Twilight: Eclipse Set to Begin in August

Looks like the folks at Summit Entertainment know a good thing when they see one. According to trade tracking site Production Weekly via Twitter, with shooting on “Twilight: New Moon” still in progress and set for a November 20, 2009 bow, the third installment in the popular vampire series will commence production in Vancouver on August 17 and run through October 31. If you’re date-handicap, that means the third movie will wrap up production a full month before the second part even opens in theaters.

As previously reported, the third installment (officially called “The Twilight Saga: Eclipse”) will be directed by David Slade (”30 Days and Night” and “Hard Candy”) from a script by Melissa Rosenberg, who also wrote the first and second movie. Slade has taken some heat from comments he made about his lack of interest in the “Twilight” books and movies, but seems to have turned around after being offered the job. As they say, money talks, that other thing eats crow.

Here’s a quick rundown of the third movie, “Eclipse”, based on the novel by Stephanie Meyer:

The third episode of Meyer’s vampire-romance series finds heroine Bella Swan anxious to become a vampire and live forever with handsome vampire Edward. Obstacles arise when Edward demands marriage and werewolf Jacob declares his love for Bella. Eventually, the Cullen vampires and the Quileute werewolves unite to face off against a pack of uncontrollable vampires seeking revenge on Bella.

Oh, vampire-werewolf true love, why must you be so difficult?

Below: “Wait? Shooting in August? That doesn’t leave a lot of time for my daily oil rub downs, gosh darn it.”