Twi-hards must be in heaven right now. Lionsgate has finally completed the deal to acquire Summit Entertainment, the studio behind the massively successful “The Twilight Saga,” and, according to the Lionsgate CEO, the fat lady won't sing at the end of “Breaking Dawn Part 2.”Fans must already know that the films are based on Stephenie Meyer's original novels, with the fourth and final one divided by Summit into two films, the last one due out in theaters this year.
In other words, Summit's cash-cow is nearing end of life cycle, since “Breaking Dawn Part 2” is officially where the story in Meyer's books ends.
Having just bought Summit for $412.5 million (€326.26 million) in cash and stock, Lionsgate actually hopes there's life to the franchise past the November 2012 deadline.
CEO Jon Feltheimer says in an interview with the
LA Times that, while they have no definite plans yet as to the future of the franchise, he believes one can be had in either film or television.
He also estimates “Breaking Dawn Part 2” will cross the $700 million (€553.6 million) threshold in box office sales – so it would be impossible to think anyone would drop such a lucrative franchise just because they've run out of original books to base it on.
“It’s hard for me to imagine a movie that does $700 million-plus [€553.6 million] doesn’t have ongoing value,” Feltheimer says.
“It’s an amazing franchise that they have done a great job of maintaining with absolutely no deterioration. So the simple answer is ‘Boy I hope so’,” the CEO adds.
If the project is greenlit, it wouldn't even matter if Lionsgate didn't have original material from Meyer to make more movies, voices in the blogosphere are saying.
“Twilight” could either move to television, in which case the studio would have to accept making less money off it, or continue with the story from an original script.
Another, even more likely theory is that spinoffs could be made: for instance, an entire franchise could be dedicated to Edward Cullen and Bella Swan's half-mortal half-vampire daughter Renesmee.
Another possibility would be a reboot presented as a prequel, where the entire cast would be replaced with younger, just as hot actors as those now featured in it – and whose contracts end once “BD Part 2” is out.
In other words, the possibilities are limitless and the only condition, so far, is that the upcoming film sells well.
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