Summit Entertainment has slated the release date for New Moon -- the sequel to vampire romance Twilight for Friday, November 20, 2009.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Summit distribution boss Richie Fay said "Same time, same place. If it's also the same gross, we'll be very pleased. Hopefully, we'll have even better results."

Execs at Summit -- which announced plans for a sequel on just the second day of release for Twilight -- just confirmed that Chris Weitz (The Golden Compass) will direct New Moon. The minimajor recently parted ways on the project with Catherine Hardwicke, who helmed the original.

Both vampire pics are based on books in the teen literary series by Stephenie Meyer.

Three other films are also set to bow over the Nov. 20 frame -- a particularly choice date as it precedes the Nov. 26 Thanksgiving holiday and thus affords strong openers an almost guaranteed solid second session. Those include Warner Bros.' Guy Ritchie-helmed Sherlock Holmes, starring Robert Downey and Jude Law; Sony's animated feature Planet 51, featuring a voice cast topped by Dwayne Johnson, Seann William Scott and Jessica Beal; and MGM's untitled Three Stooges project, which the Farrelly brothers are directing.

However, with 11 months to go, there likely will be at least some jockeying for the pre-Turkey Day weekend and other key dates in the 2009 holiday season.

Production will begin in March.

The Twilight Saga: New Moon was released November 20th, 2009 and stars Kristen Stewart, Taylor Lautner, Robert Pattinson, Billy Burke, Ashley Greene, Anna Kendrick, Christian Serratos, Michael Welch. The film is directed by Chris Weitz.