Just as Harry Potter prompted youth around the world to dress up in wizard costumes and form lines around movie theatres, the Nov. 21 release of Twilight saw a phenomenal response.
The film, based on Stephenie Meyer’s novel “Twilight,” stars Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson as Bella and Edward. The book frenzy surrounding the saga should have been a sign for the release of the film, but the results far surpassed expectations. Box office reports show the film earning over $69.6 million in its opening weekend. Paramount and Fox Atomic studios will be kicking themselves, having passed up the offer to produce the film. “Twilight,” proved to be a cash machine for indie studio Summit Entertainment whose official production cost only $37 million total.
Girls and boys of all ages camped at movie theaters around the nation to be the first to see the film at midnight. Middle and high school students donned Edward t-shirts, “Twilight” backpacks and “Team Jacob” apparel. College students, though slightly more reserved, made a night of the event and expressed their excitement through Facebook statuses reading “Twilight, Twilight, Twilight” or “I have a date tonight… with Edward!”
With the first weekend of the release proving successful, avid readers and fans can expect a sequel sometime in the near future.