'Breaking Dawn' Didn't 'Make Sense' For James Franco, Director Says

Picture in your mind James Franco sparkling in the sunlight with red vampire eyes, because director Bill Condon told MTV that the actor almost (sort of) was cast in "Breaking Dawn." The "Rise of the Planet of the Apes" star has long been lamenting the fact that he could not be a part of the "Twilight" film series, of which he has admitted to being a big fan. During an appearance on "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" in December, Franco even admitted that he petitioned for a role in the "Breaking Dawn" movies but was turned down. So when MTV News had a chance to catch up with Condon at San Diego Comic-Con while he was promoting "The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1," we couldn't resist asking the director if there was any truth to the rumor Franco has been spreading. The short answer: There is. "He told a friend of mine who then sent a message along to me," Condon explained. "For a moment it was like, what could James Franco play that doesn't feel like 'Where's Waldo?' I really thought about it for a second, and nothing made sense." The only roles open to Franco would have been as one of the new vampires in the covens who come to support the Cullens against the Volturi, and Condon felt that between Franco's star power and his busy schedule, it would not have been a good fit. "I think he thinks this somehow involves some big rejection of the idea. It wasn't that," Condon explained. "If it had made sense, and frankly if I had called and said 'do you want to play that vampire from that country,' it would have involved hanging around for two months in a scene with 80 people, and I don't know if he really would have wanted to do it." Check out everything we've got on "The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1." For young Hollywood news, fashion and "Twilight" updates around the clock, visit HollywoodCrush.MTV.com. Josh Horowitz and Bill Condon Photo: MTV News