April 23, 2009

'New Moon' Photo Introduces The Werewolves

By Eric Ditzian (MTV.com)

Here it is: the first official photo from New Moon. There's only one, but with months to go before the Twilight sequel comes out November 20, all you devoted fans are surely ravenous for any and all news about the vampire franchise.

The photo, obtained by USA Today, shows four of the Quileute werewolves: Chaske Spencer, Alex Meraz, Kiowa Gordon and Bronson Pelletier. The fifth, of course, is Taylor Lautner, whose character begins to form a deeper bond with Bella (Kristen Stewart) after her vampire lover, Edward (Robert Pattinson), skips town.

All the actors are of American Indian heritage, just like their characters in the book. "They had to have papers that proved their heritage," director Chris Weitz told USA Today.

The reason the werewolf boys have their shirts off - aside from pleasing fans - is that their body temperature runs 108 degrees, a fact that has made filming outdoors in Vancouver at times quite uncomfortable.

"It's not pleasant for the actors," Weitz said. "But they have all been good-natured. They show up on location in drenching, cold rain, and I say, 'OK, off with the robes.' "

To get into fighting shape, Weitz said, the actors "went through wolf camp together, and they are in constant training. It paid off as a bonding thing for them and helped them to get to know one another. They drove each other to get more buff."

The shadowy, menacing photo seems to confirm early talk from cast and crew that New Moon will take on a decidedly darker tone than the original. After all, the novel includes a plotline in which Bella gets attacked and becomes an adrenaline junkie and Edward finds himself severely depressed.

"It's got werewolves, it's got visual effects that turn people into werewolves, it's got motorcycle stunts, you go to Italy," original Twilight director Catherine Hardwicke told MTV News. "It's probably twice as much as [the first film]."