rHodas: Taylor Lautner's Post-'Twilight' Career: What's Next?

Thursday, February 2, 2012

Taylor Lautner's Post-'Twilight' Career: What's Next?

Now that 'Stretch Armstrong' is off Lautner's schedule, 'Twilight' Tuesday takes a closer look at the young actor's future.
By Kara Warner

Taylor Lautner
Photo: Jeff Kravitz/Film Magic

Now that we've had a day or so to digest the news that "Twilight" star Taylor Lautner will not be gracing the big screen as super bendy, slightly superheroic Stretch Armstrong, it's time to turn the focus of this week's "Twilight" Tuesday toward analyzing this latest development in Lautner's post-Jacob career.

Word on the street is that Lautner dropped out of the film due to scheduling conflicts, but exactly what conflicts he may or may not have are the mystery. Last we heard, the teen heartthrob was in talks with Oscar winner Gus Van Sant to make a small-budget film based on a nonfiction article from The New Yorker. A quieter role in a more indie film could be just what Lautner needs post-"Twilight."

"He's got the right determination and ambition to continue on, even through bumps in the road," IMDb Managing Editor Keith Simanton told MTV News of Lautner's staying power. "Someone he reminds me a little bit of is Hayden Christenson. People make fun of him and have never seen his performance in 'Shattered Glass,' and he's also very good in 'Life as a House.' Because the only thing people know him from are big movies, the franchises that are in some ways an albatross in the way of a career."

Boxoffice.com's Phil Contrino suggested that Lautner focus on more grown-up projects with big-name, respected directors.

"He can, and most likely will, rebound. The key to his success will be picking the right directors to work with," Contrino said. "He needs to stay away from teen-skewing flicks and go for adult, like Robert Pattinson is doing by working with David Cronenberg."

Lautner reportedly dropped out of the superhero film "Max Steel" and extreme-flying flick "Northern Lights" to make room for "Stretch," which means he has plenty of time from now until next November to do a film before the promo machine kicks back into gear for "The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2." And then there's the adaptation of the popular YA novel "Incarceron," which Lautner was circling in its development stages the last time we checked in with him.

What should Taylor Lautner do next? Tweet @karawarner to sound off on this week's "Twilight" Tuesday!

Check out everything we've got on "The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2."

For young Hollywood news, fashion and "Twilight" updates around the clock, visit HollywoodCrush.MTV.com.

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