New Movies, Movie Trailers, DVD, TV & Video Game News !!: More Twilight Sequels on the Way from Lionsgate?

lundi 26 septembre 2016

More Twilight Sequels on the Way from Lionsgate?

It’s been four years since The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2 opened and grossed $829.7 million worldwide, a franchise highpoint. It also happened to be the last film in the series, as far as book adaptations go. Since then, Summit/Lionsgate has struggled to launch a sustainable franchise beyond Twilight and Hunger Games, with hopefuls like Ender’s Game, Warm Bodies, Gods of Egypt and The Last Witch Hunter failing to catch fire with the public. Even the moderately successful Divergent Series flamed out. Hence a new interview with Lionsgate Motion Picture Group co-chairman Patrick Wachsberger, who tells ScreenDaily that the company has their eye on going back to the well on their most successful saga for Twilight sequels, with one catch…

“It’s a possibility,” Wachsberger says of more Twilight films. “Not a certainty but it’s a possibility. It’s about Stephenie [novelist Stephenie Meyer]. If she wants to tell a story related to those characters we’re here for her.”

Of course, since J.K. Rowling is now working with Warner Bros. on new films in her Harry Potter universe, it seems only a matter of time before Meyer (who released a gender-swapped version of the first “Twilight” novel last year called “Life and Death: Twilight Reimagined”) could dip back into her realm of sexy vampires and werewolves. We’re sure all parties involved, including original actors Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson, are aware that they are leaving money on the table by not making new films, however creatively tapped out they might be on the property.

As for The Divergent Series, the executive confirms recent word that the conclusion to the first three films will be realized in a TV movie followed by a series.

“That’s a fair statement, yes,” Wachsberger stated. “That’s the plan. The property has moved to the TV division now.”

That’s not to say that the company doesn’t have its sights set on developing future YA properties that could imitate the success of Twilight, including Patrick Rothfuss’ book series “The Kingkiller Chronicle” and Patrick Ness’ “Chaos Walking.”

“The Kingkiller Chronicle is definitely a franchise,” he says. “It is three books, a fantastic world. It has all the potential to be a very big franchise. It’s not dissimilar to the world of ‘The Lord Of The Rings.’”

Screenwriter Lindsey Beer, who is also adapting Dungeons & Dragons for Warner Bros., will pen the first script from the best-selling fantasy trilogy “The Kingkiller Chronicle.” Meanwhile, the first Chaos Walking film has gathered an impressive slate of talent, including director Doug Liman (Edge of Tomorrow), screenwriter Charlie Kaufman (Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind) and star Daisy Ridley (Star Wars: The Force Awakens) as Viola.