Dakota Fanning confirmed for 'New Moon'

Dakota Fanning is confirmed to play Jane in "The Twiilight Saga: New Moon."

Credit: AP Photo/Chris Pizzello

Summit Entertainment officially confirmed this weekend the longstanding rumor that Dakota Fanning is joining the cast of "The Twilight Saga: New Moon."

Fanning, who appeared in Summit's "Push" last month, will play Jane, a sweet, but sneaky vampire that Edward (Robert Pattinson) meets during the Italian portion of his journey in "New Moon."  In the novel, Jane is a member of the Volturi guard that tortures Edward with her mental powers.  She also tries to affect Bella (Kristen Stewart), but the human is able to withstand her attack.  Jane's character should return in "The Twilight Saga: Eclipse" and, if it's eventually greenlit, "Breaking Dawn."

Just this week, Fanning joined Stewart in the biopic "The Runaways" playing the band's lead singer Cheri Currie.  

The 15-year-old high school student has been busy of late.  Besides "Push," she appeared in last fall's "The Secret Life of Bees" and voiced the lead character in the hit 3-D animated flick "Coraline."

"The Twilight Saga: New Moon" is expected to begin shooting sometime this month in anticipation of a Nov. 20 release.

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