We received the following from Summit Entertainment:

“In light of recent events, and in case of future occurrences, we have created an e-mail address ([email protected]) for all fans to submit any links they see hosting leaked content from THE TWILIGHT SAGA: BREAKING DAWN. If we need additional information, we will contact the individual directly.”

The leaks of this week surpassed what happened last year. Last year an individual hacked into the server where official studio stills were kept, shared them with friends, and they were eventually posted online. This person, after a year of court maneuvers, was eventually tracked down to her home in Sweden and was successfully prosecuted.

There was also similar action taken against the person who put the Wolverine footage online. Note he didn’t steal it, he just got caught distributing it and that is enough for prosecution in a federal case. Copyright violation is a federal offense!

For the above reasons, and the fact that we just think it’s wrong to steal raw footage and distribute things that aren’t yours, we aren’t posting any leaked footage. Please as always keep this type of info out of links in blog comments, or those comments will be deleted. Also if you are lucky enough to get a copy of the official guide early, please don’t disclose what’s in it (we have seen a couple of mentions online). It’s like forcing someone to look a their Christmas present early whether they want to or not.

We just received the following from Summit Entertainment regarding photos/footage from Breaking Dawn that was leaked onto the Internet yesterday and today.

Dear Twilight Saga fans,

Stephenie Meyer, Bill Condon, Wyck Godfrey and Summit Entertainment

We will not be posting the photos here. As per our usual policy regarding unauthorized items, links to the photos in comments will be deleted and the user banned.

Summit Entertainment addressed some confusion on how the Tsunami was affecting the Breaking Dawn cast. Various versions of what was happening with the cast started to emerge on Twitter and elsewhere. They released this brief statement on their official Facebook page in order to quell rumor and desensationalize the story as it related to their cast and crew:

“Due to the tsunami advisory, filming of The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn has been delayed. All cast and crew were evacuated to the movie production’s base camp. Everyone is safe and sound.”

The cast and crew were filming in the Tofino area which is on the coast. It’s the same area where some of the cliff diving sequences were shot for New Moon. The cast was onsite when moved very early this morning local Pacific Time as a precaution.

Much of the West Coast of North and South America is/was under Tsunami advisory/warning. Additionally, it should be noted that LaPush is also under the same warning. Current thought (as we post this at 1:30 East Coast Time) is that they are not anticipating major damage in the area, but people along the coast should listen to local authorizes and abide by their directives as to what is considered “safe ground”.

Several cast members such as Peter Facinelli and Gil Birmingham took to their Twitters with prayers for the victims. Several organizations such as the Red Cross, Shelter Box, and others are reaching out.

The Hollywood reporter got the exclusive on what is happening over at Summit in regards to refinancing. Talk of this first started earlier this year, but now, The Hollywood Reporter has learned the following:

“Vampires turn out to be a bloody good investment.

Soaring with the success of the Twilight movie franchise, Summit Entertainment is on the verge of closing $750 million in new financing that will allow the production and distribution company to pay off its high-interest debt load, provide a solid financial footing for the future and pay a $200 million dividend to investors and key members of the management team, The Hollywood Reporter has learned.

The refinancing, expected to close this week, was arranged by J.P. Morgan and UBS AG and consists of a $550 million loan with a term of five and a half years and a $200 million revolving line of credit guaranteed against future revenues from movies, including the two sequels to Twilight currently in production.

That money, plus profits that have accumulated from movie distribution and merchandise licensing, mostly from Twilight, will go to pay off debt from the original formation of the modern Summit in 2007, and monies owed on the current revolving line of credit.”

It’s a pretty impressive deal for a company that has more or less  revamped itself into a solid player in the last five years. See the fine tuned details on The Hollywood Reporter.

According to Bloomberg News (a leading source on all things financial), Summit is now in a position, thanks to the success of the Twilight movies, to pay off debt, finance productions, and pay dividends to investors.

Statistically, most start-up, indie movie companies don’t even break even, they flop. Summit is an exception with the Twilight films putting them in the black, and giving them options they wouldn’t otherwise have had.

“The proposed refinancing includes a $600 million, seven- year term loan and a $200 million revolving credit facility, New York-based Moody’s Investors Service said today in a report giving the company a B1, non-investment grade rating…Summit is benefiting from “significant” cash flow from the “Twilight” films that reduces risk for investors, Moody’s said. The first three movies in the series generated $1.8 billion in global ticket sales, according to Box Office Mojo, an industry researcher. Two more films are planned.”

As an young, indie company Summit has struck some of its notable success with the Twilight films, The Hurt Locker (Academy Award Picture of the Year 2009), Red(which has just been greenlit for a sequel), and Push. See the entire article here on Bloomberg.

EDITED: The LA Times has now added their two cents to the story.

“The studio’s co-chiefs Rob Friedman and Patrick Wachsberger have said that they would consider buying other small entertainment companies or film libraries. They have also said they want to expand into television production through acquisitions or internal investment.

In its analysis, Moodys cited as its chief concern a question often asked in Hollywood: Can Summit maintain its successful track record after releasing the final “Twilight” movies in 2011 and 2012?

“We remain cautious about the sustainability of strong credit metrics beyond 2012,” the Moody’s analysis said, “given the end of the ‘Twilight’ franchise, uncertainty about a replacement franchise and the volatile nature of the company’s business.”

Future improvements or downgrades in the rating, Moody’s added, will depend on the success or failure of its new films that will allow it to pay down debt at a faster or slower rate.”

See the entire LA Times take here.