Kristen Stewart ("Into the Wild," "Panic Room") has signed on to star in Summit Entertainment's vampire thriller romance "Twilight" which Catherine Hardwicke ("Thirteen," "Lords of Dogtown") will helm reports the trades.

Based on Stephenie Meyer's young-adult novel, the story centers on a 17-year-old girl named Bella Swan who moves to a small town to live with her father. She soon becomes drawn to her mysterious classmate Edward who seems determined to push her away - seems he's a vampire.

Their unorthodox romance puts her in physical danger when Edward's nemesis comes to town and sets his sights on Bella. The book has yielded several sequels and Summit hopes for a potential franchise from this.

Melissa Rosenberg adapted the screenplay and shooting is scheduled to begin in February.