When news first broke that "Twilight" stars were reshooting scenes of the movie, some worried it was a sign that the vampire flick was in trouble. Kellan Lutz, Peter Facinelli and Taylor Lautner assured MTV News, however, that the new scenes were a good thing.
That, of course, only raised more questions about what the new footage would be. Thankfully, when we caught up with Lutz and Robert Pattinson at the VMAs, they gave us a few more morsels about what has changed about the movie, due out on November 21.
"The reshoots are basically flashbacks that can go [along with] big voiceovers," Pattinson (Edward Cullen) said. "Well, not voiceovers, but big scenes that give the exposition and back story of the Cullens."
"It's more about the treaty, and really summarizing what that really is," Lutz, who plays Edward's brother Emmett, explained. "And showing it — showing versus telling."
In the novel, 17-year-old Bella learns of an old peace treaty that was made between a family of vampires and the Quileute Indian tribe, in which the vampires have agreed not to feed on humans (or convert any more vampires) in exchange for being allowed to live peacefully in Forks, Washington. Instead of just showing Bella listening as young Quileute Jacob tells her the story, Lutz said, "we are actually showing the scenes from back in the day ... what actually went on.
"That's so when it's mentioned, people actually have a sense and a vision of really what it was about," Lutz added, "and whose territory was where."
That meant having the actors dress up in newsboy hats, jodhpurs, ties, vests and boots, to give it a period feel. "The wardrobe was amazing," Lutz said. "I loved everything we wore."
Lutz said the new scenes flesh out parts of the novel that had to be condensed for the screen adaptation. "You can't make a movie that's three hours long to do the book justice," he said. "You have to simplify it. So the things we did add, it kind of summarized like 60 pages of material within three. And I think, for the people who haven't read the book — for the 1 percent of you out there, come on, you got to get the book — I think it's really going to help them understand it as a movie."
In addition to the flashback and a scene that includes Jacob in the prom (as he is in the book), some existing footage also had to be reshot for the movie. They redid the meadow scene (making Edward's skin sparkle more in the sunlight), the kiss in Bella's bedroom and Edward's performance of "Bella's Lullaby" in the Cullen house. Despite what director Catherine Hardwicke hinted at Comic Con, the movie won't be using Pattinson's original composition.
"We reshot the 'Bella's Lullaby' scene with a different piece of music," Pattinson explained. "I heard my original one the other day, and I really liked it. I was kind of depressed afterwards, but I like the new one as well. The new one I didn't write; the composer Carter Burwell did it. The new one fits in with the rest of the score, whereas my one was completely random, so unless you want a five-minute scene of just me playing the piano, I guess it's kind of irrelevant."
Pattinson wasn't too upset, however, since Hardwicke has said she'll use two other tracks he wrote.
And there was one big bonus for all of the actors when they reunited on the set this time around: They got a glimpse of what it might be like to do the possible sequels. "Having all the cast together, it's one of those experiences you never want to end," Lutz said. "I hope it never does."
Every Tuesday is "Twilight" Tuesday here at MTV News! Check back here each and every week for the hottest scoop on the film adaptation of Stephenie Meyer's beloved vampire series, and we'll still bring you breaking "Twilight" news throughout the rest of the week. And make sure you check out the MTV Movies Blog for our ongoing "Twilight" discussions each and every day.
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