The on-screen Twilight saga continues with the November 18 premiere of Breaking Dawn—Part 1, the first of two films based upon Stephenie Meyer’s fourth book in her paranormal romance series-turned-phenomenon. According to Box Office Mojo, the Twilight films have earned more than $600,000,000 domestically and more than one billion dollars worldwide.
The film, which stars Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, and Taylor Lautner, commences with Bella Swan’s and Edward Cullen’s much-anticipated marriage and honeymoon. But as devoted readers already know, the newlyweds will face significant challenges as their relationship evolves, with Bella experiencing a potentially life-threatening pregnancy. The final Twilight film, Breaking Dawn—Part 2, will hit theaters on November 16, 2012.
Gearing up for the release of the new movie, Summit Entertainment will be showing the first three Twilight films on Tuesdays in theaters across the country throughout November. “Twilight Tuesdays” showings will feature the first in the series, Twilight on November 1, followed by New Moon on November 8, and Eclipse on November 15. Each of the films, which will include interviews with cast members and behind-the-scenes material, will show at 7:30 p.m. Fans can find a list of participating theatres and links for purchasing tickets at Fathom's Web site.
AMC Theatres are giving fans the opportunity to vote on which of the three previous films will be screened at select movie houses before the midnight showing of Breaking Dawn—Part 1 on November 18. Fans can vote for the film that they would like to see by visiting AMC’s Web site. AMC will announce the film that received the most votes on October 19, with the winning film to play at 9:30 p.m. on November 18, followed by Breaking Dawn— Part 1. “The passion and enthusiasm among Twilight fans is unparalleled,” said AMC programming president Robert J. Lenihan in a release. “It only makes sense that we let our guests dictate the movie that they want to see before the opening of the newest chapter in this epic saga.”
On the publishing front, the Twilight series continues to evolve. The second volume of a Twilight graphic novel, adapted and illustrated by Young Kim, was released by Yen Press earlier this month, with a 350,000-copy first printing; the first installment of the graphic novel series came out last year. Also this month, Little, Brown released a trade paperback edition of Breaking Dawn that includes a movie tie-in cover and fold-out poster, with a first printing of 400,000 copies. A mass market edition of Breaking Dawn will follow in November, with 500,000 copies and an illustrated movie companion book that will feature film stills, exclusive images, and interviews with the cast, releases in December, with a 200,000 copy printing.
The titles, which are embargoed until their release dates, “really capture the excitement and drama of the film,” says Melanie Chang, v-p and executive director of publicity at Little, Brown Books for Young Readers. “This is the Twilight film fans have been waiting for.”
