the number one spot on the list of top-grossing domestic box office performers now, more than 12 years after its release.

Clearly, a mix of action and romance works wonders for building a crossover audience. The first "Twilight" film was more than a modest success with its $70 million opening weekend, but "New Moon" doubled that figure. It leaves me wondering what we can expect for the franchise moving forward, and how "New Moon"'s second week numbers might inform our understanding of the possibilities. Not content to wait, I got in touch with Jeff Bock, box office analyst for Exhibitor Relations, to gather some insight from an expert. Read more...

FROM MTV.COM: With the box-office success of "New Moon" and fans eagerly anticipating the June release of "Eclipse," it looks almost certain that "Breaking Dawn," the final book in the "Twilight Saga," will hit the big screen. But there are two big questions surrounding the potential film: Who will direct it, and will it be split into two movies?

MTV News spoke with the "Twilight" stars last week at a New York screening of "New Moon" and asked them to weigh in on the saga's future.

Continue reading 'Twilight' Stars Weigh In On What They Want For 'Breaking Dawn'

FROM MTV.COM: The signs, it would seem, are everywhere. It might just be the worst-kept secret in all of Hollywood. So, why hasn't the "Breaking Dawn" movie been announced yet?

For starters, according to the Hollywood Reporter, Summit Entertainment just announced a television deal with FX to broadcast four "Twilight" films. Rob Pattinson told us that the movie might be filmed in Portland. Ryan Seacrest's radio show recently furthered the rumor (heard from a Summit exec's wife at a nail salon, mind you) that the final "Twilight" book was being split into two movies. And then there's the fact that it would be preposterous that an opening of $143 million in could be ignored and everyone would just release "Eclipse" and call it a day.

Continue reading 'New Moon' Co-Star Thinks 'Breaking Dawn' Green Light Is Imminent

FROM MTV.COM: In 2007, Jamie Campbell Bower co-starred in Tim Burton's "Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street." A few years later, after being cast as a vampire in "New Moon," the young British actor has not forgotten the director who gave him his big break, telling MTV News that Burton would be the ideal man to helm the final "Twilight" installment, "Breaking Dawn."

What does Burton think about that idea? When we caught up with the director at the opening of a retrospective of his work at New York's Museum of Modern Art, he was flattered.

Continue reading Should Tim Burton Direct 'Breaking Dawn'? Burton, Ashley Greene Weigh In

FROM MTV.COM: If you've only seen the movie "Twilight" and plan to watch the sequel "New Moon" this weekend, you might get caught up in all the Team Edward vs. Team Jacob hype. If you haven't read Stephenie Meyer's best-selling novels, you might not know which monstrous young man ends up with Bella, and you might not know about some of the stranger elements of "Breaking Dawn."

Taylor Lautner, however, has read the books. And with a "Breaking Dawn" movie as inevitable as death, taxes and "CSI" spin-offs, he's a bit freaked out about what's to come. As Taylor told us recently, he'll have to work closely with the film's director to handle the delicate material.

(Spoilers from "Breaking Dawn" are ahead!)

Continue reading Taylor Lautner Was 'Surprised' By Jacob's New Love In 'Breaking Dawn'

FROM HOLLYWOOD CRUSH: With "New Moon" opening Friday and "Eclipse" due June 2010, it seems about time we cast our gaze forward to "Breaking Dawn." And no, it's not too early. Sure, the big screen adaptation of Stephenie Meyer's forth (and for now final) vampire romance has yet to be announced, but that didn't stop us from asking star Taylor Lautner about the "Twilight Saga"'s larger-than-life finale.

"I'm looking forward to the whole pack splitting up, that could be cool," the 19-year-old said, revealing which scene he is most excited to film for "Breaking Dawn." Taylor wasn't quite so sure, however, who should direct the last installment.

Continue reading Taylor Lautner Looks Past 'New Moon' And Spills On The 'Breaking Dawn' Scene He Can't Wait To Film