by Borys Kit on hollywoodreporter.com
The man behind ‘American Pie’ and ‘About a Boy’ wasn’t the obvious choice to take on ‘New Moon’. But Chris Weitz had done a fantasy adaptation in 2007’s ‘The Golden Compass’ and felt a connection to the material. On Nov. 20, ‘Twilight’ fans will determine whether he was up to the task.
THR: Why did you want to do a ‘Twilight’ movie?
Chris: The tonality of the movie, which has a lot to do with heartbreak and longing, depression and reunion and ecstasy. I really loved the cast; Kristen and Rob both are exceptionally talented.
THR: Speaking of Italy, how have you dealt with the problem that your heartthrob is gone for most of the book?
Chris: There are two heartthrobs in this movie, not just Rob but Taylor Lautner. Part of the point was that Edward was away. The story is about loss and heartache; he is present as an absence. Bella is always thinking of him and affected by him. His return to the film is really powerful and made more so by not having millions of “back at the ranch” scenes. And the middle of the movie is sustained by Kristen’s amazing performance and by Taylor doing a lovely job as her best friend.
THR: So you didn’t alter the story at all?
Chris: No. We didn’t want to shoehorn him into the story. I did alter the visuals of the story in the sense that in the book, Kristen’s character has aural hallucinations and we’ve built in a very beautiful subtle effect so that we see him as well. But those are brief, if impactful, moments. A lot of the film is sustained by her loss and Taylor’s character bringing her back to life.
THR: How much do you interact with the Twi-hards?
Chris: Quite a bit. I don’t have an online, direct relation with the fans; I was too busy making the movie. But I sort of feel as though every bit of footage I get out is speaking to the fans in a way. I’ve only addressed the fans directly twice: At the very beginning, when I said, “Don’t worry, I’m going to take care of this book,” and then to address an insane rumor that all the Volturi were naked in their introductory scene. But I listened to what they have to say by checking in on the Internet.
THR: Is it true you have an offer to direct the fourth “Twilight” movie?
Chris: No official offer has been made. The fans have been enthusiastic about the footage and the trailer, and the studio responds to that by feeling good about me. We’ll have to see how people feel about the entire movie, not only the studio but the fans, before the verdict is out whether I direct Number 4.
To read the whole interview here
Another wonderful interview – okay without anything new but anyway … only one month left till we’ll see Chris Weitz work. Of course for me he is my heroe and I already love him … for all what he did but I’m really excited to see the complete product. Are you also excited and can’t hardly wait the premiere to come?
