Robert Pattinson looks to be treading a similar career path as his Goblet of Fire co-star Daniel Radcliffe — Poster Boy for big franchise trying to prove he’s more than one character. Of course, Radcliffe has the benefit of a big franchise people actually respect, while Pattinson is stuck in the successful but pop-culture-punchline of a franchise that is Twilight. In any case, he’s making his stand as a Legitimate Actor, much as Radcliffe did with turns in the play Equus and indie film December Boys.

Pattinson already has How to Be and Little Ashes under his belt, but both of those films were, except for the occasional over-exuberant Twilight fan, mostly ignored stateside (both commercially and critically). So it stands to reason that for many who have grown accustomed to seeing the actor’s face splattered over the tabloids, Remember Me will be the first time they see him outside of the Twilight and Harry Potter films. Can he break free of a perpetual association with Edward Cullen?

Remember Me now has a trailer, and a fairly promising one at that. Co-starring Emilie de Ravin, Chris Cooper, and Pierce Brosnan, the film is a romantic drama rife with familial tensions and unexpected truths. It looks to have handled subject matter that could easily turn schlocky with at least some grace and deftness, and the presence of a strong supporting cast is also a good sign. Another plus for me is the fact that Rachel Getting Married scribe Jenny Lumet co-wrote the script, and if anyone knows how to write dysfunctional families and relationships, it’s her. Pattinson may not be moving far from his angsty glowering in Twilight, but at least he’s showing off hints of a real pulse here.

Check out the trailer after the jump, courtesy of MySpace, as well as the full synopsis.

Here’s the official blurb from Summit:

In the romantic drama ‘Remember Me’ Robert Pattinson plays Tyler, a rebellious young man in New York City who has a strained relationship with his father (Pierce Brosnan) ever since tragedy separated their family. Tyler didn’t think anyone could possibly understand what he was going through until the day he met Ally (Emilie de Ravin) through an unusual twist of fate. Love was the last thing on his mind, but as her spirit unexpectedly heals and inspires him, he begins to fall for her. Through their love, he begins to find happiness and meaning in his life. But soon, hidden secrets are revealed, and the circumstances that brought them together slowly threaten to tear them apart. Remember Me is an unforgettable story about the power of love, the strength of family, and the importance of living passionately and treasuring every day of one’s life. ‘Remember Me’ also stars Academy Award® winner Chris Cooper (Adaptation), and Academy Award® nominee Lena Olin (Chocolat).

Allan Coulter directed the film, with Will Fetters serving as Lumet’s co-writer. The movie will be released on March 12th 2010.

Robert Pattinson is in talks to star in the romance-drama Memoirs. Will Fetters wrote the original draft, about two “star-crossed lovers who meet and fall in love while struggling to deal with family tragedies that threaten their relationship.” Sounds like a spin on “Romeo & Juliet” to me, but that’s also a pretty darn vague plot synopsis. Allen Coulter (Hollywoodland, The Sopranos) is in talks to direct, and Rachel Getting Married scribe Jenny Lumet will pen a rewrite. Let’s see if this will be the project to keep Pattinson from being forever remembered as “that pasty vampire kid.”

In other teen heartthrob news, Zac Efron, who recently left the Footloose remake to avoid being typecast, is in negotiations to star in an adaptation of the novel “The Death and Life of Charlie St. Cloud.” Efron is looking to re-team with Burr Steers, his 17 Again director, for the flick about a cemetery caretaker who spends his evenings with the ghost of a younger brother whose accidental death thirteen years ago he feels was his fault. Ben Sherwood wrote the book, and is rewriting the script originally penned by Craig Pearce (Baz Lurhmann’s writing partner), with James Schamus (Ang Lee’s writer) and Lewis Colick (October Sky, Beyond the Sea) also turning in drafts. With writers like that, will this mark Efron’s first foray into “serious” cinema? We’ll keep you posted.