The face of evil will be different next year. Still ringed by long red locks, but otherwise different.
Bryce Dallas Howard, most recently Christian Bale's butt-kicking mate in Terminator Salvation, will be replacing Rachelle Lefevre as the Bella-hating Victoria in next year's threequel, The Twilight Saga: Eclipse.
Lefevre's exit from the franchise has been attributed to scheduling conflicts. (Not because of a real-life relationship with Kristen Stewart that mirrors the one onscreen, or due to an emotional love triangle... See, that's how rumors get started?!) Either way, it makes her the first major cast member to leave midsaga.
The 30-year-old Canadian beauty will bare her fangs for the last time in New Moon, which starts biting into the winter box office Nov. 20.
"We are incredibly happy that Bryce has agreed to come into the franchise," Erik Feig, president of Worldwide Production and Acquisitions for Summit Entertainment, said in a statement Tuesday.
"Rachelle brought ‘Victoria' to great screen life and Bryce will bring a new dimension to the character. The franchise is lucky to have such a talented actress as Bryce coming in to fill the role."
So it will be Howard who seduces newborn vampire Riley, to be played by fellow Twilight newcomer Xavier Samuel in Eclipse, due in theaters June 30, 2010. Cameras start rolling in Vancouver next month.
Well, Summit Entertainment's incredibly happy about bringing Howard onboard. Do you get über-villain vibes from the porcelain-skinned redhead, or are you...concerned?
