New Moon director Chris Weitz said he “sympathizes” with fans who just want to watch scenes featuring Robert Pattinson.

Chris, 29, explained how they got round the fact that Robert Pattinson’s character Edward Cullen isn’t in a lot of the movie, which has been adapted from the novel by Stephenie Meyer.

He said to The Hollywood Reporter: “There are two heartthrobs in this movie, not just Rob, but Taylor Lautner. Part of the point was that Edward was away.

“Readers of the book know this and appreciate it. The story is about loss and heartache; he is present as an absence. Bella is always thinking of him and affected by him.

“His return to the film is really powerful and made more so by not having millions of ‘back at the ranch’ scenes.

“And the middle of the movie is sustained by Kristen’s [Stewart] amazing performance and by Taylor doing a lovely job as her best friend.

“There are people who would like nothing more than two hours of Rob Pattinson standing there, and I sympathise with them. But I think they’ll appreciate getting him back after the second act.”