Basic Info

Made By: Summit Entertainment
Director: Chris Weitz
Status: In Theater Run
Budget: $50 Million
Production Began: March 23, 2009
Production Ended: May 31, 2009
US Release Date: November 20, 2009

Synopsis: Bella Swan is devastated by the abrupt departure of her vampire love, Edward Cullen but her spirit is rekindled by her growing friendship with the irresistible Jacob Black. Suddenly she finds herself drawn into the world of the werewolves, ancestral enemies of the vampires, and finds her loyalties tested.

MPAA Rating: PG-13 for some violence and action.
Run Time: 130 min
Taglines: N/A

Links: IMDb | Movie Images






Filming Locations

• Vancouver
• Montepulciano, Italy

Theatrical Trailers

High-Res DVD Cover

Movie Trivia

• Catherine Hardwicke, director of Twilight (2008), the first movie in the Twilight Saga, was set to be the director of ‘New Moon’ as well. Unfortunately, due to scheduling conflicts, Hardwicke had to back out.

• After months of speculation and rumors, Director Chris Weitz and the novel’s author, Stephenie Meyer, confirmed on her official website that Taylor Lautner would be reprising his role as Jacob Black. It was doubted as the filmmakers feared he would not be able to become fit enough in time. However, he was given the go-ahead after gaining 26 pounds of muscle.

• Each member of the wolf pack had to have papers proving their Native decent. Spencer is Lakota (Sioux), Pelletier is Cree-Metis, Meraz is Purepecha (Tarasco), Gordon is Hualapai, and Houseman, who was discovered at an open casting call, is Cree.

• Actors of the wolf pack went through “wolf camp” together to get buff and bond with each other.

• Shares filming location of Montepulciano, Italy with ‘Diane Lane’s romantic comedy Under the Tuscan Sun (2003) and the coming of age/study abroad documentary Di passaggio (2009).

• During the filming of Bella’s birthday party, Jackson Rathbone got so into character that both Peter Facinelli and Kellan Lutz had to hold him back. During one of the takes, Elizabeth Reaser was knocked to the ground.

• Because it took 36 hours to turn ‘Nikki Reed’’s brown hair blond, it was reported that she would wear a wig to play Rosalie.

• Noot Seear was painted completely white, despite she haven’t been tanning in 2 months.

• Chris Weitz’s third movie based on a bestselling book.

• This is the first (and to date only) time director Chris Weitz handles a movie about vampires. However his grandmother had a lead role in the Spanish vampire filmDrácula (1931) and his brother Paul Weitz directed Cirque du Freak: The Vampire’s Assistant (2009) featuring vampires.

• Actress Brenna Roth gave actor Robert Pattinson a bottle of self tanner and a hair brush while on set as a practical joke. She was shot in the scene with him at a later time due to this prank.

• Director Chris Weitz said this was a easier process than his other film The Golden Compass (2007) as he found “a lot less interference from Summit [Entertainment] and a lot more understanding of the books than New Line had of The Golden Compass” – which Chris said ended up being “completely re-cut” by the studio. He think that Summit Entertainment “understands the importance of the [Twilight] books – members of which who have read the books and appreciate them – not just see them as engines of possible profit”.

• This marks the first time Chris Weitz directs a sequel. He was however signed on to direct a sequel to his former movie – The Golden Compass (2007). A sequel which was supposed to be released in late 2009, the same time as The Twilight Saga: New Moon (2009).

• Ashley Greene wore a different wig than the one she wore in Twilight, to portray Alice Cullen. She also cut her hair quite short so that it could fit under the wig.

• Jamie Campbell Bower, who stars as Vulturi member Caius, did originally audition for the role of Edward Cullen in Twilight.

• “New Moon” is actually Robert Pattinson’s favorite book in the Twilight series.

• Film Editor Peter Lambert edited a portion of the film during his daily commute. This may be the first major motion picture in which the biggest portion of the first assembly of the film was edited in the backseat of a car.