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Summit announces third 'Twilight'

'Eclipse' to be released June 30, 2010

By DAVE MCNARY

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Fresh off the success of “Twilight,” Summit Entertainment has set “Eclipse” as the third pic in the vampire series, with a mid-summer release date of June 30, 2010.

“Twilight,” which launched Nov. 21, has generated $189 million domestically and another $174 million overseas. Summit is expected to begin production shortly on “New Moon,” the second film in the series, with a planned Nov. 20 opening.

Chris Weitz replaced “Twilight” director Catherine Hardwicke on “New Moon,” but the key thesps -- Robert Pattinson as Edward, Kristen Stewart as Bella and Taylor Lautner as Jacob -- reprise their roles.

Melissa Rosenberg, who penned the “Twilight” and “New Moon” scripts, is working on “Eclipse.” Summit hasn’t yet selected a director for “Eclipse,” in which Bella is forced to choose between Edward and Jacob.

The four books in Stephenie Meyer’s series have sold more than 17 million copies worldwide.

In “New Moon,” the Jacob character becomes a central figure in the plot as Bella is drawn into the world of the werewolves, the ancestral enemies of vampires.