14 DAY TRIAL // Summit Entertainment has decided to split Stephenie Meyer’s last book, “Breaking Dawn,” into two movies but it can’t move along to make the announcement because the secondary cast is asking for more money than it’s willing to offer. Kellan Lutz and Ashley Greene in particular are making negotiations very hard, which might even make Summit decide that the movie be made without them, The Hollywood Reporter writes, citing inside sources.
It’s an almost unimaginable thing to have members of the cast who appeared in 4 films be replaced by new faces, but Summit is willing to take that chance, claims the report. The logic behind this is that, as long as it keeps the three leads, meaning Robert Pattinson, Kirsten Stewart and Taylor Lautner, it can do whatever it sees fit with the rest of the cast. And, luckily, all three are locked in their contracts for a fifth film, insiders say, which would mean that Lutz and Green are with a foot out the door.
“Summit Entertainment is working furiously to close the talent deals required to split Stephenie Meyer’s fourth ‘Twilight’ novel into two films. But an unlikely roadblock is holding up an announcement – and could even lead to cast changes for the series’ final installment. […] Summit is having a harder time locking in some of the franchise’s secondary characters. Deals for Peter Facinelli (who plays Carlisle Cullen) and Billy Burke (Bella’s father, Charlie Swan) are done, but we’re told the actors who play the Cullen kids (especially Kellan Lutz and Ashley Greene) are trying to sink their teeth into bigger paydays that, at least at this point, the studio behind the billion-dollar franchise is unwilling to provide. ‘We may have a situation where one of them is thrown out on the street to make a point,’ says a source close to the dealmaking,” THR writes.
It’s understandable that Lutz and Greene are also asking for more money, the report goes on to say, especially since what they were offered by Summit for the fifth installment is nothing short of “insulting” and given that they too have now reached international star status. On the other hand, Pattinson, Stewart and Lautner have been promised bigger paychecks so perhaps Lutz and Greene should get a raise as well. Still, Summit is determined to have the fifth film done its way, even if that means risking to lose a few members of the original cast, because it’s looking to minimize production costs.
“The studio wants to move quickly to pull the trigger on the two movies – which it won’t until the talent deals are further along – and it isn’t afraid to recast if agreements can’t be reached. Plus, it has even more reason to be concerned about costs this time around. As is typical with blockbuster franchises, the ‘Twilight’ movies are becoming more expensive with each installment. […] Summit also is eyeing another cost-cutting measure for the final installments. A deal is currently being negotiated to move the production to Louisiana (the first was shot in Portland and the second two in Vancouver and Italy). Luring ‘Twilight’ would be a huge ‘get’ for the state – and, given the tax credits, a money-saver for the studio,” THR further argues.