In an act of really quick thinking, Summit Entertainment announced today that they’ve moved their romance thriller Twilight up to November 21, 2008, taking the slot recently vacated by Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.

The teen vampire flick was originally scheduled to arrive in theaters on December 12, 2008, which would have put it head to head with Fox’s The Day The Earth Stood Still remake starring Keanu Reeves. Just yesterday, Warner Bros. announced that the sixth Harry Potter film would be moved from November 21, 2008 to July 17, 2009 to make it a summer tentpole release.

Summit’s decision will not only bring Twilight to the hordes of eagerly awaiting fans nearly a month sooner, but will also allow the film to play in more theatres prior to the holiday movie-going season where traditionally screen time for any popular film is limited, according to the studio.

Based on Stephenie Meyer‘s best-selling novel, Catherine Hardwicke-directed film stars Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart. Twilight tells the story of 17-year-old Bella Swan (Stewart) who moves to the small town of Forks, Washington to live with her father, and becomes drawn to Edward Cullen (Pattinson), a pale, mysterious classmate who seems determined to push her away. But neither can deny the attraction that pulls them together … even when Edward confides that he and his family are vampires. Their unorthodox romance puts her in physical danger when Edward’s nemesis comes to town and sets his sights on Bella.