January 06, 2009

'Twilight' Cast: What Will They Be Up To In 2009?

By Larry Carroll (MTV.com)

Whether you love the Twilight phenomenon or think it sucks harder than a hungry Nomad, you'd be a foolish moviegoer to deny the fact that its fresh-faced young stars' newly bestowed Hollywood clout will influence dozens of films in the years to come. Much like American Graffiti, Dazed and Confused or American Pie before it, each of the series' breakout actors will now head off to forge their own careers - with dreams of becoming more Harrison Ford than Mackenzie Phillips.

2009 is a big year for the cast, featuring a mix of films they shot before Twilight took off and a few others offered to them once the buzz began. Several stars have chosen to go the horror route, while a few others have opted for loftier art flicks that will debut in a few weeks at Sundance - and at least one Twilight star will soon be seen shimmying around a stripper pole. So, without further ado, we offer this countdown of the 10 Most Eagerly Anticipated 2009 Films From the Twilight Stars.

10. My Bloody Valentine 3-D
It's based on an underground horror classic, features part-time vampire Edi Gathegi, and boasts the tagline: "Nothing says 'date movie' like a 3-D ride to hell!" Check out our bloody exclusive clip from the flick about a deranged coal miner hunting down teenage victims, and imagine that pickax coming at you in a darkened theater with those 3-D glasses on. This January 16 release feels like a good old-fashioned guilty pleasure, and that's no miner feat.

9. Shrink
If there's one thing Twilighters love (well, besides black T-shirts), it's Miss Ashley Greene. Which is most likely the reason I began receiving e-mails within hours of her film Shrink being chosen for this year's Sundance, asking what this under-the-radar flick is all about. Well, the film features Greene alongside Kevin Spacey, Keke Palmer, Robin Williams and The Ruins star Laura Ramsey, telling the story of a psychiatrist-to-the-stars (Spacey) who attempts to help a troubled teen girl. When the shrink discovers that she is entranced by the very same Hollywood figures whose flaws he knows so intimately, he sees the worlds of reality and fantasy colliding with him in the middle.

8. The Unborn
Five words why Twilighters will see this ghost movie: Cam Gigandet in his undies. Four words on why their boyfriends will, too: Odette Yustman in hers. And the allure for everyone else? It's a freaky flick boasting icky bugs, creepy kids and a horrific scene with the glory hole from hell. Those looking forward to Cam playing a kind, sympathetic boyfriend might not want to watch this clip, but we can all look forward to seeing him alongside Gary Oldman, Meagan Good and the rest of this impressive cast when haunts theaters January 9.

7. Dread
Last night I was watching Comedy Central at midnight, and a God-awful movie called Senior Skip Day came on, starring a bunch of bad actors trying too hard to meld Ferris Bueller with American Pie, a bloated Tara Reid and Jackson Rathbone? Even as a half-baked stoner in that straight-to-video crapfest, the young star otherwise known as Jasper Hale was hard to look away from. There's something very watchable about the charismatic Rathbone, which is why we're eager to see Dread, a Clive Barker horror flick that marks his first leading-man role. It sounds like it'll be a terrifying film to watch - and Dread doesn't even need a Tara Reid cameo.

6. Adventureland
The sort of sweet-sounding movie that mainstream Hollywood rarely makes anymore, it's the follow-up from the director of Superbad (Greg Mottola), and features an impressive cast. Backing up one Miss Kristin Stewart is The Squid and the Whale star Jesse Eisenberg, as well as Kristen Wiig, Bill Hader, Ryan Reynolds and other notables. Set in 1987, the flick tells the story of a college grad (Eisenberg) planning to travel around Europe, until his parents reveal that they can no longer fund his trip. Forced to instead spend the summer working at a low-rent amusement park, he's living a miserable existence of cotton candy and crying kids - until he falls in love with an '80s chick who looks a lot like Bella Swan. Adventureland was also recently picked for Sundance, so you can bet we'll be all over it when we hit Utah later this month.

5. Up in the Air
Ever since we broke the news about this project back in the day, we've been eager to see what one of our favorite directors, Jason Reitman, has in store. Then came news that the too-sweet-for-words Anna Kendrick landed the much-contested lead role, starring opposite George Clooney. Based on the 2001 novel of the same name, Up in the Air tells the story of a business traveler on a quest to land a million frequent-flyer miles; advance buzz is already hyping up the film's awards-season hopes, and we're wondering if Kendrick could be in for an Ellen Page-in-Juno-like breakout. Thundercats are go!

4. Pandorum
Maybe it's because the plot sounds a bit like Sunshine. Perhaps it's because it co-stars faves like Ben Foster, Dennis Quaid and Norman Reedus. Or, most likely, it's because it'll feature Cam Gigandet in outer space! Regardless, the first couple photos from Pandorum got us even more excited about the flick, which the artist formerly known as James the killer vampire describes thusly: "It's basically this group of people who are stuck on a spaceship that has left Earth and won't be going back, and things go horribly wrong." When the movie hits theaters September 9, we'll be sure to save you a seat.

3. Welcome to the Rileys
If Bella Swan really became a stripper, she'd most likely fall off the stage and leave a trail of dollar bills fluttering through the air. But Kristen Stewart is one of the most beautiful young actresses in Hollywood, and her dancing skills have already been displayed in films like The Yellow Handkerchief and What Just Happened? Now, the daring 18-year-old star is putting the finishing touches on Welcome to the Rileys opposite James Gandolfini, playing a troubled exotic dancer who helps bring a couple back together after the death of their daughter. If any of the Twilight stars have an Oscar in their future, our money is on it being KStew.

2. Little Ashes
We know him as Spunk Ransom, we know him as RPattz, and in 2008 we came to know Robert Pattinson as a hair-raising, riot-causing international superstar. Now, the in-demand actor has several projects in the works, but none are more anticipated than Little Ashes, an indie flick about surrealist artist Salvador Dalí. Thankfully, the movie looks much better than Rob's mustache, and advance buzz is building. Soon enough, the world will know if RPattz is truly a wunderkind or a one-hit wonder.

1. New Moon
It's got a new director, a super-fast turnaround time, and several key casting decisions yet to be made. But, to borrow a phrase from Eric Yorkie: Chillax! Stephenie Meyer has already given her thumbs-up to the sequel, scripted by returning screenwriter Melissa Rosenberg, and everybody from Rob and Kristen to Kellan Lutz, Ashley Greene and Peter Facinelli are in like Flynn. Not only is the November 20 release a no-brainer for the most anticipated Twilight-related movie of 2009, but to millions of die-hard fans, it's the single most anticipated flick of the year. Better keep those Tuesdays open, folks.