This is the news of a killer, Bella -- and the #TeamEdward and #TeamJacob era is about to make a comeback. Today, The Hollywood Reporter announced that the Twilight series is gaining another adaptation, this time as a television series. Though still in the early development phases, the series will come from Lionsgate Television, with author Stephenie Meyer in talks to return. Wyck Godfrey and former Lionsgate Motion Picture Group co-president Erik Feig are attached as executive producers.
If you grew up in the early 2000s, chances are you're familiar with the vampire romance sensation that consumed nearly every tween and teen. First released in 2005, Meyer's book series follows a high schooler named Bella, a girl who relocates to Forks, Washington to spend more time with her father, Charlie. After starting at a new school, Bella is qucickly entranced by a mysterious student -- Edward Cullen. Eventually, Bella learns that Edward is a vampire, and so are the rest of the Cullens. Throughout the remainder of the series, Bella becomes an integral part of the family, desperate to become a vampire and be with Edward forever.
A few years later, Twilight made its way to the big screen with the first movie adaptation. The rest of the main books in the series -- New Moon, Eclipse, and Breaking Dawn -- also received adaptations, with the last book getting split into two parts. While Bella herself, Kristen Stewart, was often criticized for her performance, she later went on to have a strong career, as well as her co-star Robert Pattinson (Edward). The books themselves also paved a path for Meyer to release a gender-swapped version (Life & Death), a novella entitled The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner, and most recently, Twilight told from Edward's perspective in the long, long-awaited published version of Midnight Sun.
During its time, the franchise grossed more than $3.4 billion worldwide. Though it's no longer making money through the box office, the franchise remains a staple for many in more ways than one. Along with Pattinson and Stewart, the films starred Billy Burke, Peter Facinelli, Sarah Clarke, Taylor Lautner, Kellan Lutz, Jackson Rathbone, Booboo Stewart, Ashley Greene, Nikki Reed, and several others.
Twilight Isn't the Only Childhood Franchise Making a Comeback
Earlier this month, the newly re-branded Max announced that a seven-season television adaptation of Harry Potter is in the works. According to the company, each season would adapt one book in the franchise, aiming to be more faithful than the original movie series. Not only is it potentially a set-up for failure as many Potter fans are attached to the original franchise, Max also confirmed that author J.K. Rowling -- who has publicly made her transphobia and other hateful rhetoric known -- is attached. Ultimately, only time will tell how well these upcoming franchises will perform.
As the series is still in the early phases, there is no projected release window or release plans (theatrical or streaming).