Report: Summit wants fan favorite Chris Weitz to direct 'Breaking Dawn'

Chris Weitz with Ashley Greene, Kristen Stewart and Taylor Lautner on the set of "New Moon."

Credit: Summit Entertainment

The fans and cast have spoken about who they want to direct the last "Twilight" movies and Summit Entertainment has listened.  After the phenomenal response to "The Twilight Saga: New Moon" it appears the mini-major is ready to offer director Chris Weitz the opportunity to direct the fourth and possibly fifth installment "Breaking Dawn."

So far, only screenwriter Melissa Rosenberg has been brought on to help a script for the fan-polarizing fourth chapter, but according to Variety, it's unclear whether she's writing one movie or two.  Summit would like to stretch the moneymaking franchise out further than creator Stephenie Meyer's final novel by breaking it into two films, but the company faces two changing factors in making the decision.

First, Robert Pattinson, Kristen Stewart and Taylor Lautner are all global superstars now.  They trio were only signed to four films originally and if a fifth were ordered would find themselves in a position to demand huge salary increases.  That could easily increase the budget from the $50 million range per film to $70-80 million.

Second, the studio would like Weitz to return, but he's repeatedly told the press he's planning on directing the indie drama "The Gardner" as his "New Moon" follow up.  With Summit in negotiations to finance "Gardner," can they convince the helmer to delay that film and take an extended break from his family to shoot back-to-back "Dawn" features?  And, or, can his agents make it seem even more unappealing in the media to drive his price up even more?  Considering the glowing reviews the cast gave Weitz compared to "Eclipse" director David Slade and the fans adoration of the filmmaker after "New Moon," we'd bet on the later.

"The Twilight Saga: New Moon" has already grossed $481 million worldwide.  Slade's "The Twilight Saga: Eclipse" hits theaters on June 20, 2010.

More updates on this story as it develops on HitFix.