Twilight Saga: Juan Antonio Bayona Set to Direct Eclipse?

With the Twilight sequel New Moon under two weeks away from starting production in Vancouver, it appears Summit Entertainment is set to tap Spanish director Juan Antonio Bayona to helm the third Twilight adaptation, Eclipse. The new director news for Eclipse comes via Variety despite the fact that Summit has not issued an official confirmation. As reported by Variety, Twilight fans should know soon, "Summit, which had no comment Wednesday, is expected to make the official announcement soon. The minimajor recently gave "Eclipse" a release date of June 30, 2010."

Although some Twilight and New Moon fans may not be familiar with the previous films of Bayona, Eclipse readers can watch the 2008 horror movie The Orphanage, directed by Juan Antonio, to see how the Bayona style will mesh with the Stephenie Meyer based Eclipse, which will star Robert Pattinson, Kristen Stewart, and Taylor Lautner.

However, fans of Twilight, New Moon, and Eclipse should also take note that Juan Antonio Bayona has worked under stylistic visualist director Guillermo Del Toro who helmed the Hellboy movies, the visually ominous Pan's Labyrinth, and the upcomming Hobbit. So what does all of this mean for the tone of the Stephenie Meyer Based Eclipse? It certainly indicates that after New Moon closes up Twilight shop, Eclipse, from a visual directing standpoint, may be much more stylistic and deliberate in exposing the darker qualities of the Twilight saga in terms of fear and suspenseful tension. The Bayona film The Orphanage was one of the better, well-constructed horror films of 2008.

So what does this say about all of the recent Twilight rumors that suggested Drew Barrymore and director Paul Weitz, brother of New Moon director Chris Weitz, were on tap to direct Eclipse?

Aside from a lot of wasted white background with Eclipse related black text in recent weeks, it's a reminder for fans to still take any Twilight headlines with a "?" lightly until Summit officially sounds off. In the case of Juan Antonio Bayona tapped to direct the third Twilight adaptation, Eclipse, Variety wouldn't be reporting it if there wasn't something credibly Twilight to it.

By Larson Hill