Twilight Fans, Jacob actor might stay.

Taylor Lautner May Keep Role in Twilight Sequel
By Kristin Boehm

Originally posted Wednesday January 07, 2009 08:30 AM EST
Taylor Lautner
Photo by: Charley Gallay / Getty

You can't keep a good shape shifter down.

Taylor Lautner could reprise his role as Jacob Black in the Twilight sequel New Moon, Entertainment Weekly reports.

Summit Entertainment is expected to announce its decision as early as this week for the next film based on Stephenie Meyer's vampire series. A decision that will make many Twilight – as well as the Lautner, 16 – very happy.

"Jacob is a totally different character in New Moon," Melissa Rosenberg, screenwriter of both Twilight films, tells EW. "He's a foot taller and huge – and he's supposed to look 25. It's really a question of whether or not the same actor can play the role."

Even Lautner recognizes the difference in his character and told MTV last month he had been working out hard enough to gain 19 lbs. and had 10 to go!

Kristen Stewart, 18, is set to return as Bella Swan, and Robert Pattinson, 22, will definitely be her hunky vampire love interest, Edward Cullen. The sequel will be directed by Chris Weitz and released Nov. 20, 2009.

In a recent PEOPLE poll, readers overwhelmingly chose Lautner to stay on rather than be replaced by Michael Copon, 26, in the more mature role.

Rosenberg adds, "'Everyone would love to keep him. We all think he's the loveliest person ever."

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Re: Twilight Fans, Jacob actor might stay.

YAY!!!! I get it, in the new movie he should be bigger and older looking, but he is a cutie!!!!

Re: Twilight Fans, Jacob actor might stay.

He's definitely playing Jacob in New Moon. Saw this on another board today:

"Good news about New Moon from director Chris Weitz:

I'm very happy to announce that Taylor Lautner will be playing Jacob Black in New Moon and that he's doing so with the enthusiastic support of Summit Entertainment, the producers, and Stephenie Meyer.

The characters in Stephenie's books go through extraordinary changes of circumstance and also appearance; so it is not surprising that there has been speculation about whether the same actor would portray a character who changes in so many surprising ways throughout the series. But it was my first instinct that Taylor was, is, and should be Jacob, and that the books would be best served by the actor who is emotionally right for the part. I think that fans of Twilight the book and the movie will be surprised by the Jacob Black that Taylor will bring to the screen in New Moon; and I'm looking forward to working with him and the rest of the cast in realizing the film.

very best

Chris Weitz

I'd just like to add that I was very much a part of this decision. My first priority was always what was best for New Moon—what was going to give us the best possible movie. I'm truly thrilled that Taylor was the one who proved to the director, to Summit, and to me that he is the best possible Jacob we could have. And I'm very much looking forward to seeing what he's going to bring to Jacob's character this year.

- Steph "

Re: Twilight Fans, Jacob actor might stay.

ahh, i just don't really like him as Jacob.

I imagined Jacob differently