'Twilight' lawsuit claim a hoax

Twilight star Robert Pattinson. Photo / AP

Reports suggesting that the production of New Moon, the highly anticipated sequel to teen vampire film Twilight, has been "shut down" due to a plagiarism claim have been exposed as a hoax.

Several internet reports claimed production work on the sequel, filmed in Canada, came to a standstill as the result of a plagiarism claim lodged against author Stephenie Meyer.

British tabloid The Sun reported that the author had been hit with a lawsuit by Heidi Stanton, who studied alongside Meyer at Brigham Young University in Utah. Their report claimed Stanton had identified similarities between the Twilight storyline and a short story she wrote while the pair where studying together.

The newspaper reported that Stanton filed her lawsuit last week, saying, "Quite frankly, I was shocked when I began watching the movie with my husband last week.

"I immediately told him that she got that idea from me! I wrote a fictional short story with the same ideas when we were in college together."

A spokesperson for Summit Entertainment, the film studio behind the vampire sequel, said:

"There is absolutely no truth to the rumour about any interruption to the filming of New Moon. The production of the film has not been stalled or interrupted in any way and filming continues as planned.

"Additionally, after consulting with Stephenie Meyer and her publishers, speculation about any claims of plagiarism are also completely not true. This is a hoax, pure and simple.

"The Internet, for all of its assets, can still be an easy breeding ground for such hoaxes and detractors, and we hope that people will not be duped so easily, and use appropriate diligence before perpetuating everything or anyone that claims to have information about the Twilight franchise."

New Moon is slated for release on November 19th, 2009.

- NZ HERALD ONLINE