Exclusive: Twilight Project In The Works At Netflix
We've exclusively learned that Netflix is looking to make something new for Twilight fans.
Update: This Giant Freakin Robot exclusive was confirmed with an animated series Twilight: Midnight Sun in the works.
All five of the Twilight movies starring Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart are currently on Netflix. While those movies have been done for nearly a decade, when they recently returned to the platform for streaming they immediately took over the charts. This may have surprised some, since during the time the movies were releasing in theaters they received a lot of hate online. Despite this, when the final movie was released, it did so to a box office win of $829 million. It may have been cool to make fun of Twilight, but the fans have always been there in mass and with a dedication to this story that they love, as evidenced by its prior box office success and current fan love on streaming. This is something that Netflix is looking at.
We’ve now learned from one of our trusted and proven inside sources that Netflix is interested in doing a project in the Twilight universe, either a show or a movie. Based on the fact that it’s either a show or a movie, it seems like Netflix isn’t very far along yet on deciding where to go and are in the early exploration stage for this project. It makes sense, though, that Netflix would want to acquire a franchise that others have since mostly moved away from. At this point, we were unable to learn what ideas they’re currently throwing around. For many Twilight fans, the obvious choice may be a story around werewolf Leah Clearwater.
Many of the original Twilight actors are no longer acting and those that are have expressed negative feelings about their association with the franchise. In the original films, Leah Clearwater was played by Julia Jones, who is still acting. She is about to be seen in Dexter: New Blood, where she’ll be playing the chief of police and Dexter’s love interest. Most of the characters at the end of Breaking Dawn all got neatly tied up and happy endings. Leah Clearwater was an exception. Author Stephenie Meyer, who now works with her own movie production company, has expressed that if she were to ever write a new Twilight story, Leah Clearwater would be a strong contender.
Since we last saw her as the beta in Jacob’s pack, there is room for Taylor Lautner to also be part of a movie or series for Netflix that followed Leah Clearwater. However, it does appear that he is no longer acting. A project centered on Leah may have her moving out on her own, since she expressed a desire to do that in her future anyway. A Leah Clearwater project could also bring back her brother Seth, played by Booboo Stewart, who became popular with audiences.
While Leah Clearwater may be a strong contender for an upcoming Twilight project at Netflix, it will of course raise questions about Bella and Edward Cullen. Does this mean that Robert Pattinson would consider returning to the role of Edward Cullen for Twilight at Netflix? That seems very unlikely. Right now, Netflix is exploring what they can do, so this must be part of the discussion. However, the end of the Twilight Saga pretty well-wrapped things up for Edward and Bella Cullen, with the end having them go off into their happily ever after.
While fans have previously wondered if the release of Midnight Sun, the novel from Edward’s perspective, could mean a return for a movie from his perspective as well, that seems unlikely. Robert Pattinson famously disses on the Twilight franchise. He has said that he took his dignity back after the last film released. He’s currently moved on and happily working on The Batman. If Robert Pattison is out, that likely means that getting Kristen Stewart back as Bella would also be out. However, never say never.
Other possibilities for a future Twilight project at Netflix could be something with characters we’ve never seen before, or a movie or show that centered on Renesmee, Edward and Bella’s daughter played by Mackenzie Foy. That would likely require the participation of actors to play Jacob, Edward, and Bella, but in supporting roles. It’ll be interesting to see how Netflix decides to handle going about creating a new story in a franchise like Twilight, where the original movies released nearly a decade ago and yet many of its characters never age. Will they decide to attempt a story surrounding characters we know? Will they branch out in an attempt to steer away from those problems? What will fans think after all this time?
