Bayona: Another Potential Eclipse Director?

More rumors are swirling about the potential "Eclipse" director, and officials close to the project aren't denying the validity.

Juan Antonio Bayona has emerged as one of the finalists in recent days as a contender to direct "Eclipse." Bayona's experience as a horror director would undoubtedly bring a darker feel to the third book in the series, which has a darker feel than either "Twilight" or "New Moon."

A rep for Summit says that producers are looking at a number of candidates. Bayona's name has come up in recent months, along with an eclectic group of other directors ranging from Paul Weitz to Drew Barrymore to James Mangold.

The Hollywood Reporter says: "Bayona, for those who don't follow foreign horror directors, is a hot property -- the 33-year-old Spaniard who goes mainly by his last name has been championed by "Pan's Labyrinth" and "The Hobbit" director del Toro, who has produced and/or godfathered his work. Bayona received rave reviews for his Spanish-language "Orphanage,' the Picturehouse-released Gothic tale about childhood and loss that was rife with spooks. He's currently signed on to direct the dystopian thriller "Hater" for Universal."

Bayona's credits include movies such as "Hater," a thriller about an epidemic of random violence in which ordinary people strike lethally without warning or remorse.