‘New Moon’ Volturi Vampires Revealed!

Get to know the ominous ‘Twilight’ bloodsuckers with this quick guide.
By Eric Ditzian

Michael Sheen in “New Moon”

Photo: Summit Entertainment

In trailers and photos, we’ve already seen some of what “New Moon” has in store for Twilighters thirsting for a big-screen vampire fix: There’ll be a more muscle-y Taylor Lautner, as well as Kristen Stewart’s Bella Swan struggling to adjust to life in Forks, Washington, without her beloved Edward Cullen (Robert Pattinson).

Now we get to check out the Volturi, those powerful bloodsuckers based in the ancient Italian city of Volterra who have become a sort of royal governing authority in the vampire world, delivering swift, violent justice to anyone who threatens their way of life.

	Meet The Volturi

These vampires, director Chris Weitz explained in comments released by studio Summit Entertainment, possess “a kind of a tactile reality to them, in spite of how bizarre their situation is, really. The whole point is not to leave Forks, Washington, where everything has really been quite realistic, and then suddenly go to a location that completely throws you out of the movie. And the set, although it’s huge and grand and magnificent, actually feels like a real place.”

With all this in mind, let’s meet the new “New Moon” vampires.

Jane (Dakota Fanning)
She’s a ruthless little one, but in her defense, she had a rough go of it in the days before she was turned into a vampire. Humans thought she and her brother, Alec, were actually witches and decided to burn them alive. The Volturi, who were biding their time before transforming Jane and her bro, were compelled to act earlier than planned. So while Jane may look young, she’s actually been around for a while and maintains a powerful place in the Volturi ranks. Her special ability is to inflict incapacitating pain with her thoughts — a skill she developed after being burned at the stake.

“She’s innocent-looking in appearance but she’s absolutely deadly,” Weitz said.

Caius (Jamie Campbell Bower)
You don’t want to mess with this member of the Volturi coven. Turned around 1300 B.C., Caius is mercilessly cruel. One of the three leaders, he’s gunning to exterminate Edward, Bella and Alice Cullen (Ashley Greene), but Volturi founder Aro decides that isn’t the best course of action.

Alec (Cameron Bright)
Brother to Jane, Alec has risen to become one of the Volturi Guard. As with his sister, it’s unknown when he was transformed, nor exactly how old he truly is. What is known is that both siblings are invaluable to the Volturi: Since joining the coven, the group rarely has to engage in actual fighting — the siblings’ skills allow for the outright slaughter of their enemies.

Marcus (Christopher Heyerdahl)
The first pic of Marcus is creepy, creepy, creepy — the thin, red lips, the hands stretching out toward the camera. Since the death of his wife, Marcus has become detached from the rest of the Volturi leadership. Turned at about 1300 B.C., he’s developed almost zombie-like characteristics and is completely apathetic. Yet he maintains the special ability to perceive the strength of a relationship between two people. In this way, he is well aware of the intensity of Edward and Ella’s connection.

Aro (Michael Sheen)
The founder of the coven and its de facto leader, Aro possesses the ability to read a person’s thoughts simply by touching them. Unfortunately for him, this supernatural skill doesn’t work on Bella.

“[A]fter 2,000 years you’d probably be more than mildly insane,” Weitz said. “No matter how cultured or gracious you appear on the surface. And I think that’s what Michael Sheen managed to portray as Aro, the head of the Volturi — on the surface he’s terribly gracious, warm, a wonderful host, and at the same time he’s lethal and frightening.”

Check out everything we’ve got on “The Twilight Saga: New Moon.”

For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.

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Jack White Plays New Song In ‘It Might Get Loud’ Clip

Documentary footage shows White Stripes frontman writing and recording ‘Fly Farm Blues’ on the fly.
By Eric Ditzian

Jack White in “It Might Get Loud”

He’s been challenge, and Jack White doesn’t back away from a challenge — especially when it involves his electric guitar. He straddles a metal chair in a dingy room on his Nashville farm, grips a pencil in one hand and a tattered notebook in the other, then goes to work.

A camera follows White’s every scribble, the guitar pick clenched between his teeth, the strands of black hair obscuring his face, while director Davis Guggenheim waits patiently to see if the White Stripes frontman can pass this rock-and-roll test.

“I said to Jack, ‘You believe in writing songs fast, that music is over-produced. Write a song now on camera!’ ” Guggenheim told MTV News.

Not only did White write and record a song in less than 10 minutes, but the entire process became a living, breathing, guitar-shredding example of the point Guggenheim’s documentary, “It Might Get Loud,” is trying to make clear: The very best artists make an inextricable connection between emotion, songwriting, expression and music so good you feel it in your bones.

“Get Loud” focuses on White, Led Zeppelin’s Jimmy Page and U2’s the Edge as they come together to jam and split off back to their days of songwriting and everyday living. MTV News has obtained the footage of White’s musical challenge days before the doc comes to theaters Friday. White is no doubt proud of his speedy work, too, as the track, called “Fly Farm Blues,” was available for purchase on iTunes starting Tuesday.

As White explains in the documentary, “If you don’t have a struggle already inside of you or around you, you have to make one up. Something that made you angry or upset or jealous.”

After sketching out the lyrics to “Fly Farm” in pencil, he switches on his old-school reel-to-reel recorder — saying with a shrug, “OK, let’s see” — leans into the mic, and begins to play a stripped-down blues progression.

“Spider got eight legs/ I got two,” he sings. “This guitar got six strings/ But what about you?/ Yeah, what do you got?”

At the end, he puts the guitar down and rewinds the tape, bringing everything to a close as quickly as it started. It’s hard to tell if White is merely playing it cool because he knows he just popped off a kick-ass tune, if the perfectionist inside him is even happy with the work, or if he’s regretting accepting the filmmaker’s challenge. But then he hands the tape over to Guggenheim. Jack White clearly knows he’s pulled off a winner and all he has to do is say — again with a rock-star shrug — “That’s it.”

Check out everything we’ve got on “It Might Get Loud.”

For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.

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Adam Sandler and Seth Rogen in “Funny People”


Photo: Tracy Bennett

Ever since “Knocked Up” came out two years ago and combined with “The 40-year-Old Virgin” to make a one-two comedic punch unlike anything we’d seen since the heyday of Mel Brooks, Hollywood has been eager to see what Judd Apatow would do next.

Now, with his third directorial effort, “Funny People,” arriving in theaters, we present our “cheat sheet,” providing everything you need to know before partaking in this weekend’s “Funny” business.

The Build-Up
In the time leading up to the “Funny People” release, we got the scoop on some big stories. First, we visited the set and watched Adam Sandler, Seth Rogen and the gang do stand-up. Then, we broke the news that Owen Wilson has a small gag in the film. A few months later, Apatow told us about all the silly films that we’ll see Sandler’s George Simmons acting in, from Wilson’s “My Best Friend Is a Robot” to “Merman” and more. Finally, our in-depth journalism got to the bottom of Rogen’s “farting on an airplane” joke.

Knowing Is Half the Battle
Did you know that there’s a “Green Hornet” cameo in the film? Or that one of the movie’s funnymen also composed the soundtrack? For all those details and more, be sure to check out our list of Five Things You Need to Know Before You See “Funny People.”

Judd’s Blog
It’s no secret that MTV News employs some of the best writers in the world — and me too. But we recently gave a blog to a young kid with a dream named Apatow, and he’s been churning out some hilarious material. First, Judd answered questions you haven’t asked yet and gave us an extended sneak peek at Adam Sandler’s hilarious movies-within-the-movie “Merman,” “Sayonara Davey” and “Dog’s Best Friend.” A week later, Judd confessed his nervousness on the eve of the film’s release (and excitement over meeting one of the Jonas Brothers), and then he went out not with a bang or a whimper, but with stream-of-consciousness poetry. Hmmm … we might have to offer this guy a job.

8 Miles of Laughter
Everyone’s been waiting for Eminem to shoot a follow-up to his 2002 acting debut in “8 Mile,” and now he finally has! Well, kind of. The hip-hop hitmaker has one pivotal scene in “Funny People” and actually carries some impressive dramatic heft playing himself. Check out a shot from the scene here — oh, and did we mention that he gets to scream at Ray Romano?

Feast Your Eyes
Want to see Seth in his “Superjew” T-shirt, RZA bringing the funny, or Aziz Ansari as breakout character Randy? Be sure to pore over our “Funny People” flipbook.

Check out everything we’ve got on “Funny People.”

For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.

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Lauren Conrad


Photo: Miranda Penn Turin

Lauren Conrad has already made the leap from the small screen to the world of literature, but is the former “Hills” star and author of the best-selling novel “L.A. Candy” now looking to make the leap to the big screen?

Well, sort of. Conrad recently revealed to the Daily News that she is interested in adapting her novel to the big screen.

“We’re hoping for a movie deal,” Conrad said. “I’m working on [adapting the book for the movies] right now, but I don’t want to commit to anything until I see all my options. We have had a lot of exciting news in that respect, though.”

As for who she’d like to see tackle the role of the book’s protagonist, Jane Roberts, she hasn’t really given that part much thought yet. But People is reporting that Conrad has no plans to act in the film.

“Lauren’s goal is to get into producing — it always was,” a source told the magazine. “It was always to make ‘L.A. Candy’ into a film or TV show. She’s been in talks about it.”

The source added that “no deal [is] in place just yet,” but the film is “her ultimate goal.”

“She would never star in it because she doesn’t want to be an actress,” the source said. “She spent so long on TV. … [She] would love to produce.”

At press time, Conrad’s reps did not return MTV News’ requests for comment about the reports.

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Rachelle Lefevre


Photo: George Pimentel/ Getty Images

They say hell hath no fury like a woman scorned, and as millions of fans have seen, the vampire Victoria was none too pleased with the way the events of “Twilight” played out. Now, life seems to be imitating art, as actress Rachelle Lefevre is angrily speaking out about being fired from the film franchise.

“I was stunned by Summit’s decision to recast the role of Victoria for ‘Eclipse,’ ” the actress said in a statement released Wednesday (July 29), barely 24 hours after Summit Entertainment announced that “Lady in the Water” star Bryce Dallas Howard would be replacing Lefevre for the soon-to-shoot third film, citing “scheduling conflicts with another commitment the actor has made.”

“I was fully committed to the ‘Twilight’ saga and to the portrayal of Victoria,” the 30-year-old actress insisted in her statement, citing a very different version of the events. “I turned down several other film opportunities and, in accordance with my contractual rights, accepted only roles that would involve very short shooting schedules.”

The source of contention for Lefevre, who recently wrapped her second performance as Victoria for this November’s “New Moon,” appears to be her small role in a Dustin Hoffman/ Paul Giamatti drama called “Barney’s Version.”

“My commitment to ‘Barney’s Version’ is only 10 days,” Lefevre explained. “Summit picked up my option for ‘Eclipse.’ Although the production schedule for ‘Eclipse’ is over three months long, Summit said they had a conflict during those 10 days and would not accommodate me.”

Although Lefevre — who has made numerous appearances at fan events over the past year and has proven to be a fan favorite — knew “Barney” would necessitate some maneuvering, the actress said she was shocked to learn that Summit would rather move on without her.

“Given the length of filming for ‘Eclipse,’ never did I fathom I would lose the role over a 10-day overlap,” she explained. “I was happy with my contract with Summit and was fully prepared to continue to honor it. Summit chose simply to recast the part.”

Now, Lefevre won’t be able to finish her arc as the revenge-minded vampire, and fans will need to get used to a different face in the role — along with the knowledge while watching “New Moon” in a few months that Lefevre is being replaced. “I am greatly saddened that I will not get to complete my portrayal of Victoria for the ‘Twilight’ audience,” she said. “This is a story, a theatrical journey and a character that I truly love and about which I am very passionate.”

In closing, Lefevre had warm wishes for her fans and co-stars — if not the studio. “I will be forever grateful to the fan support and loyalty I’ve received since being cast for this role, and I am hurt deeply by Summit’s surprising decision to move on without me,” she said. “I wish the cast and crew of ‘Eclipse’ only the very best.”

Check out everything we’ve got on “New Moon” and “Eclipse.”

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James Cameron


Photo: MTV News

Movie-hype quiz time: Is James Cameron’s “Avatar” the most frantically anticipated movie of the year, the last several years, or the new millennium?

Well, Cameron has been working on his 3-D sci-fi tour de force since 1995, when he first wrote the treatment for a film about aliens, genetic engineering and deep-space war. Along the way he and his team invented a slew of new filmmaking technologies, secured a budget that exceeds $200 million and managed to get the fanatics at San Diego Comic-Con drooling over the prospect of training their eyeballs on 25 minutes of “Avatar” footage months ahead of its December 18 release.

“What people like in their fantasy is a fantasy they can invest in, characters that they can recognize, that they can feel for,” the director told MTV News during the convention. “Then they want to see kick-ass action.”

Several of the clips Cameron screened were indeed heavy on the action. “One of them I think is just off its t–s, off the scale,” he said. “The film builds to this climatic battle and the climatic battle is simultaneously huge but very intense for a small group of characters. And it’s a white-knuckler.”

The “Avatar” screening went a long way toward finally giving fans some concrete, 3-D-enhanced evidence to back up the years’ worth of expectation. “I think there’s two kinds of hype,” Cameron explained. “There’s kind of viral hype, which is what we’re experiencing right now in the complete absence of any imagery. So I said to the studio, ‘Go to Comic-Con and we’ll show ‘em a chunk — a real chunk. We’re not going to tease with some stupid trailer and some slides. We’ll show ‘em 25 minutes of the movie.’ ”

But the imagery-based hype won’t only be confined to the 6,000 or so folks who scored seats for the Con presentation. On August 21, at IMAX theaters around the world, Cameron will show 15 minutes of “Avatar” for free. The director of “Titanic” — which, by the way, remains the highest-grossing movie of all time — knows how to build buzz. And he knows what the public wants.

Yet might Cameron be worried that giving away all this free “Avatar” awesomeness will discourage moviegoers from forking over cash in December? Hardly.

“If you’re there, then you liked what you saw,” he said. “So you’ve already answered the question, ‘OK, can they do the kind of emotional reality that’s been missing from CG?’ And I think all those questions about ‘Can they do it?’ ‘Will it live up?’ — that’s going to be set by the wayside. So now, in a way, you’re free to enjoy the world and enjoy the ride. That’s why I don’t mind showing stuff at this stage.”

MTV News was on the scene at the 2009 San Diego Comic-Con. Visit MTVNews.com, Splash Page, the MTV Movies Blog and Hollywood Crush for videos, interviews and the latest news on “New Moon,” “Iron Man 2″ and everything in between.

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Robert Downey Jr. in “Iron Man 2″


Photo: Paramount Pictures

MANHATTAN BEACH, California — Sure, Spidey takes in all the big box-office dough, Supes is the strongest, and Batman has all those wonderful toys. But with the smash success of “Iron Man,” Tony Stark rocketed himself to the top of the superhero ranks. So when MTV News recently visited the set of the eagerly anticipated sequel, Jon Favreau and Robert Downey Jr. were determined to prove that the first flick was no fluke — and explore the repercussions of a hero exposed.

“That was [Marvel Studios honcho Kevin Feige's] thing, and it was funny ha-ha as an out,” actor-turned-filmmaker Favreau said of the first film’s now-classic finale, in which Downey reveals to the world’s media that he is Iron Man. “And then now, the exciting action of the sequel is asking, ‘What does that really mean to a real person in a real world?’ And then we heighten it for our superhero reality.”

This superhero reality had us visiting Stark’s iconic underground garage — now new and improved with infrared sensors in the floor that allow him to operate his “Minority Report”-esque virtual computer anywhere, not to mention an Obama-inspired Iron Man poster on the wall that was approved by Shepard Fairey himself.

“Half the stuff [Stark] does, he doesn’t ever really know why he did,” Downey said of the billionaire industrialist’s newfound notoriety, which has him entering the sequel (six months later) as a sort of superhero/ reality-show star/ politician-like celebrity. “He does it in the moment.”

“Essentially it’s an inner game, rather than it is about who the nemesis or nemeses are,” Downey said of his own worst enemy in the new film — himself. “But obviously Mickey [Rourke as Whiplash] figures into that, and there’s other challenges as well.”

On the day we visited the set, Stark seemed obsessed with power — but rather than his own, it was a newer, more powerful force whose origins were buried in a message left behind by his deceased father, Howard (“Mad Men” star John Slattery, joining the cast in a series of flashbacks).

“Essentially, there’s a whole energy crisis thing, and he’s having his own energy crisis of sorts,” Downey laughed. “[His suit] was always powered by a spectacular energetic source, but it’s not a Duracell, it’s more of a Rayovac. And so, there’s this crisis of energy and this legacy of his dad and these expos [of Howard's] occurring every decade or so. [The Stark Expo] is a bit of a grail, the grail of the movie.”

“Yeah, [his father had] technical innovations that take everything that he’s involved with to the next level,” Favreau agreed. “Because it’s still a flaw in the technology that he’s working on, and [Tony's work] is still a life-support system of sorts.”

Somewhere in the middle of all this talk of energy, fame and fatherhood is a storyline involving Rourke, Sam Rockwell (“He is just insane,” Downey laughed), a sexier Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow), leather-clad Scarlett Johansson as Black Widow and a there’s-something-different-about-this-guy James Rhodes (previously Terrence Howard, now Don Cheadle).

“There’s a lightness to Robert’s heaviness,” Favreau said of the film’s most powerful weapon, one they’re continuing to embrace as they keep production on track for a May 2010 release date. “We’re trying to maintain the tone that we’ve grown comfortable with. … We’ve never missed an opportunity at all those tension releases, which were not written into the first film. The robots, the crashing into the desert after the escape, the joke at the press conference after the plane shot down — those are all [comedic] opportunities we find, and we don’t pass them up.

“Because,” Favreau added with a grin, “that’s the way we roll.”

Check out everything we’ve got on “Iron Man 2.”

For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.

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