It’s been a week since our last update on the Twilight Saga. BTS fans have been patiently (and diligently) waiting for news on whether Robert Pattinson still has a role in the film. The suspense is killing us. But, alas, it seems that the waiting has not been in vain: Robert Pattinson has officially signed on to reprise his role as Edward Cullen.
The news was broken by none other than Nikki Reed, who plays Bella in the movies. In an interview, she confirmed that Robert Pattinson has signed on to appear in three of the four Twilight films as Edward. If these are the last three films, then it seems that the wait for Robert Pattinson’s signature on the contracts was not in vain: this will be the last chapter of the Twilight saga.
The first two films of the Twilight franchise were a success, bringing in nearly $9 billion at the box office. The last film, Breaking Dawn – Part 2, was the highest-grossing movie of the year and the all-time highest-grossing film in the franchise. We can’t help but wonder what would have happened if Robert Pattinson had agreed to reprise his role as Edward as originally planned. Could the third film still have been a success, and is this why the actor decided to return?
The Success Of Twilight
From Our Own Correspondent reports that the Twilight films were the most-watched television shows of all time. More than 170 million people tuned in to watch Bella Swan fall in love with Edward Cullen. It is interesting to note that the first film, Twilight, was originally meant to be two-hour long. The studio executives wanted to ensure that each episode held its own story, and so they trimmed the runtime. But, in doing so, they lost a big chunk of the movie’s potential audience. Could the first two Twilight films be considered a mini-series, in the same way that The Sopranos or The Wire are often referred to as mini-series?
In terms of the international market, the Twilight films are arguably the biggest pop culture phenomena of the 21st century. The first film was released in 2012 and almost immediately became a worldwide hit. In the UK, it is the all-time highest-grossing franchise, and it currently holds the top spot on the all-time box office charts. In Australia, it is the second-highest-grossing franchise, behind only the James Bond film series. Even in Japan, where the James Bond films aren’t popular, the Twilight films are still a smash hit. It’s fair to say that the world is – or at least was – a little bit in love with Bella and Edward.
Why Didn’t Robert Pattinson Reprise His Role As Edward?
There are a number of reasons why Robert Pattinson may not have returned as Edward Cullen. First, he is allegedly still bitter about the trilogy co-starring Kristen Stewart. Second, the actor may not have wanted to appear in a so-called “girl’s movie.” Finally, there is the issue of money: after eight years of working, Robert Pattinson is finally riding high on the success of David Cronenberg’s The Spiderman, and he doesn’t want to jeopardise that by coming back to a movie he had already completed. So, what now for Bella and Edward? Will they finally get their happy ever after?
The saga continues…