While fans of vampire fiction and Hollywood’s biggest romance film series prepare to geek out this weekend, one leading man is trolling them all by poking fun at their beloved storybooks.
Actor Robert Pattinson is taking the internet by storm with his latest Instagram post, writing and starring in a tongue-in-cheek love letter to vampirism and Twilight.
Set to premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 7th, the post shows Pattinson dressed in sleek black clothing with his arm around a woman in a red dress. The caption sets up a cheeky duel to the death – between the man behind the vampire and the men and women obsessed with Twilight:
“The beautiful Kristen Stewart and I are heading to the TIFF… who’s coming with? @RealRobPattinson. Together, we’re making history. Tick tock… 7pm. I’ll see you there.”
The accompanying video shows the actor, 27, making his way to the Toronto premiere of his new film, Pattinson, alongside a woman in red. As they walk through the city streets, viewers see glimpses of Pattinson’s past acting roles: in the upcoming film he plays the title character, whilst the woman in red is Kristen Stewart, who starred in Twilight.
Watch the video to see the playful interaction between the star and his fans, who have taken to the hashtag #teamrobpattinson on social media to show their support. One fan, @papsamblew, even created an illustration of a vampire with the actor’s iconic face, sporting a striking resemblance to the star’s real-life persona.
Why Vampires And Twilight?
Whilst the twilight phenomenon might be drawing to a close with the release of Breaking Dawn – Part 2 in a few weeks, the vampire and Gothic romance storybook series remain firm fans’ favourite topics on social media. The series has been delighting readers for years now, with each instalment selling millions of copies around the world. The latest film to be released in the series is on course for similar global success, although the critical response has been less than universally positive.
It is thanks to this devoted fan base that Pattinson appears to be trolling the internet with his latest Instagram post. He is currently touring Australia and New Zealand with his band, the band, with stops in Sydney, Melbourne and Auckland. His latest venture follows a string of high profile film roles, including a recent turn as the iconic literary figure Sherlock Holmes in the new Guy Ritchie production, Arthur Conan Doyle’s detective stories. The latter film also starred Benedict Cumberbatch and Andrew Scott.
This time around, Pattinson’s onscreen character, Professor Moriarty, makes a brief cameo in the film, which will hit Australian cinemas on October 19th. The film is based on an episode of the BBC television series, Sherlock Holmes, which first aired in December 1964 and starred Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce as Holmes and Moriarty respectively.
The Professor And The Detective
The video shows us Pattinson and Stewart making their way to the premiere of their new film, with the actor teasing fans with teasers about the new project. We see glimpses of past roles as they walk towards the film’s premiere – including Gatsby in 2014 and The Lost Boys in 2017 – whilst fans are also treated to backstage glimpses at the TIFF.
The pair’s dynamic on-screen romance in Twilight was met with critical and commercial success upon its release in 2010. The film famously went on to become the biggest selling film of all time, boasting an estimated global box office total of over $680 million. Since then, the film has continued to delight audiences around the world, with its sequels selling even more copies and becoming even more popular.
The Twilight series is set in a world where vampires have been driven to extinction, but their legacy lives on through a religious sect led by Dr Stanley Van Helsing. The group believe that humanity is flawed and sinful, and should be avoided. They fight the good fight against supernatural creatures that they believe to be threats to their community.
Pattinson’s new film is described by the actor as a “comedy of errors”, which sees him play six different characters, mostly cops, in an attempt to bring down a drug-smuggling ring. He plays Detective John Jones in New York City, before travelling to Los Angeles to play Detective Mitchell, who is paired with Stewart’s Detective Jo Lupo.
Trolls And Vampires: Is It Funny?
Although the actors in the video seem to be having fun at the expense of their Twilight fans, trolls on the internet have also taken a liking to the video, with many praising its humour.
One user on Twitter said, “You can’t make this stuff up. Even the most dedicated vampire fans couldn’t take this joke seriously. Great job, sir. #teamrobpattinson.”
Another user posted, “I’ve been a vampire fan for years, but this is the first time I laughed so hard I cried. Classic.”
Pattinson himself has spoken previously about his love for Twilight and how it has influenced his film career: “I was in New York with a friend of mine who was an aspiring screenwriter. He had this idea for a TV show and he asked me if I would be interested in writing it. I said, ‘Of course, I would love to.’ He said it was going to be based on the Twilight book series. I said, ‘I think that’s a really good idea. Tell me more about it.'”
Pattinson’s first script for television was eventually turned into a web series for Netflix in 2018. The actor also wrote and directed a short film for the streaming service, adapting his own short story, The Matador. Cast and crew were given free rein to adorn the stylish video with their favourite items – resulting in a lavish party vibe – with Spanish director José Luis Borrás stating, “We wanted to do a video that was a celebration of the story and the characters. It’s very much about the artistry of the people who worked on it: our cinematographer, composer, editor, and production designer.”
The Next Big Thing?
Despite his last three films underperforming at the box office (The Lost Boys, Once Upon A Time In Hollywood, and Pattinson), the actor has continued to enjoy high profile film roles, playing iconic characters in A-list Hollywood films. It seems that the 27-year-old is following the footsteps of some of his famous role models by finding success outside of the big-budget blockbuster realm.
According to industry insiders, the next big thing in Hollywood could be a solo performance from the beloved English actor, who has had a busy year and continues to prove that old adage about needing luck in life rather than trying harder.