For several days now, bloggers have been abuzz about the
supposed local version of Twilight that will be topbilled by Rayver Cruz
and Shaina Magdayao. Rumors stated that ABS-CBN would be doing a local version
of the vampire story and that it would be called Takipsilim.
The rights of the so-called TV version was said to have been bought by ABS-CBN
for over US$1 million with Ignite Media as co-producer. It even stated that the
taping would begin by February 2009 with locations such as Baguio, Tagaytay,
Bukidnon and even abroad. Cathy Garcia Molina is listed as the director of the
fictitious TV show that would have starred Rayver as the 107-year old vampire
Edward Cullen and Shaina as the human teenager Bella Swan.
The unofficial list of cast members also included names such
as Valeen Montenegro as Alice Cullen, Gabby Concepcion as Dr. Carlisle Cullen,
Luis Manzano as Emmett Cullen, Al Tantay as Charlie Swan, Yayo Aguila as Renee
Dwyer, Fred Payawan as Jacob Black, Carlos Agassi as James, Chin Chin Gutierrez
as Esme Cullen, Karylle as Rosalie Hale, Joross Gamboa as Jasper Hale, Jessy
Mendiola as Jessica Stanley, Empress Schuck as Angela Weber, Brad Murdoch as
Laurent, Nikki Bacolod as Victoria, and Aaron Villaflor as Mike Newton.
Fans reacted negatively to the "press release" of Takipsilim that was
published by the website of ABS-CBN and also mentioned by Hollywood blogger
Perez Hilton. Enraged fans even put up an online petition asking the Kapamilya Network
to not push through with the plan of doing a Filipino version of the film,
which is based on a novel written by Stephenie Meyer. To date, there are over
7,600 entries in the "Say no to Twilight, Filipino Version!"
petition.
In a text message sent earlier today to PEP (Philippine Entertainment Portal),
ABS-CBN Corporate Communications head Bong Osorio denied that the Kapamilya
Network is in the process of making a TV version of the first installment of
the Twilight series.