Twelve years after The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2 was released, Lionsgate is moving forward with a Twilight remake as a television series. Summit Entertainment, a subsidiary of Lionsgate, originally adapted Stephenie Meyer's fantasy romance novels into a successful five-part film series that grossed over $3 billion at the box office, solidifying its place as one of the most popular Young Adult franchises of the 2000s. It comes as no surprise that the entertainment company wants to continue exploring the Twilight universe.
In April 2023, Lionsgate announced the development of a Twilight television show, but details surrounding the remake remained scarce until nearly a year later. Speculation about the cast, including rumors of Jenna Ortega as Bella Swan, has been circulating online. However, concrete information about the show's cast, story, or format was not disclosed until Lionsgate provided more insight into their plans for the series' structure in March 2024, and the company's statements have raised some concerns.
An Animated Twilight Remake Doesn't Make Sense & Misses Its Appeal
Bella Swan (Kristen Stewart) and Edward Cullen (Robert Pattinson) have their first kiss in Twilight - An Animated Twilight Remake Doesn't Make Sense & Misses Its Appeal
Deadline shared that Lionsgate Vice Chairman Michael Burns talked about the upcoming Twilight television series at the Morgan Stanley media conference. Burns mentioned that they are planning to release an animated series for Twilight, expecting a high level of interest from fans.
Many people had assumed that the Twilight remake would be a live-action show. Surprisingly, the plan all along was to transform Stephenie Meyer's Twilight books into an animated series. Lionsgate Television is currently trying to sell the animated project to various platforms. This decision to go with animation sets the reboot apart from the movies starring Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson, but it has left some scratching their heads.
The decision by Lionsgate to reboot the Twilight franchise so soon after the film series seems unnecessary. The movies are already extremely popular and cherished, making it a challenge to replicate or even surpass their success. While it's evident that Lionsgate wants to distance itself from the original films by going the animated route, it's not clear what animation can offer that live-action can't. Twilight wouldn't necessarily be more captivating in animation or gain any particular benefits from this medium. Additionally, opting for animation eliminates the fun of imagining dream casting choices for the Twilight remake.
Why Is The Twilight Remake Animated?
Bella and Edward in bed in Twilight Eclipse - Why Is The Twilight Remake Animated?
Lionsgate may have chosen to reboot Twilight as an animated TV show in order to set it apart from the original movies. The Twilight Saga is already extremely popular, so Lionsgate probably wanted to avoid competing directly with it. Another reason could be concerns about the budget for a live-action project, prompting the company to opt for animation instead. However, the decision to go with an animated remake of Twilight is quite unusual and leaves us questioning, "Who is the target audience for this?"
The Twilight Saga film series can be streamed on Hulu.
Source: Deadline
Editor's P/S:
The announcement of an animated Twilight television series has sparked mixed reactions. While some fans are excited about the potential for a new take on the beloved story, others are skeptical about the decision to depart from the live-action format that made the original films so successful. It remains to be seen whether the animated adaptation will capture the same magic and appeal to the same audience as the original films.
The decision to go animated raises questions about the target audience for the series. The original Twilight films appealed to a wide range of viewers, from young adults to adults, but it is unclear whether an animated adaptation will have the same appeal. Additionally, the animated format may limit the ability of the series to explore the more mature themes that were present in the films, such as love, loss, and sacrifice.
