LOS ANGELES, Calif. – Catherine Hardwicke helmed the massively successful “Twilight,” making stars out of Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart, along with having the biggest opening weekend ever for a female film director, but she will not return for the vampire sequel, “New Moon.”

Nikki Finke’s Deadline Hollywood Daily first broke the news that Hardwicke would not return and on Sunday the director released a statement toVariety. “I am sorry that due to timing I will not have the opportunity to direct ‘New Moon,’” Hardwicke said in a statement released to the entertainment trade mag. “Directing ‘Twilight’ has been one of the great experiences of my life, and I am grateful to the fans for their passionate support of the film. I wish everyone at Summit the best with the sequel — it is a great story.”