Given the original's success, the fact that Midnight Sun—Stephenie Meyer's long-awaited alt version of Twilight, told from the perspective of sparkly vampire Edward Cullen—sold 1 million copies in its first week of publication should surprise no one. But given how many years it's been since Breaking Dawn Part 2 hit theaters, will there be a Midnight Sun movie? Another crucial question: Would the sixth film's cast still feature Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson, aka the only Bella Swan and Edward Cullen we want?
Over 100 million copies of the modern-classic vampire books have flown off the shelves worldwide since the first installment's arrival in 2005, spawning five blockbuster Twilight Saga films. Like the entries that preceded it, some fan reactions to Midnight Sun illuminate the arguably problematic aspects of Edward and Bella's inter-generational love story; the universe that Meyer's created contains enough complicated material to fuel an entire subgenre of academic study debating whether Bella's story is, or is in fact not, feminist. Regardless, Meyer's mythology remains compelling enough to turn even the most over-examining critic into a Twihard, and we need to see Midnight Sun realized on the big screen (the Forks-set story in question, of course, not the 2018 Bella Thorne vehicle of the same name).
Cringe as I may at Edward's controlling behavior or Bella's questionable life choices, when I rewatch their tentative first kiss, or that scene where Edward *chews his wife's stomach open* to deliver their vampire baby? That's entertainment. More, please, even if it's essentially a retelling of their lion-lamb romance. Meyer's surprise release brightened our 2020, and personally, I'm greedy for more to look forward to.
Here's what we know about the odds of a new Twilight movie, and how fans feel about the prospect.
Will there be a Twilight Midnight Sun movie, or not?
As of September 2020, no plans for a Midnight Sun adaptation have been announced.
That said, given the sheer volume of copies sold in the first month of release alone (even Amazon and Bookshop have had trouble keeping it in stock), it's safe to assume all parties involved have been flooded with requests—including Meyers and her publisher, Little, Brown, and Company.
Then there's the question of how the same story could be retold onscreen in a way that conveys that it's from Edward's perspective, in a way that feels fresh and new. A constant moody voice-over would get old fast.
Robert Pattinson is Batman now...and notoriously dislikes Twilight.
Both Stewart and Pattinson's careers have ascended to new heights since the final Twilight Saga installment, 2012's Breaking Dawn Part 2. Following critical acclaim for roles in The Lighthouse and the Safdie Brother's Good Time, Pattinson's put on the ol' cape to play emo Batman in Matt Reeves's upcoming The Batman. His career is in a much different place than his pre-Twilight days, when Cedric Diggory was the biggest role on his resume.
Plus, Pattinson's feelings on making the series are as...mixed as readers' response to Midnight Sun. His commentary on Edward's flaws suggest he had no love for the role. Points are made.
"And the more I read the script, the more I hated this guy, so that's how I played him, as a manic-depressive who hates himself," Pattinson told Empire magazine in 2008. "Plus, he's a 108-year-old virgin so he's obviously got some issues there."
Ten years later, Pattinson had a fonder view of his Twilight years, telling E! News, "It was really, really fun. It was a massive turning point in my life. I had an entirely different life after. I wasn't entirely sure I was going to be an actor until after that movie so I'll always appreciate it." Whether he'd do it again, though, is highly doubtful.
Kristen Stewart probably wouldn't return, either.
When asked in 2018 whether she'd consider reviving Bella Swan, Stewart said, "Uh yeah, sure. Yes, absolutely. Let's...start sending scripts my way, let's start building this." Did we mention her response was drenched in sarcasm? She even fooled Laura Dern for a second, though, who admitted "I was excited!" before realizing Stewart was fully kidding.
Brace yourself for an Edward and Bella recast.
Like the rest of the sprawling cast, Pattinson and Stewart obviously aren't immortal in real life. Despite the fact that you can CGI the age right off of any actor's face these days, it would be two people in their 30s playing perma-teenagers—even on the off chance they signed on.
That said, Dr. Carlisle Cullen portrayer Peter Facinelli is looking fantastic these days, and we'd watch all of the original cast pick up a game of vampire baseball TODAY. Following Midnight Sun's release, Facinelli told People he'd revive his role "in a heartbeat" while acknowledging they're all a decade older. "I love that character," he said. "[He's] so much fun to play and that world is so fun."
Stephenie Meyers wants to write two more Twilight books.
Following her latest book's wild success, Meyer said in a virtual Books-A-Million event that she might return to Forks, after all. "There are two more books I think in the world that I want to write,” she said. “I have got them outlined and a chapter written I think of the first one, so I know it's there.” However, she went on to say, "I am not ready to do that right now. I want to do something brand-new."
Remember, Meyer first released chapters of Midnight Sun in 2008, so prepare to wait upwards of 12 years.
Fan reactions to a Midnight Sun movie are divided.
Living in Edward's tortured head does make certain criticisms of the character tougher to set aside. He told Bella he's a predator, but now we're privy to his predatory thoughts. And if you found his brooding tiresome before, try reading 658 pages of it. After reading it, some fans badly want a movie version, while others are content to leave that idea (un)dead and buried. How about you?
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Samantha Vincenty is the former senior staff writer at Oprah Daily.
