The Hollywood Reporter's Risky Business blog reported a rumor that horror director and Guillermo del Toro protege Juan Antonio Bayona has emerged as one of the finalists to direct Eclipse, the third movie in Stephenie Meyer's Twilight franchise.

The blog cites anonymous sources; the studio declined to comment, and a representative said producers were looking at a number of candidates, the blog reported.

Bayona's name has come up in recent months, though generally in a group of other directors, including Paul Weitz, Drew Barrymore and James Mangold.

Bayona's name surfaced in recent days as the man who could land the job, in what would mark a bold departure for the franchise.

If he does come aboard, the studio would have brought on a female coming-of-age girl director in Catherine Hardwicke for the first Twilight picture; a mainstream Hollywood comedy director, Chris Weitz, for the sequel, New Moon; and a genre helmer for the third picture.

Bayona, a 33-year-old Spaniard, gained critical praise for El Orfanato/The Orphanage under del Toro's guiding hand.