Chris Weitz & Stephanie Meyer Try To Cheer You Up

Both Chris Weitz & Stephanie Meyer have released statements in the form of letters to the fans, reassuring them that New Moon is gonna be hawt. I believe those were Ms. Meyer's exact words, in fact. I didn't realize any fans WERE actually upset about this switch up, but apparently I was wrong. Check out the comments section for any article written about her departure, and you'll find quite the bit of discontent. Even journalists and bloggers have their doubts, as many point to The Golden Compass as an example of why New Moon shouldn't be in the hands of Weitz.

Graeme McMillan, at I09, had this to say on the matter,

It's not that we're pulling for Hardwicke's return to the franchise (despite finding the direction of Twilight one of its high points), but have Summit Entertainment's decision makers forgotten that Weitz was the man behind the failure of The Golden Compass movie, the last pre-Twilight teen-book-phenomenon that was supposed to be the next Harry Potter? I'm not saying that the lightning of poor-choices-concerning-what-to-keep-and-what-to-cut-from-the-source-material, or even uninspired direction (un)inspiring lackluster performances from his actors, would necessarily strike again, but come on; look at the man's resume: American Pie aside, there's not a hit on there... nor anything to suggest that he'd bring anything interesting to the adolescent quadrology's second chapter.

I still maintain that ultimately switching directors was a good decision, and if given the right budget and fx team, Weitz will do a great job. Below is the letter from Weitz.

Dear fans of Twilight, New Moon, Bella, Edward and Jacob,

In the past few days I have been involved in a whirlwind romance with Stephenie Meyers' extraordinary books.

And I am very grateful to have received her permission to protect New Moon in its translation from the page to the screen.

For fans of the books and of the film of Twilight, this may come as an unexpected twist. So I want to write briefly to try to put you at ease, and to give you reason to hope for and expect the best.

For the last decade of my career as a director, I have chosen to make adaptations of complex and involved works of literature. This has always begun with the love of a book and its characters, story, and theme; and it has always involved a respect of and responsiveness to the feelings of other people who loved those books.

When I saw the film of Twilight, I was alternately entranced and left hungry for more. I was also struck by the extraordinary passion for the characters, story and theme that was evident in the people sitting in the seats around me. My job is to live up to that devotion.

Like many of you, I am a fan of Catherine Hardwicke's work. I can't really say much about why she is not doing New Moon because I wasn't involved in those decisions. But I can say that I will devote myself to making the very best and most faithful version of New Moon that can be brought to the screen. To those who doubt that as a male director I can capture Bella's experience, I can only say that emotion is universal and that my work has often involved working with some of the most talented actresses in the world.

For the rest, the proof will have to be in the pudding. But I promise to remain responsive to your hopes and fears.

I thank you for this opportunity and for your faith.

Very best,

Chris Weitz

And from Stephanie Meyer

Hey guys,

There's been a lot of worry and speculation on the boards lately, and I want to let you know what's going on.

First of all, like you, I'm sad that Catherine is not continuing on with us for New Moon. I'm going to miss her, not just as a brilliant director, but also as a friend. She has such a distinct, authentic voice that did amazing things for Twilight. I'm looking forward to every movie she does in the future.

And she didn't leave us empty handed. We still get the benefits of her amazing casting and the beautiful visual world she created. This foundation puts us in a good place for New Moon.

Summit Films is moving forward with a new director for New Moon. They've asked Chris Weitz, director of American Pie, About a Boy, and The Golden Compass, to join us, and I am very pleased to announce that he's agreed to be a part of our Twilight world. I've had the chance to talk to Chris, and I can tell you that he is excited by the story and eager to keep the movie as close to the book as possible. He is also very aware of you, the fans, and wants to keep you all extremely happy. (Torches and pitchforks are not going to be necessary.)

I'm excited to work with Chris and I think he brings a lot to the table, not the least of which for me is that he wrote the screenplay for and directed one of my favorite movies of all time, About a Boy. I'm really looking forward to seeing his vision for New Moon.

And according to newmoonmovie.org, there may be a new Jacob Black already. Take this news with a grain of salt, but follow this link for evidence and video of the heir apparent. Can't say I'd necessarily complain...