There are few celebrity scandals more famous than the one that surrounded the year 2012. Not only was it the year of the infamous ‘Twilight’ series finale, it was also the year that Robert Pattinson’s character Edward Cullen turned into a werewolf. It was an event that shocked the world and made for such great conversation… Or should that be ‘webbiquette’?

We’ve all seen the reactions on social media when a celebrity manages to keep their cool in the face of a scandal, but how does their behavior actually change? Do they behave differently once the scandal unfolds? Do audiences react differently toward them based on their on-screen alter-ego? What happens when a celebrity’s private life spills over into their professional life?

In 2012, Robert Pattinson’s character became unhinged. Whether it was the shocking ‘Twilight’ finale that ended in a cliffhanger, or the public reaction to the news that he’d changed into a wolf, we all learned a lot about how the media and fans reacted to this unexpected turn of events.

While it’s impossible to predict what will happen in the future, it’s fun to look back at the events that led up to the year of the werewolf. So, let’s take a trip down memory lane with a look at what happened in 2012. It was a year that forever changed the way we look at Edward Cullen and his wolf pack.

From Human to Wolf

To set the scene for the events of 2012, we’ll begin in England, in the small town of Dunstable. It’s a typical English town, with pretty leafy green areas, stone cottages and even a castle. In the summer of 2012, the town was buzzing with celebrities and fans coming together for one unforgettable event: the London Film and Comic-Con.

It was there that we first saw Edward Cullen. He was participating in a Q&A session with fans, and although he tried to stay cool, he didn’t quite succeed. When asked about turning into a werewolf, he became irritated and called the questioner ‘dumb’. It was a scene that would later become famous.

From Arthouse To Blockbuster

With the ‘Twilight’ series reaching its conclusion on Blu-ray and DVD in 2012, fans were left with two options: keep buying the movies to see them again, or seek out the series on TV. Naturally, many kept on buying the Blu-rays and DVD, but for others the lure of a TV series was too great to resist – especially since many of the ‘Twilight’ shows were available in HD.

The success of the Netflix original ‘House of Cards’ demonstrated the power of TV shows in today’s world. Suddenly a lot of exciting prospects arose for TV fans, who wanted to see their favorite shows on a big screen TV. Leading to the rise of the ‘Arthouse Movie’ trend, which saw smaller movie theaters close down and be replaced by giant screens.

Screw The Rating!

The MPAA (Motion Picture Association of America) are a self-regulatory body that sets ratings for movies. Their ratings range from G to PG, which you may know as ‘Family Friendly’ or ‘General Audience’, respectively. In 2012, the MPAA finally caved into public pressure and scrapped their age-restricted ratings system. Starting in January 2013, movies will no longer be restricted to audiences depending on their age.

While this was a huge victory for Netflix and other streaming services, it was a loss for fans of older cinema. No longer could they rely on the MPAA to dictate what they could and couldn’t watch. This opened the door for more adult-oriented content, leading to one of the greatest scandals in cinema history: the infamous ‘Titanic’ sex scenes. Jack and Rose’s fateful coupling was one of the first moments of graphic sex in cinema, and it was banned in many countries, including the U.S. and the U.K.

A Historic Eclipse

The year 2012 was one of the most memorable years in film history. It was the year that Mark Wahlberg turned into a vampire in ‘The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2′ and Evangeline Lily’s character turned into a fairy. The latter became the subject of much debate, with many asking whether she was gay or bisexual due to her romantic involvement with fairy king Sebastian. We also saw the beginning of the end for Peter Capaldi’s character in ‘The Thick Of It’, as he was murdered at the end of season four and became one of the many zombies in Stephen King’s ‘The Walking Dead’ series.

A Whole New Level Of Creepiness

‘The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies’ was one of 2012’s biggest releases. Starring Ian McKellen and Martin Freeman, this final ‘Hobbit’ movie takes us back to the beginning, when Bilbo Baggins (Freeman) set off on an adventurous quest to reclaim the Dwarf kingdom of Erebor from Smaug the Dragon. Along the way he gathers a company of companions, including Gandalf the Wizard (McKellen), who is a bit of a mentor to Bilbo.

The final battle between Smaug and the dwarves is a sight to behold. It’s like a cross between ‘Return of the Jedi’ and ‘Dune’, with the giant reptile vs. the tiny dwarves. While this may not seem like the most romantic of settings, the breathtaking views provided by Peter Jackson’s trademark photography and unique special effects help make this a memorable movie.

An Eventful Year

Alongside the ‘Hobbit’ films, there were a number of other popular movies that were released in 2012 that deserve a mention. They include:

  • ‘Saving Mr. Bank’
  • ‘Paddington’
  • ‘Cloud Atlas’
  • ‘The Great Gatsby’
  • ‘Arthur’s Bed’
  • ‘The Dark Knight Rises’
  • ‘The Impossible Hulk’
  • ‘Looper’

What a year. Not only did we get to see some of the greatest films of all time, we also got to experience some of the greatest scandals, moments of glorious absurdity and historic events. While the year 2013 will hopefully bring more good than bad, until next year, farewell!