In 2008 Lionsgate released their relatively low-budget adaptation of a popular YA vampire novel. While some people suspected that this little movie directed by Catherine Hardwick might be successful, Twilight, the story of Bella Swan (Kirsten Stewart) and her bloodsucking boyfriend Edward (Robert Pattinson), would go on to become a global smash hit, making over 400 million dollars from a 37 million dollar budget. Twilight's massive success — it made back almost all of its budget on its opening day — meant that sequels were inevitable. Adapting each of author Stephanie Meyer's four books in the series, the Twilight films would eventually make $3.4 billion.
Now, 15 years later, the Twilight Saga is having a resurgence in popularity. Teenagers who once filled Twilight's theaters have grown up and look back fondly or humorously on these beloved vampire movies, and social media and memes introduce younger audiences to the films for the first time. So if you're trying to watch the notorious teen movies for nostalgic reasons or just to find out what all the fuss — and memes — are about, we're here to help. Scroll down for our guide on how to watch the Twilight movies in chronological order.
How Many Twilight Movies Are There?
Unlike the book series that inspired it — which features four main entries — the Twilight films followed the precedent set by the Harry Potter movies and split the final book in two. That means there are five Twilight films in total, with no more currently planned. Although, if you're feeling like you want to get more Twilight in your life or to listen as you watch, Ashley Greene who played Alice Cullen in the movies created a podcast called The Twilight Effect, which centers on her revisiting the series with multiple other cast members returning to chat.
The Twilight Saga in Chronological Order
These blurbs contain mild spoilers, including characters, settings, and broad plot points.
Twilight (2008)
Where to Watch: Amazon Prime Video, Apple, Google Play
Fresh off the success of her cult teen movie Thirteen, Catherine Hardwick brought her indie sensibilities and now-iconic blue filter to Stephanie Meyer's best selling Twilight series. The first movie introduced viewers to Bella Swan (Kristen Stewart), a student who moves from the sunny desert of Arizona to the rainy forests of the Pacific Northwest. Moving in with her stoic cop dad, Charlie (Billy Burke), she's less than eager to be there. That is, until her arrival in the small town of Forks, Washington sparks a romance for the ages when she catches the eye — and nose — of local sparkly vampire hunk, Edward Cullen (Robert Pattinson).
Part of an adopted vampire family who regularly move and matriculate to hide the fact they never get older, Edward soon tells Bella the truth about himself and the pair fall deeply in love. There's a love triangle brewing with local boy Jacob (Taylor Lautner), who has his own issues with the Cullens thanks to his Quileute roots. But Bella couldn't be less interested in the scrawny young boy when she has a 200-year-old man who died of the Spanish Flu in her sights.
Seeing as Edward's a bloodsucker — though a "vegetarian" one who only eats animals and not humans — danger isn't far behind. After an infamous baseball scene, the duo's love is put to the test by a gang of more brutal vamps who want nothing more than to eat Bella and torment Edward. Luckily, the Cullens team up to save Bella and manage to do just that with the film ending with the threat (mostly) defeated, and Edward and Bella more loved up than ever.
The Twilight Saga: New Moon (2009)
Where to Watch: Amazon Prime Video, Apple, Google Play
In a shocking twist, New Moon begins with Edward brutally breaking up with Bella because in his mind he needs to protect her. It's a choice that sets our teenage hero on a dangerous path. With the Cullens out of her life, Bella has no choice but to hang around with Jacob and the other apparently more normal teens of Forks. But soon she realizes two things: every time she puts her life at risk she sees visions of Edward, and Jacob isn't actually that normal at all. See, in this world where vampires are real, werewolves are too. In fact, the existence of the Cullens is turning boys into werewolves left, right, and center, and Jacob is next on the wolf-y menu.
Desperate to see Edward, Bella does an increasing amount of reckless things including motorbike trips with strange men, crashing a motorcycle, and even cliff jumping. But when Edward mistakenly belives that Bella has died thanks to her ridiculous stunts, he decides to commit suicide in the most dramatic way possible: revealing his vampirism in the vampire capital of the world, Italy! Bella must head across the globe in order to save the man that she loves. In case the fact there are three more movies didn't tip you off, she succeeds.
Eclipse
The Twilight Saga: Eclipse (2010)
Where to Watch: Paramount+, Amazon Prime Video, Apple, Google Play
As Edward and Bella discuss the merits of marriage and turning the human teen into a vampire, Victoria (Bryce Dallas Howard), surviving member of the monstrous crew from the first movie, begins building an army of wild newborn vampires in order to take her revenge on Edward. It's a threat that drives Edward, Bella, and Jacob closer. While the Cullens are suspicious of the werewolf pack, Victoria and her soldiers are so dangerous that the two families must make an uneasy alliance in order to keep Bella and Forks safe. Their plan ultimately succeeds after a bloody battle, and Bella decides that she will marry Edward as long as once they're married they can consummate their union and turn her into a vampire. And they say romance is dead.
The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Pt 1 (2011)
Where to Watch: Paramount+, Amazon Prime Video, Apple, Google Play
The big day is here as Bella and Edward make their way down the aisle and head to the Cullen family private island for their honeymoon. Of course, there's only one thing on Bella's mind and all is going well — and romantically — until Bella realizes she's pregnant with a vampire baby. The film centers around the conflict this inspires as Edward and Jacob decide they want Bella to get rid of the vampire fetus lest it kill her. Jacob's pack determines that Bella and her baby are a danger to Forks, weighing up whether or not to kill her. Luckily for Bella and her future daughter, Renesmee, the conflict never turns fatal. But the movie does end with Bella's life on the line. Transforming her into a vampire is the only way to save her, but can Edward do it?
The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Pt 2 (2012)
Where to Watch: Paramount+, Amazon Prime Video, Apple, Google Play
The answer is yes! Bella is a cool, shiny vampire now and she has a lovely super-aging baby called Renesmee. Vampire babies are basically illegal in the vampire world, thanks to the fact that they have only previously existed as babies who were turned into vampires, meaning that the vampire council known as the Volturi head to Forks take out the threat of Renesmee. This inspires the Cullens and the Wolf Pack — who are now committed to the child as Jacob imprinted on her at birth — to put together a global vampire army to face down against the Volturi in one of the most controversial third acts ever put to screen.
Future Twilight Movies
There are currently no new Twilight movies planned, though author Stephanie Meyer has released multiple new Twilight stories. Most recently she put out Midnight Sun, a reimagining of the original novel through the eyes of Edward Cullen. And Meyer recently announced that she has begun work on two new novels in the series, though details are currently scarce on what they're about.
There was also recent report suggesting that Twilight will be getting a TV series in the future, similar to what is happening for the Harry Potter franchise.
Rosie Knight is a contributing freelancer for IGN covering everything from anime to comic books to kaiju to kids movies to horror flicks. She has over half a decade of experience in entertainment journalism with bylines at Nerdist, Den of Geek, Polygon, and more.
