The Twilight Saga (film Series)
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''The Twilight Saga'' is a series of romance
fantasy film Fantasy films are films that belong to the fantasy genre with fantastic themes, usually Magic (paranormal), magic, supernatural events, mythology, folklore, or exotic fantasy worlds. The Film genre, genre is considered a form of speculative fic ...
s based on the book series ''
Twilight Twilight is daylight illumination produced by diffuse sky radiation when the Sun is below the horizon as sunlight from the upper atmosphere is scattered in a way that illuminates both the Earth's lower atmosphere and also the Earth's surf ...
'' by
Stephenie Meyer Stephenie Meyer (; Morgan; born December 24, 1973) is an American novelist and film producer. She is best known for writing the vampire literature, vampire romance series ''Twilight (novel series), Twilight'', which has sold over 160 million ...
. The series has grossed over $3.36 billion worldwide. The first installment, ''
Twilight Twilight is daylight illumination produced by diffuse sky radiation when the Sun is below the horizon as sunlight from the upper atmosphere is scattered in a way that illuminates both the Earth's lower atmosphere and also the Earth's surf ...
'', was released on November 21, 2008. The second installment, ''
New Moon In astronomy, the new moon is the first lunar phase, when the Moon and Sun have the same ecliptic longitude. At this phase, the lunar disk is not visible to the naked eye, except when it is silhouetted against the Sun during a solar eclipse. ...
'', followed on November 20, 2009. The third installment, ''
Eclipse An eclipse is an astronomical event which occurs when an astronomical object or spacecraft is temporarily obscured, by passing into the shadow of another body or by having another body pass between it and the viewer. This alignment of three ...
'', was released on June 30, 2010. The fourth installment, '' Breaking Dawn – Part 1'', was released on November 18, 2011, while the fifth and final installment, '' Breaking Dawn – Part 2'', was released on November 16, 2012. The series had been in development since 2004 at
Paramount Pictures Paramount Pictures Corporation, commonly known as Paramount Pictures or simply Paramount, is an American film production company, production and Distribution (marketing), distribution company and the flagship namesake subsidiary of Paramount ...
'
MTV Films MTV Entertainment Studios (formerly MTV Production Development from 2003 until 2018 and MTV Studios from 2018 until 2021) is an American film and television Film production, production and Film distribution, distribution company and is the film ...
, during which time a screen adaptation of ''Twilight'' that differed significantly from the novel was written. Three years later,
Summit Entertainment Summit Entertainment, LLC (formerly the Summit Group, Summit Export Group, Summit Entertainment Group Inc., Summit Entertainment Limited, Summit Films Limited, and Summit Entertainment N.V.) is an American film production label of Lionsgate Film ...
acquired the rights to the film. After ''Twilight'' grossed $35.7 million on its opening day, Summit Entertainment announced they would begin production on ''New Moon''; they had acquired the rights to the remaining novels earlier that same month. The films in the series have received generally negative to mixed reviews from critics but was positively received from fans of the books.


Development

''Twilight'' was in development for about three years at
Paramount Pictures Paramount Pictures Corporation, commonly known as Paramount Pictures or simply Paramount, is an American film production company, production and Distribution (marketing), distribution company and the flagship namesake subsidiary of Paramount ...
'
MTV Films MTV Entertainment Studios (formerly MTV Production Development from 2003 until 2018 and MTV Studios from 2018 until 2021) is an American film and television Film production, production and Film distribution, distribution company and is the film ...
, during which time a
film adaptation A film adaptation transfers the details or story of an existing source text, such as a novel, into a feature film. This transfer can involve adapting most details of the source text closely, including characters or plot points, or the original sou ...
differing significantly from the novel was written. For example, the script transformed Bella into a star athlete. It was so different that
Stephenie Meyer Stephenie Meyer (; Morgan; born December 24, 1973) is an American novelist and film producer. She is best known for writing the vampire literature, vampire romance series ''Twilight (novel series), Twilight'', which has sold over 160 million ...
worried that she had made the wrong decision in selling the film rights to her novel. She said later, '"They could have put that arliermovie out, called it something else, and no one would have known it was ''Twilight''!" When
Summit Entertainment Summit Entertainment, LLC (formerly the Summit Group, Summit Export Group, Summit Entertainment Group Inc., Summit Entertainment Limited, Summit Films Limited, and Summit Entertainment N.V.) is an American film production label of Lionsgate Film ...
reinvented itself as a full-service studio in April 2007, it acquired the rights, seeking to create a film franchise based on the book and its sequels. Erik Feig, President of Production at
Summit Entertainment Summit Entertainment, LLC (formerly the Summit Group, Summit Export Group, Summit Entertainment Group Inc., Summit Entertainment Limited, Summit Films Limited, and Summit Entertainment N.V.) is an American film production label of Lionsgate Film ...
, guaranteed a close adaptation to the book. Meyer felt that Summit was open to letting her be a part of the film.
Catherine Hardwicke Catherine Hardwicke is an American film director, production designer, and screenwriter. Her directorial work includes '' Thirteen'' (2003), which she co-wrote with Nikki Reed, the film's co-star, '' Lords of Dogtown'' (2005), '' The Nativity ...
was hired to direct the film, and soon afterward,
Melissa Rosenberg Melissa Anne Rosenberg is an American television writer, television producer, and screenwriter. She has worked in both film and television and has won a Peabody Award. She has also been nominated for two Emmy Awards, and two Writers Guild of Ame ...
was hired to write the film. Rosenberg developed an outline by the end of August, then worked on the screenplay with Hardwicke the following month. "She was a great sounding board and had all sorts of brilliant ideas....I'd finish off scenes and send them to her, and get back her notes." Because of the impending WGA strike, Rosenberg worked full-time to finish the screenplay before October 31. In adapting the novel for the screen, she "had to condense a great deal", combining some characters and leaving others out. " r intent all along was to stay true to the book," Rosenberg explained, "and it has to do less with adapting it word for word and more with making sure the characters' arcs and emotional journeys are the same." Hardwicke suggested using
voice over Voice-over (also known as off-camera or off-stage commentary) is a production technique used in radio, television, filmmaking, theatre, and other media in which a descriptive or expository voice that is not part of the narrative (i.e., non-d ...
to convey the protagonist's internal dialogue, since the novel is told from Bella's point of view; and she sketched some of the storyboards during pre-production. Hardwicke sought Meyer's feedback as she developed the movie; for example, the director phoned the author after changing a scene slightly. This surprised Meyer. "I've heard the stories...I know it's not normally like that when you adapt a book." Meyer, a natural pessimist, was waiting for the worst but, instead, called her experience in the book's film adaptation "the best I could have hoped for." Originally scheduled for release in December 2008, ''Twilight'' was moved to a worldwide release of November 21, 2008, after ''
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince ''Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince'' is a fantasy novel written by British author J. K. Rowling. It is the sixth and penultimate novel in the ''Harry Potter'' series, and takes place during Harry Potter's sixth year at the wizard scho ...
'' moved from a November 2008 release to being released in July 2009.


Casting

Kristen Stewart Kristen Jaymes Stewart (born April 9, 1990) is an American actress and director. She has received various accolades, including a British Academy Film Award and a César Award, in addition to nominations for an Academy Award and a Golden Globe ...
was on the set of '' Adventureland'' when Hardwicke visited her for an informal screen test, which "captivated" the director. Hardwicke did not initially choose Robert Pattinson for the role of
Edward Cullen Edward Cullen (né Edward Anthony Masen, Jr.) is a character in the ''Twilight'' book series by Stephenie Meyer. He is featured in the novels ''Twilight'', ''New Moon'', ''Eclipse'' and ''Breaking Dawn'', and their corresponding film adaptat ...
; but, after an audition at her home with Stewart, he was selected. Robert Pattinson actually didn't enjoy playing his assigned character, Edward Cullen. Meyer allowed Pattinson to view a manuscript of the unfinished ''
Midnight Sun Midnight sun, also known as polar day, is a natural phenomenon that occurs in the summer months in places north of the Arctic Circle or south of the Antarctic Circle, when the Sun remains visible at the local midnight. When midnight sun is see ...
'', which chronicles the events in ''Twilight'' from Edward's point of view. Meyer was "excited" and "ecstatic" in response to the casting of the two main characters. She had expressed interest in having Emily Browning and Henry Cavill cast as Bella and Edward, respectively, prior to pre-production.
Peter Facinelli Peter Facinelli ( ; born November 26, 1973) is an American-Italian actor. He starred as Donovan "Van" Ray on the Fox Broadcasting Company, Fox series ''Fastlane (TV series), Fastlane'' from 2002 to 2003. He played Dr. Carlisle Cullen in the The ...
was not originally cast as Carlisle Cullen: " ardwickeliked im but there was another actor that the studio was pushing for." For unknown reasons, that actor was not able to play the part, and Facinelli was selected in his place. The choice of
Ashley Greene Ashley Greene Khoury (born February 21, 1987) is an American actress. She is known for playing Alice Cullen in the film adaptations of Stephenie Meyer's ''Twilight'' novels. Early life Greene was born on February 21, 1987, in Jacksonville ...
to portray Alice Cullen was criticized by some fans because Greene is taller than her character as described in the novel. Meyer said that
Rachael Leigh Cook Rachael Leigh Cook (born October 4, 1979) is an American actress and model. She has starred in the films ''The Baby-Sitters Club (film), The Baby-Sitters Club'' (1995), ''She's All That'' (1999), and ''Josie and the Pussycats (film), Josie and ...
resembled her vision of Alice.
Nikki Reed Nikki Reed is an American former actress and entrepreneur best known for her role as Rosalie Hale in ''The Twilight Saga (film series), The Twilight Saga'' (2008–12). Reed rose to prominence when she co-wrote and starred in the psychological ...
, who portrayed Rosalie Hale, had previously worked with Hardwicke on the successful '' Thirteen'' (2003), which they co-wrote, and ''
Lords of Dogtown ''Lords of Dogtown'' is a 2005 American biographical drama film that captures the rise of skateboarding culture in 1970s Santa Monica and Venice, California. Directed by Catherine Hardwicke and written by Stacy Peralta, a key figure in the ska ...
'' (2005).
Kellan Lutz Kellan Christopher Lutz (born March 15, 1985) is an American actor, martial artist and model. He made his film debut in '' Stick It'' (2006), and is best known for playing Emmett Cullen in ''The Twilight Saga'' film series (2008–2012). He has ...
was in
Africa Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent after Asia. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 20% of Earth's land area and 6% of its total surfac ...
, shooting the
HBO Home Box Office (HBO) is an American pay television service, which is the flagship property of namesake parent-subsidiary Home Box Office, Inc., itself a unit owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. The overall Home Box Office business unit is based a ...
miniseries In the United States, a miniseries or mini-series is a television show or series that tells a story in a predetermined, limited number of episodes. Many miniseries can also be referred to, and shown, as a television film. " Limited series" is ...
'' Generation Kill'', when the auditions for the character of Emmett Cullen were conducted. The role had already been cast by the time the HBO production ended in December 2007, but the selected actor "fell through." Lutz subsequently auditioned and was flown to Oregon, where Hardwicke personally chose him. Rachelle Lefèvre wanted a role in the film because Hardwicke was director; she saw "the potential to explore a character, hopefully, over three films;" and she wanted to portray a
vampire A vampire is a mythical creature that subsists by feeding on the Vitalism, vital essence (generally in the form of blood) of the living. In European folklore, vampires are undead, undead humanoid creatures that often visited loved ones and c ...
. " hethought that vampires were basically the best metaphor for human anxiety and questions about being alive."
Christian Serratos Christian Marie Serratos MovieTome ( ; name at birth, born Bernardi on September 21, 1990) is an American actress, who is best known for portraying Rosita Espinosa in AMC's ''The Walking Dead (TV series), The Walking Dead'' TV series, based on the ...
initially auditioned for Jessica Stanley, but she "fell totally in love with Angela" after reading the books and took advantage of a later opportunity to audition for Angela Weber. The role of Jessica Stanley went to
Anna Kendrick Anna Cooke Kendrick (born August 9, 1985) is an American actress. Known for playing upbeat and endearing characters in comedies and musicals, List of awards and nominations received by Anna Kendrick, her accolades include nominations for an Aca ...
, who got the part after two mix-and-match auditions with various actors. Because of major physical changes that occur in the character of Jacob Black between ''Twilight'' and ''New Moon'', director Chris Weitz considered replacing
Taylor Lautner Taylor Daniel Lautner ( ; born February 11, 1992) is an American actor. He is best known for playing werewolf Jacob Black in ''The Twilight Saga (film series), The Twilight Saga'' film series (2008–2012). His accolades include a Scream Awar ...
in the sequel with an actor who could more accurately portray "the new, larger Jacob Black." Trying to keep the role, Lautner worked out extensively and put on 30 lbs. In January 2009, Weitz and Summit Entertainment announced that Lautner would continue as Jacob in ''The Twilight Saga: New Moon''. In late March 2009, Summit Entertainment released a list of the actors who would be portraying the "wolf pack" alongside Lautner. The casting for the rest of the Quileute people was headed by casting director Rene Haynes, who has worked on films with large Native American casts, such as '' Dances with Wolves'' and ''
Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee ''Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee: An Indian History of the American West'' is a 1970 non-fiction book by American writer Dee Brown. It explores the history of American expansionism in the American West in the late nineteenth century and its de ...
''. In mid-2009, it was announced that
Bryce Dallas Howard Bryce Dallas Howard (born March 2, 1981) is an American actress and director. The eldest child of filmmaker Ron Howard, she studied acting at the New York University Tisch School of the Arts. While portraying Characters in As You Like It#Rosali ...
would be replacing
Rachelle Lefevre Rachelle Marie Lefevre ( , ; born February 1, 1979) is a Canadian actress. She has starred in the television series '' Big Wolf on Campus'' and had recurring roles in '' What About Brian'', '' Boston Legal'', and '' Swingtown''. She played the va ...
as Victoria for the third ''Twilight'' film, ''The Twilight Saga: Eclipse''. Summit Entertainment attributed the change to scheduling conflicts. Lefevre said she was "stunned" and "greatly saddened" by the decision. Jodelle Ferland was cast as the newly turned vampire, Bree. Other new cast members for the third film include Xavier Samuel as
Riley Riley may refer to: Businesses * Riley (brand), British sporting goods brand founded in 1878 * Riley Motor, British motorcar and bicycle manufacturera 1890–1969 * Riley Technologies, American auto racing constructor and team, founded by Bob ...
, Jack Huston as Royce King II, Catalina Sandino Moreno as Maria, Julia Jones as Leah Clearwater, and Booboo Stewart as Seth Clearwater.


Production

Principal photography for ''Twilight'' took 44 days, after more than a week of rehearsals, and completed on May 2, 2008. Similar to her directorial debut '' Thirteen'', Hardwicke opted for an extensive use of hand-held cinematography to make the film "feel real". Meyer visited the production set three times, and was consulted on different aspects of the story; she also has a brief cameo in the film. To make their bodily movements more elegant, and to get used to their characters' fighting styles, the cast playing
vampires A vampire is a mythical creature that subsists by feeding on the Vitalism, vital essence (generally in the form of blood) of the living. In European folklore, vampires are undead, undead humanoid creatures that often visited loved ones and c ...
participated in rehearsals with a dance choreographer and observed the physicality of different
panthera ''Panthera'' is a genus within the family (biology), family Felidae, and one of two extant genera in the subfamily Pantherinae. It contains the largest living members of the cat family. There are five living species: the jaguar, leopard, lion, ...
. Instead of shooting at Forks High School itself, scenes taking place at the school were filmed at Kalama High School and Madison High School. Other scenes were also filmed in St. Helens, Oregon, and Hardwicke conducted some reshooting in
Pasadena, California Pasadena ( ) is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States, northeast of downtown Los Angeles. It is the most populous city and the primary cultural center of the San Gabriel Valley. Old Pasadena is the city's original commerci ...
, in August. It is suggested that Edward drives a "shiny" and "silver" Volvo S60-R, a fast sleeper car that doesn't call attention to the Cullen family's wealth in the
novel series A book series is a sequence of books having certain characteristics in common that are formally identified together as a group. Book series can be organized in different ways, such as written by the same author, or marketed as a group by their publ ...
. The film series partnered with Volvo to
place Place may refer to: Geography * Place (United States Census Bureau), defined as any concentration of population ** Census-designated place, a populated area lacking its own municipal government * "Place", a type of street or road name ** Of ...
a Volvo C30 in the 2008 ''
Twilight Twilight is daylight illumination produced by diffuse sky radiation when the Sun is below the horizon as sunlight from the upper atmosphere is scattered in a way that illuminates both the Earth's lower atmosphere and also the Earth's surf ...
'' film, feeling that the C30 better suited the persona of a 108-year-old vampire pretending to be a 17-year-old high school student. Volvo reported an increase in the sale of the C30 in the US market following the film's release, and helped change the perception of Volvo as a "cool" car in a younger generation of buyers. Volvo continued the cooperation through the series, placing a Volvo XC60 in ''
New Moon In astronomy, the new moon is the first lunar phase, when the Moon and Sun have the same ecliptic longitude. At this phase, the lunar disk is not visible to the naked eye, except when it is silhouetted against the Sun during a solar eclipse. ...
'' and returning to the S60 in ''
Breaking Dawn ''Breaking Dawn'' (stylized as ''breaking dawn'') is the 2008 fourth novel in Twilight (novel series), ''The Twilight Saga'' by American author Stephenie Meyer. Divided into three parts, the first and third sections are written from Bella Swan' ...
''. In early November 2008, Summit announced that they had obtained the rights to the remaining books in
Stephenie Meyer Stephenie Meyer (; Morgan; born December 24, 1973) is an American novelist and film producer. She is best known for writing the vampire literature, vampire romance series ''Twilight (novel series), Twilight'', which has sold over 160 million ...
's ''Twilight'' series: ''
New Moon In astronomy, the new moon is the first lunar phase, when the Moon and Sun have the same ecliptic longitude. At this phase, the lunar disk is not visible to the naked eye, except when it is silhouetted against the Sun during a solar eclipse. ...
'', ''
Eclipse An eclipse is an astronomical event which occurs when an astronomical object or spacecraft is temporarily obscured, by passing into the shadow of another body or by having another body pass between it and the viewer. This alignment of three ...
'' and ''
Breaking Dawn ''Breaking Dawn'' (stylized as ''breaking dawn'') is the 2008 fourth novel in Twilight (novel series), ''The Twilight Saga'' by American author Stephenie Meyer. Divided into three parts, the first and third sections are written from Bella Swan' ...
''. On November 22, 2008, one day after the theatrical release of ''
Twilight Twilight is daylight illumination produced by diffuse sky radiation when the Sun is below the horizon as sunlight from the upper atmosphere is scattered in a way that illuminates both the Earth's lower atmosphere and also the Earth's surf ...
'', Summit confirmed that they would begin working on ''New Moon''.
Melissa Rosenberg Melissa Anne Rosenberg is an American television writer, television producer, and screenwriter. She has worked in both film and television and has won a Peabody Award. She has also been nominated for two Emmy Awards, and two Writers Guild of Ame ...
had been working on adapting the novel prior to ''Twilights release and handed in the draft for ''New Moon'' during ''Twilight'''s opening weekend in November 2008. In early December 2008, it was announced that ''Twilight'' director
Catherine Hardwicke Catherine Hardwicke is an American film director, production designer, and screenwriter. Her directorial work includes '' Thirteen'' (2003), which she co-wrote with Nikki Reed, the film's co-star, '' Lords of Dogtown'' (2005), '' The Nativity ...
would not be returning to direct the sequel. Hardwicke cited time restrictions as the reason behind her leaving the project. Instead,
Chris Weitz Christopher John Weitz (; born November 30, 1969) is an American film director, screenwriter, producer, and actor. He is best known for his work with his brother Paul on the comedy films '' American Pie'' and '' About a Boy''; the latter earned ...
, director of '' The Golden Compass'' and co-director of '' American Pie'', was hired to direct ''The Twilight Saga: New Moon''. Filming for ''New Moon'' began in
Vancouver Vancouver is a major city in Western Canada, located in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia. As the List of cities in British Columbia, most populous city in the province, the 2021 Canadian census recorded 662,248 people in the cit ...
in late March 2009, and in
Montepulciano Montepulciano () is a medieval and Renaissance hill town and ''comune'' in the Italian province of Siena in southern Tuscany. It sits high on a limestone ridge, east of Pienza, southeast of Siena, southeast of Florence, and north of Rome ...
,
Italy Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, with the Alps on its northern land b ...
, in late May 2009. In early 2009, before the release of '' The Twilight Saga: New Moon'', Summit confirmed that they would begin production on ''The Twilight Saga: Eclipse''. Since Weitz would be in post-production for ''New Moon'' when ''The Twilight Saga: Eclipse'' began shooting, he would not be directing the third film. Instead, ''The Twilight Saga: Eclipse'' was taken on by director
David Slade David Aldrin Slade (born 26 September 1969) is an English film and television director and actor. His works include the films ''Hard Candy (film), Hard Candy'', ''30 Days of Night (film), 30 Days of Night'' and ''The Twilight Saga: Eclipse''. ...
, with
Melissa Rosenberg Melissa Anne Rosenberg is an American television writer, television producer, and screenwriter. She has worked in both film and television and has won a Peabody Award. She has also been nominated for two Emmy Awards, and two Writers Guild of Ame ...
returning as screenwriter. Filming began on August 17, 2009 at Vancouver Film Studios and finished in late October, with post-production beginning early the following month. In April 2010, it was revealed that re-shoots of the film were needed. Slade, who previously said he would not be around for them, was seen, along with
Stephenie Meyer Stephenie Meyer (; Morgan; born December 24, 1973) is an American novelist and film producer. She is best known for writing the vampire literature, vampire romance series ''Twilight (novel series), Twilight'', which has sold over 160 million ...
, on set. The three main stars were also present. Wyck Godfrey, producer of the previous films in the series, stated in mid-2009 that they had every intention to make the film version of ''Breaking Dawn''. Following months of speculation and cast rumors, it was officially announced on April 28, 2010, that Academy Award winner
Bill Condon William Condon (born October 22, 1955) is an American director and screenwriter. Condon is known for writing and/or directing numerous successful and acclaimed films including ''Gods and Monsters (film), Gods and Monsters'', ''Chicago (2002 fi ...
, who directed '' Gods and Monsters'' and ''
Dreamgirls ''Dreamgirls'' is a Broadway musical, with music by Henry Krieger and lyrics and book by Tom Eyen. It is based on the show business aspirations and successes of R&B acts such as The Shirelles, James Brown, Jackie Wilson, and others, and p ...
'', would direct ''Breaking Dawn''; producing the film will be Wyck Godfrey, Karen Rosenfelt and author
Stephenie Meyer Stephenie Meyer (; Morgan; born December 24, 1973) is an American novelist and film producer. She is best known for writing the vampire literature, vampire romance series ''Twilight (novel series), Twilight'', which has sold over 160 million ...
. "I'm very excited to get the chance to bring the climax of this saga to life on-screen. As fans of the series know, this is a one-of-a-kind book – and we're hoping to create an equally unique cinematic experience," said Bill Condon. A November 18, 2011 release date has been set for the first part, while the second is scheduled for release on November 16, 2012. Following that statement, on June 11, 2010, Summit officially confirmed that a two-part adaption of the fourth book would start production in the fall. With this announcement, it was made clear that all major actors, including the three lead roles, the Cullen family and Charlie Swan, would return for both parts.
Bill Condon William Condon (born October 22, 1955) is an American director and screenwriter. Condon is known for writing and/or directing numerous successful and acclaimed films including ''Gods and Monsters (film), Gods and Monsters'', ''Chicago (2002 fi ...
was also confirmed to direct both parts. In order to keep the budget on both parts of ''Breaking Dawn'' reasonable, which would be substantially greater than the previous installments in the series, filming in
Louisiana Louisiana ( ; ; ) is a state in the Deep South and South Central regions of the United States. It borders Texas to the west, Arkansas to the north, and Mississippi to the east. Of the 50 U.S. states, it ranks 31st in area and 25 ...
was also negotiated, providing larger tax credits for the studio to benefit from.


Films


''Twilight'' (2008)

''
Twilight Twilight is daylight illumination produced by diffuse sky radiation when the Sun is below the horizon as sunlight from the upper atmosphere is scattered in a way that illuminates both the Earth's lower atmosphere and also the Earth's surf ...
'' was directed by
Catherine Hardwicke Catherine Hardwicke is an American film director, production designer, and screenwriter. Her directorial work includes '' Thirteen'' (2003), which she co-wrote with Nikki Reed, the film's co-star, '' Lords of Dogtown'' (2005), '' The Nativity ...
and written by
Melissa Rosenberg Melissa Anne Rosenberg is an American television writer, television producer, and screenwriter. She has worked in both film and television and has won a Peabody Award. She has also been nominated for two Emmy Awards, and two Writers Guild of Ame ...
. It focuses on the development of a personal relationship between teenager
Bella Swan Isabella "Bella" Marie Cullen (née Swan) is the protagonist character of the ''Twilight'' book series by Stephenie Meyer. She is initially an ordinary teenage girl, but during the series, Bella falls in love and marries a vampire Edward Culle ...
(
Kristen Stewart Kristen Jaymes Stewart (born April 9, 1990) is an American actress and director. She has received various accolades, including a British Academy Film Award and a César Award, in addition to nominations for an Academy Award and a Golden Globe ...
) and
vampire A vampire is a mythical creature that subsists by feeding on the Vitalism, vital essence (generally in the form of blood) of the living. In European folklore, vampires are undead, undead humanoid creatures that often visited loved ones and c ...
Edward Cullen Edward Cullen (né Edward Anthony Masen, Jr.) is a character in the ''Twilight'' book series by Stephenie Meyer. He is featured in the novels ''Twilight'', ''New Moon'', ''Eclipse'' and ''Breaking Dawn'', and their corresponding film adaptat ...
(
Robert Pattinson Robert Douglas Thomas Pattinson (born 13 May 1986) is an English actor. #Filmography, His filmography often sees him portraying eccentric characters across a diverse range of genres. Known for starring in both major studio productions and in ...
), and the subsequent efforts of Edward and his family to keep Bella safe from a separate group of hostile vampires. Edward refuses to grant Bella's request to transform her into a vampire so that they can be together forever, arguing that she should have a normal human life. The film was released theatrically starting on November 21, 2008. It grossed $35.7 million on its opening day, and has come to gross US$393.6 million worldwide. The DVD was released on March 21, 2009, and grossed an additional $238 million from sales. The
Blu-ray Blu-ray (Blu-ray Disc or BD) is a digital optical disc data storage format designed to supersede the DVD format. It was invented and developed in 2005 and released worldwide on June 20, 2006, capable of storing several hours of high-defin ...
disc edition of the film was released on March 21, 2009, in select locations, but was made more widely available at further retailers on May 5, 2009, grossing over $26 million; getting to a total of over $264 million in home media sales.


''The Twilight Saga: New Moon'' (2009)

'' The Twilight Saga: New Moon'' was directed by
Chris Weitz Christopher John Weitz (; born November 30, 1969) is an American film director, screenwriter, producer, and actor. He is best known for his work with his brother Paul on the comedy films '' American Pie'' and '' About a Boy''; the latter earned ...
and written by
Melissa Rosenberg Melissa Anne Rosenberg is an American television writer, television producer, and screenwriter. She has worked in both film and television and has won a Peabody Award. She has also been nominated for two Emmy Awards, and two Writers Guild of Ame ...
. The film follows the Cullens' departure from Forks, and
Bella Swan Isabella "Bella" Marie Cullen (née Swan) is the protagonist character of the ''Twilight'' book series by Stephenie Meyer. She is initially an ordinary teenage girl, but during the series, Bella falls in love and marries a vampire Edward Culle ...
's fall into a deep depression. This depression persists until Bella develops a strong friendship with Jacob Black (
Taylor Lautner Taylor Daniel Lautner ( ; born February 11, 1992) is an American actor. He is best known for playing werewolf Jacob Black in ''The Twilight Saga (film series), The Twilight Saga'' film series (2008–2012). His accolades include a Scream Awar ...
). She consequently discovers that Jacob has unwillingly become a werewolf. Jacob and his tribe must protect Bella from Victoria, a vampire seeking to avenge the death of her mate by killing Bella. A misunderstanding occurs, and
Edward Cullen Edward Cullen (né Edward Anthony Masen, Jr.) is a character in the ''Twilight'' book series by Stephenie Meyer. He is featured in the novels ''Twilight'', ''New Moon'', ''Eclipse'' and ''Breaking Dawn'', and their corresponding film adaptat ...
believes Bella is dead. Edward decides to commit suicide in Volterra, Italy; but he is stopped by Bella, who is accompanied by Edward's sister, Alice. They meet with the
Volturi The following is a list of characters in the Twilight (novel series), ''Twilight'' novel series by Stephenie Meyer, comprising the books ''Twilight (Meyer novel), Twilight'', ''New Moon (novel), New Moon'', ''Eclipse (Meyer novel), Eclipse'' a ...
, a powerful coven of vampires, and are released on the condition that Bella be turned into a vampire in the near future. Bella and Edward are reunited, and she and the Cullens return to Forks. Edward tells Bella that he will change her into a vampire if she agrees to marry him. The film was released theatrically starting on November 20, 2009, and set numerous records. It was at the time the biggest advance-ticket seller on
Fandango Fandango is a lively partner dance originating in Portugal and Spain, usually in triple metre, triple meter, traditionally accompanied by guitars, castanets, tambourine or hand-clapping. Fandango can both be sung and danced. Sung fandango is u ...
and held the biggest midnight opening in domestic (United States and
Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...
)
box office A box office or ticket office is a place where ticket (admission), tickets are sold to the public for admission to an event. Patrons may perform the transaction at a countertop, through a hole in a wall or window, or at a Wicket gate, wicket. ...
history, grossing an estimated $26.3 million. Its sequel, '' The Twilight Saga: Eclipse'', broke that record in June 2010, grossing $72.7 million on its opening day domestically, becoming the biggest single-day opening in domestic history. ''New Moon'' is the thirteenth highest opening weekend in domestic history with $142,839,137.


''The Twilight Saga: Eclipse'' (2010)

'' The Twilight Saga: Eclipse'' was directed by
David Slade David Aldrin Slade (born 26 September 1969) is an English film and television director and actor. His works include the films ''Hard Candy (film), Hard Candy'', ''30 Days of Night (film), 30 Days of Night'' and ''The Twilight Saga: Eclipse''. ...
and written by
Melissa Rosenberg Melissa Anne Rosenberg is an American television writer, television producer, and screenwriter. She has worked in both film and television and has won a Peabody Award. She has also been nominated for two Emmy Awards, and two Writers Guild of Ame ...
. The film follows
Bella Swan Isabella "Bella" Marie Cullen (née Swan) is the protagonist character of the ''Twilight'' book series by Stephenie Meyer. She is initially an ordinary teenage girl, but during the series, Bella falls in love and marries a vampire Edward Culle ...
as she develops awareness of the possible complications of marrying a vampire. Jacob Black and the rest of the wolves form a temporary alliance with the Cullens to battle Victoria and her army of newborn vampires to keep Bella safe. Jacob unsuccessfully tries to convince Bella to leave Edward and be with him instead. Edward proposes to Bella and she accepts it. The film was released theatrically starting on June 30, 2010, and is the first ''Twilight'' film to be released in
IMAX IMAX is a proprietary system of High-definition video, high-resolution cameras, film formats, film projectors, and movie theater, theaters known for having very large screens with a tall aspect ratio (image), aspect ratio (approximately ei ...
. It set a new record for biggest midnight opening in domestic (United States and
Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...
) in
box office A box office or ticket office is a place where ticket (admission), tickets are sold to the public for admission to an event. Patrons may perform the transaction at a countertop, through a hole in a wall or window, or at a Wicket gate, wicket. ...
history, grossing an estimated $30 million in over 4,000 theaters. The previous record holder was the previous film in the series, '' The Twilight Saga: New Moon'' with $26.3 million in 3,514 theaters. The film then scored the biggest Wednesday opening in domestic history with $68,533,840 beating '' Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen's'' $62 million. ''The Twilight Saga: Eclipse'' has also become the film with the widest release ever, playing in over 4,416 theaters.


''The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn'' (2011–2012)


''Part 1'' (2011)

''The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn'' was directed by
Bill Condon William Condon (born October 22, 1955) is an American director and screenwriter. Condon is known for writing and/or directing numerous successful and acclaimed films including ''Gods and Monsters (film), Gods and Monsters'', ''Chicago (2002 fi ...
, and author
Stephenie Meyer Stephenie Meyer (; Morgan; born December 24, 1973) is an American novelist and film producer. She is best known for writing the vampire literature, vampire romance series ''Twilight (novel series), Twilight'', which has sold over 160 million ...
co-produced the film along with Karen Rosenfelt and Wyck Godfrey, with
Melissa Rosenberg Melissa Anne Rosenberg is an American television writer, television producer, and screenwriter. She has worked in both film and television and has won a Peabody Award. She has also been nominated for two Emmy Awards, and two Writers Guild of Ame ...
penning the script. The book's plot was split into two films, the first of which was released on November 18, 2011. The filming of ''Breaking Dawn'' began in November 2010. The first part follows Bella and Edward as they get married and Bella becomes pregnant. They deal with her struggle of being pregnant and nearly dying because of her half-human, half-vampire child.


''Part 2'' (2012)

''The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2'' was released on November 16, 2012. The second part of ''Breaking Dawn'' sees the climax of Bella and Edward's relationship. Bella must learn, as a newly transformed vampire, to use her special shield powers, as well as protect her half-human half-vampire daughter, Renesmee. The film also shows the final battle between The Cullens, along with vampires from the Denali Clan, and other vampire friends, as well as the wolves from the Quileute Tribe, against The Volturi.


Future

In September 2016,
Lionsgate Lions Gate, Lion Gate or similar terms may refer to: Gates *Lion Gate at Mycenae in Greece *Lion Gate, one of the entrances to the ancient Hittite city of Hattusa, now in Turkey *Lion Gate, one of the entrances to the gardens of Hampton Court Pala ...
co-chairman Patrick Wachsberger stated that a sequel was "a possibility", but would only go ahead if
Stephenie Meyer Stephenie Meyer (; Morgan; born December 24, 1973) is an American novelist and film producer. She is best known for writing the vampire literature, vampire romance series ''Twilight (novel series), Twilight'', which has sold over 160 million ...
wanted to do one. On August 8, 2017, '' Variety'' reported that Lionsgate CEO Jon Feltheimer had interest in having spinoffs made for ''The Twilight Saga'', and wanted to create a writers' room to explore the idea. On April 19, 2023,
Lionsgate Television Lionsgate Television is the television division of the American production company Lionsgate Studios. History The company was established in July 1997 as Lions Gate Television, Inc. with the establishment of Lionsgate Films. In June 1998, it ...
announced that a television series based on the Twilight Saga franchise was in early development. On November 26, 2023,
Catherine Hardwicke Catherine Hardwicke is an American film director, production designer, and screenwriter. Her directorial work includes '' Thirteen'' (2003), which she co-wrote with Nikki Reed, the film's co-star, '' Lords of Dogtown'' (2005), '' The Nativity ...
went on ''The Happy Sad Confused'' podcast created by Josh Horowitz for the debut film's 15th anniversary and discussed a possible pitching idea with Jacob Elordi and Jenna Ortega for the new Lionsgate reboot.


Soundtracks


''Twilight''

'' Twilight: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack'' was chosen by music supervisor Alexandra Patsavas. The album was released on November 4, 2008, by Patsavas' Chop Shop label, in conjunction with
Atlantic Records Atlantic Recording Corporation (simply known as Atlantic Records) is an American record label founded in October 1947 by Ahmet Ertegun and Herb Abramson. Over the course of its first two decades, starting from the release of its first recor ...
, and debuted at No. 1 on the ''Billboard'' 200, having sold about 165,000 copies in its first week of release, 29% of which were digital downloads. ''Twilight'' is the best-selling theatrical movie soundtrack in the United States since ''
Chicago Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...
'' (2002). " Decode", by
Paramore Paramore is an American rock band formed in Franklin, Tennessee, in 2004. Since 2017, the band's lineup includes lead vocalist Hayley Williams, lead guitarist Taylor York, and drummer Zac Farro. Williams and Farro are founding members of ...
, was the first single released from the soundtrack. It premiered on Paramore's fan club site and
Stephenie Meyer Stephenie Meyer (; Morgan; born December 24, 1973) is an American novelist and film producer. She is best known for writing the vampire literature, vampire romance series ''Twilight (novel series), Twilight'', which has sold over 160 million ...
's official website on October 1, 2008. The song was certified Platinum in the U.S. on February 16, 2010, selling over 1,000,000 copies. It was also nominated for a
Grammy Award The Grammy Awards, stylized as GRAMMY, and often referred to as The Grammys, are awards presented by The Recording Academy of the United States to recognize outstanding achievements in music. They are regarded by many as the most prestigious ...
in 2010 for Best Song Written for a Movie. "Go All the Way (Into the Twilight)", by
Perry Farrell Perry Farrell (born Peretz Bernstein; March 29, 1959) is an American singer, songwriter, and musician referred to as the " Godfather of Alternative Music". Farrell began his career with Psi Com in the early 1980s, before becoming the frontman ...
, was the second single released from the soundtrack. It premiered on Meyer's website on October 23, 2008. '' Twilight: The Score'' was composed and orchestrated by
Carter Burwell Carter Benedict Burwell (born November 18, 1954) is an American film composer. He has frequently collaborated with the Coen brothers, having scored most of their films. He has also scored films by other directors such as Bill Condon, Todd Haynes ...
over a nine- to ten-week period, and was recorded and mixed in about two weeks in late September 2008. Burwell began the score with a "Love Theme" for Bella and Edward's relationship, a variation of which became " Bella's Lullaby" that Robert Pattinson plays in the film, and that is included on the ''Twilight Original Motion Picture Soundtrack''. The original theme is featured throughout the film, and serves to "play the romance that drives the story". Another theme Burwell composed was a "Predator Theme", which opens the film, and is intended to play Edward's vampire nature. Other themes include a bass-line, drum beat and distorted guitar sound for the nomadic vampires, and a melody for the Cullen family. ''Twilight: The Score'' was released digitally on November 25, 2008, and in stores on December 9.


''The Twilight Saga: New Moon''

'' The Twilight Saga: New Moon (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)'' had, once again, Alexandra Patsavas as music supervisor; while '' The Twilight Saga: New Moon (The Score)'', was composed by
Alexandre Desplat Alexandre Michel Gérard Desplat (; born 23 August 1961) is a French film composer and conductor. He has received numerous accolades, including two Academy Awards, three BAFTA Awards, two Golden Globe Awards, and two Grammy Awards. Desplat was m ...
. The movie's director,
Chris Weitz Christopher John Weitz (; born November 30, 1969) is an American film director, screenwriter, producer, and actor. He is best known for his work with his brother Paul on the comedy films '' American Pie'' and '' About a Boy''; the latter earned ...
, has a working relationship with Desplat, who scored one of his previous films, '' The Golden Compass'' (2007). ''The Twilight Saga: New Moon: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack'' was released on October 16, 2009 by Patsavas' Chop Shop label, in conjunction with
Atlantic Records Atlantic Recording Corporation (simply known as Atlantic Records) is an American record label founded in October 1947 by Ahmet Ertegun and Herb Abramson. Over the course of its first two decades, starting from the release of its first recor ...
. The album debuted at No. 2 on the ''Billboard'' 200, later jumped to No. 1 with 153,000 copies sold. ''The Twilight Saga: New Moon: The Score'' was released on November 24, 2009.


''The Twilight Saga: Eclipse''

'' The Twilight Saga: Eclipse (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)'' had, once again, Alexandra Patsavas as music supervisor. It was released on June 8, 2010, by Patsavas' Chop Shop label, in conjunction with
Atlantic Records Atlantic Recording Corporation (simply known as Atlantic Records) is an American record label founded in October 1947 by Ahmet Ertegun and Herb Abramson. Over the course of its first two decades, starting from the release of its first recor ...
. The lead single from the soundtrack, " Neutron Star Collision (Love Is Forever)", performed by the British band
Muse In ancient Greek religion and Greek mythology, mythology, the Muses (, ) were the Artistic inspiration, inspirational goddesses of literature, science, and the arts. They were considered the source of the knowledge embodied in the poetry, lyric p ...
, was released on May 17, 2010. The soundtrack debuted at number two on the U.S. ''Billboard'' 200 albums chart with estimated sales of 144,000 copies. The film's score, '' The Twilight Saga: Eclipse (The Score)'', was composed by
Howard Shore Howard Leslie Shore (born October 18, 1946) is a Canadian composer, conductor and orchestrator noted for his film scores. He has composed the scores for over 80 films, most notably the scores for ''The Lord of the Rings'' and '' The Hobbit'' fi ...
, who composed the scores for ''The Lord of the Rings'' trilogy (2001–2003).


''The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 1''

'' The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 1: (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)'' saw the release of two singles: " A Thousand Years" by Christina Perri and " It Will Rain" by
Bruno Mars Peter Gene Hernandez (born October 8, 1985), known professionally as Bruno Mars, is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and record producer. Regarded as a pop icon, he is known for his three-octave tenor vocal range, live performances, R ...
. The former reached number thirty one and the latter of the two number three on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100.


''The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2''


Reception


Box office performance

''Twilight'' grossed over $7 million in ticket sales from midnight showings alone on November 21, 2008. It grossed $35.7 million on its opening day. For its opening weekend in the United States and Canada, ''Twilight'' accumulated $69.6 million from 3,419 theaters at an average of $20,368 per theater. The film has made $192.7 million in the United States and Canada, and a further $200.8 million in international territories for a total of $393.6 million worldwide. The film was released on
DVD The DVD (common abbreviation for digital video disc or digital versatile disc) is a digital optical disc data storage format. It was invented and developed in 1995 and first released on November 1, 1996, in Japan. The medium can store any ki ...
in North America on March 21, 2009, through midnight release parties, and sold over 3 million units in its first day. It has continued to sell units, totaling as of July 2012, making $201,323,629. ''The Twilight Saga: New Moon'' set records for advance ticket sales, causing some theaters to add additional showings. The film set records as the biggest midnight opening in domestic (United States and
Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...
)
box office A box office or ticket office is a place where ticket (admission), tickets are sold to the public for admission to an event. Patrons may perform the transaction at a countertop, through a hole in a wall or window, or at a Wicket gate, wicket. ...
history, grossing an estimated $26.3 million in 3,514 theatres, before expanding to 4,024 theaters. The record was previously held by ''
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince ''Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince'' is a fantasy novel written by British author J. K. Rowling. It is the sixth and penultimate novel in the ''Harry Potter'' series, and takes place during Harry Potter's sixth year at the wizard scho ...
'', which grossed $22.2 million domestically during its midnight premiere. The film grossed $72.7 million on its opening day domestically, becoming the biggest single-day opening in domestic history, beating ''
The Dark Knight ''The Dark Knight'' is a 2008 superhero film directed by Christopher Nolan, from a screenplay co-written with his brother Jonathan. Based on the DC Comics superhero Batman, it is the sequel to ''Batman Begins'' (2005), and the second inst ...
s $67.2 million. This opening strongly contributed to another record: the first time that the top ten films at the domestic box office had a combined gross of over $100 million in a single day. The opening weekend of ''The Twilight Saga: New Moon'' is the ninth-highest opening weekend in domestic history with $142,839,137. The film also has the sixth highest worldwide opening weekend with $274.9 million total.


Critical response

While ''The Twilight Saga'' has been successful at the box office, critical reception of the films was mixed. ''
New York Press ''New York Press'' was a free alternative weekly in New York City, which was published from 1988 to 2011. The ''Press'' strove to create a rivalry with the ''Village Voice''. ''Press'' editors claimed to have tried to hire away writer Nat Hento ...
'' critic
Armond White Armond Allen White (born 1953) is an American film and music critic who writes for ''National Review'' and ''Out''. He was previously the editor of '' CityArts'' (2011–2014), the lead film critic for the alternative weekly '' New York Press ...
called ''Twilight'' "a genuine pop classic", and praised Hardwicke for turning " Meyer's book series into a Brontë-esque vision". ''
USA Today ''USA Today'' (often stylized in all caps) is an American daily middle-market newspaper and news broadcasting company. Founded by Al Neuharth in 1980 and launched on September 14, 1982, the newspaper operates from Gannett's corporate headq ...
'' gave the film two out of four stars and Claudia Puig wrote: "Meyer is said to have been involved in the production of ''Twilight'', but her novel was substantially more absorbing than the unintentionally funny and quickly forgettable film." Robert Ignizio of the ''
Cleveland Scene The ''Cleveland Scene'' is an alternative weekly newspaper based in Cleveland, Ohio. The newspaper includes highlights of Cleveland-area arts, music, dining, and films, as well as classified advertising. The first edition of the newspaper was pu ...
'' described ''The Twilight Saga: New Moon'' as an "entertaining fantasy", and noted that it "has a stronger visual look han ''Twilight''and does a better job with its action scenes while still keeping the focus on the central love triangle." Michael O'Sullivan of ''
The Washington Post ''The Washington Post'', locally known as ''The'' ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'' or ''WP'', is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C., the national capital. It is the most widely circulated newspaper in the Washington m ...
'' gave the film two and half stars out of four, praised
Kristen Stewart Kristen Jaymes Stewart (born April 9, 1990) is an American actress and director. She has received various accolades, including a British Academy Film Award and a César Award, in addition to nominations for an Academy Award and a Golden Globe ...
's performance in the film and wrote: "Despite melodrama that, at times, is enough to induce diabetes, there's enough wolf whistle in this sexy, scary romp to please anyone." The ''
Seattle Post-Intelligencer The ''Seattle Post-Intelligencer'' (popularly known as the ''Seattle P-I'', the ''Post-Intelligencer'', or simply the ''P-I'') is an online newspaper and former print newspaper based in Seattle, Washington (state), Washington, United States. Th ...
'' gave the film a "B" grading and said, "the movie looks tremendous, the dialogue works, there are numerous well placed jokes, the acting is on point." Mick LaSalle from the ''
San Francisco Chronicle The ''San Francisco Chronicle'' is a newspaper serving primarily the San Francisco Bay Area of Northern California. It was founded in 1865 as ''The Daily Dramatic Chronicle'' by teenage brothers Charles de Young and M. H. de Young, Michael H. ...
'' responded with a more mixed review, stating, " pect this film to satisfy its fans. Everybody else, get ready for a bizarre soap opera/pageant, consisting of a succession of static scenes with characters loping into the frame to announce exactly what they're thinking."
Roger Ebert Roger Joseph Ebert ( ; June 18, 1942 – April 4, 2013) was an American Film criticism, film critic, film historian, journalist, essayist, screenwriter and author. He wrote for the ''Chicago Sun-Times'' from 1967 until his death in 2013. Eber ...
gave the film one star out of four and said that it "takes the tepid achievement of ''Twilight'', guts it, and leaves it for undead." The release of the movie has also inspired feminist criticism, with Owen Gleiberman of ''
Entertainment Weekly ''Entertainment Weekly'' (sometimes abbreviated as ''EW'') is an American online magazine, digital-only entertainment magazine based in New York City, published by Dotdash Meredith, that covers film, television, music, Broadway theatre, books, ...
'' making light of the claim that Edward Cullen is little better than a stalker. In any case, the influx of female viewers into the theaters indicates the increasing importance of the female demographic in dictating Hollywood's tastes. ''
The Hollywood Reporter ''The Hollywood Reporter'' (''THR'') is an American digital and print magazine which focuses on the Cinema of the United States, Hollywood film industry, film, television, and entertainment industries. It was founded in 1930 as a daily trade pap ...
'' posted a positive review of '' The Twilight Saga: Eclipse'', saying the film "nails it". '' Variety'' reports that the film "finally feels more like the blockbuster this top-earning franchise deserves". One review stated the film was the best in ''The Twilight Saga'' so far, acknowledging that, "The person who should be worried is
Bill Condon William Condon (born October 22, 1955) is an American director and screenwriter. Condon is known for writing and/or directing numerous successful and acclaimed films including ''Gods and Monsters (film), Gods and Monsters'', ''Chicago (2002 fi ...
, the director tapped for the two-part finale, ''
Breaking Dawn ''Breaking Dawn'' (stylized as ''breaking dawn'') is the 2008 fourth novel in Twilight (novel series), ''The Twilight Saga'' by American author Stephenie Meyer. Divided into three parts, the first and third sections are written from Bella Swan' ...
''. He's got a real challenge to make movies as good as ''Eclipse''." A.O. Scott of ''
The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...
'' praised
David Slade David Aldrin Slade (born 26 September 1969) is an English film and television director and actor. His works include the films ''Hard Candy (film), Hard Candy'', ''30 Days of Night (film), 30 Days of Night'' and ''The Twilight Saga: Eclipse''. ...
's ability to make an entertaining film, calling it funny and better than its predecessors, but pointed out the acting hasn't improved much. A more negative review said that while "''Eclipse'' restores some of the energy ''New Moon'' zapped out of the franchise and has enough quality performances to keep it involving", the film "isn't quite the adrenaline-charged game-changer for love story haters that its marketing might lead you to believe. The majority of the 'action' remains protracted and not especially scintillating should-we-or-shouldn't-we conversations between the central triangle." Roger Ebert of the ''
Chicago Sun Times The ''Chicago Sun-Times'' is a daily nonprofit newspaper published in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Since 2022, it is the flagship paper of Chicago Public Media, and has long held the second largest circulation among Chicago newspaper ...
'' gave the film a more positive review than for the first two films in the saga, but still felt the movie was a constant, unclever conversation between the three main characters. He criticized the "gazes" both Edward and Jacob give Bella throughout the movie, and noted that the mountain range that appears in the film looks "like landscapes painted by that guy on TV who shows you how to paint stuff like that." He also predicted that a lack of understanding for the film series in general would not bode well with the audience, stating: "I doubt anyone not intimately familiar with the earlier installments could make head or tails of the opening scenes." He gave the film two stars out of four. ''Breaking Dawn – Part 1'' received mostly negative reviews from critics. Review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes reports that 25% of critics (of the 207 counted reviews) gave the film a positive review, and the site's consensus reads: "Slow, joyless and loaded with unintentionally humorous moments, ''Breaking Dawn Part 1'' may satisfy the ''Twilight'' faithful, but it's strictly for fans of the franchise". ''Part 2'' had a mixed critical reception but was much more favorable than ''Part 1''. Richard Roeper said that "The fifth and final entry in the historically successful ''Twilight'' franchise is the most self-aware and in some ways the most entertaining", giving it a grade C+.


Home media sales

List indicator(s) * (B) indicates the yearly rank based on the number of DVDs sold during the year released (calculated by The Numbers).


''Twilight'' in popular culture

In 2010, a
parody film A parody film or spoof film is a subgenre of comedy film that lampoons other film genres or films as pastiches, works created by imitation of the style of many different films reassembled together. Although the subgenre is often overlooked by cri ...
, '' Vampires Suck'', starring Jenn Proske, Matt Lanter, and Chris Riggi, was released, its material largely based on ''
Twilight Twilight is daylight illumination produced by diffuse sky radiation when the Sun is below the horizon as sunlight from the upper atmosphere is scattered in a way that illuminates both the Earth's lower atmosphere and also the Earth's surf ...
'' and its sequel, '' The Twilight Saga: New Moon''. Though the film was a critical failure, with
Rotten Tomatoes Rotten Tomatoes is an American review aggregator, review-aggregation website for film and television. The company was launched in August 1998 by three undergraduate students at the University of California, Berkeley: Senh Duong, Patrick Y. Lee ...
critics giving it an approval rating of only 4%, it was a financial success, opening at number one in the United States and grossing more than $80,000,000 worldwide, against a $20,000,000 budget. In 2012, another parody film, '' Breaking Wind'', featuring a cast of unknown actors, was released straight to DVD by
Lionsgate Home Entertainment Lionsgate Studios Corp. (simply known as Lionsgate Studios) is a Canadian-American film and television production and distribution conglomerate, domiciled in Vancouver, British Columbia, and primarily based in Santa Monica, California. It was f ...
.' In 2010, the
Teletoon Cartoon Network (formerly Teletoon) is a Canadian English-language discretionary specialty channel owned by Corus Entertainment. The channel primarily broadcasts animated series aimed at children and teenagers. It was launched on October 17 ...
original film ''
My Babysitter's a Vampire ''My Babysitter's a Vampire'' (released as ''My Babysitter's a Vampire: The Movie'' in some regions) is a 2010 Canadian comedy horror television film directed by Bruce McDonald. It stars Vanessa Morgan and Matthew Knight. The film's plot cente ...
'' parodied the first three ''Twilight'' films as the ''Dusk'' trilogy. There is a side plot that follows the main characters to a fan held premiere of ''Dusk III: Unbitten''. There is a ''Dusk'' fan club and the fans are called ''Duskers''. There are contentious references to the parodied franchise through its televised adaptation. The successful animated film '' Hotel Transylvania'' briefly parodied the ''Twilight Saga'', namely the scene in which Edward reveals his vampirism to Bella in the woods near Forks High School. The scene, which lasts only a few seconds, can be seen playing on an airplane TV as Count Dracula attempts to convince Jonathan to forgive him and come back to Hotel Transylvania. In 2019, Russian
figure skater Figure skating is a sport in which individuals, pairs, or groups perform on figure skates on ice. It was the first winter sport to be included in the Olympic Games, with its introduction occurring at the 1908 Olympics in London. The Olympic d ...
Alena Kostornaia Alena Sergeevna Kostornaia (; her first name is properly pronounced Alyona as the Yo (Cyrillic), Cyrillic ё is pronounced yo; born 24 August 2003) is a Russian figure skater. She is the 2020 European Figure Skating Championships, 2020 European ...
used music from the ''
Twilight Twilight is daylight illumination produced by diffuse sky radiation when the Sun is below the horizon as sunlight from the upper atmosphere is scattered in a way that illuminates both the Earth's lower atmosphere and also the Earth's surf ...
'' and ''
New Moon In astronomy, the new moon is the first lunar phase, when the Moon and Sun have the same ecliptic longitude. At this phase, the lunar disk is not visible to the naked eye, except when it is silhouetted against the Sun during a solar eclipse. ...
'' soundtracks for her free program. With this program, she later became the European champion, and was the favourite for the world title before the championship's cancellation in March 2020 due to the
COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic (also known as the coronavirus pandemic and COVID pandemic), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), began with an disease outbreak, outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, in December ...
. A
Lego Lego (, ; ; stylised as LEGO) is a line of plastic construction toys manufactured by the Lego Group, a privately held company based in Billund, Denmark. Lego consists of variously coloured interlocking plastic bricks made of acrylonitri ...
set based on the Cullen house was released in February 2025. The set was designed as a part of Lego Ideas.


See also

* '' Roswell''


References


External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Twilight Saga (film series), The Film series introduced in 2008 American film series Romance film series American fantasy films Fantasy film series Works based on Twilight (novel series) Lionsgate franchises Lagardère SCA franchises Teen film series Films produced by Karen Rosenfelt