Despite the open disdain expressed by lead stars Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson, The Twilight Saga is embarking on a new show. The news could come as a bit of a shock to viewers who remember Pattinson openly roasting the series every chance he got and Stewart making every effort to distance herself from Bella Swan’s image.
Both actors have made a concerted effort to move away from the $3.3 billion blockbuster franchise that made them household names. Pattinson has ventured into more complex, edgier roles in mainstream films (Tenet), while Stewart has also made her name in challenging roles (Still Alice) in indie projects as well.
So, despite the cast’s dislike for the franchise, Twilight is getting a new show? It could be a case of nostalgia, or the makers see the potential for expanding the Twilight universe beyond the original films. Whatever the reason, it is clear that The Twilight Saga continues despite the actors’ efforts to move on.
An Animated Series Based On Twilight Is In The Works?
It is true, indeed. During a Q&A at the Morgan Stanley media conference, Lionsgate Vice Chairman Michael Burns disclosed details about the new project. Deadline was the first to report on the information. He said:
“We’re going to go out with the Twilight series, an animated series, I think there’ll be a lot of interest in that.”
For the studio and author Stephenie Meyer, the Twilight book series and the live-action films that followed were enormous successes. Twilight, which has produced five films and brought in over $3.3 billion in global box office revenue, played a significant role in the careers of its two leading stars, Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson.
Both of them went on to become stars in popular series like Charlie’s Angels, Batman, and others. Although Burns thought there would be “a lot of interest” in this new animated Twilight series, fans’ initial reactions online suggested otherwise.
Anyway, it is unclear at the time of writing whether the animated series will tell an entirely new story or merely retell the book series. Furthermore, the new cast and crew have not yet been announced.
What Robert Pattinson & Kristen Stewart Actually Think About The Twilight Saga?
Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson have made it clear that they’re not interested in reprising their roles as Bella Swan and Edward Cullen. Both Twilight cast members have actively sought to distance themselves from the critically acclaimed film series, instead taking on roles in smaller-scale independent films to prove their acting abilities.
Pattinson, in particular, has been vocal about his intention to move on from the vampire saga which made him a household name. From his perspective, it was just another piece of fan fiction written by Stephenie Meyer. He even went so far as to call reading it “uncomfortable”.
He told E!:
“When I read it, I was convinced Stephenie was convinced she was Bella and it was like it was a book that wasn’t supposed to be published. It was like reading her s*xual fantasy, especially when she said it was based on a dream. Like some things about Edward are so specific, I was just convinced, like, ‘This woman is mad..”
Although he notes that the Twilight series brought out something “primal” in its fans, Pattinson questioned the fandom once again in a 2011 Vanity Fair interview. He also mentioned that a lot of the movies were “nuts” as the series was coming to an end. He called out several medical inaccuracies in a 2017 interview with W Magazine.
Meanwhile, shortly after The Twilight Saga ended, Stewart had an interview with well-known singer-songwriter Patti Smith for Interview. Regarding her breakthrough performance, the actress stated that she is still immensely proud of the work she did on Twilight. Although she is aware that not everyone enjoys movies, she says that “the memory of it felt, still feels, really good”.
When asked if she would ever return to the Twilight franchise in an interview with ET Canada in 2018, Stewart initially joked that she would love to, but it soon became apparent that she saw that time as a part of her past rather than her future.
Well, it will be interesting to see how this new show plays out, of course, especially considering that the original stars seem to be losing interest in the franchise. Will the show go in a totally different direction, or will they make cameo appearances? We will find out in due course.
Twilight, streaming on Hulu
