It was a cultural phenomenon you couldn't escape: Twilight mania. Teenage girls camped outside cinemas, the battle between Team Edward and Team Jacob split friendships, and stars Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart became global celebrities overnight. Although the actors later poked fun at the films themselves, the franchise raked in a staggering 3.3 billion dollars. Here are all five Twilight films in order of release.
Twilight (2008)
It all begins in rainy Forks, where Bella Swan falls head over heels for Edward Cullen. In biology class Edward stares at her as if she smells bad, but soon after he saves her from an oncoming van by stopping it with his bare hands. He turns out to be a century-old vampire who, for unclear reasons, is still in high school. The film has memorable moments, like the vampire baseball game during a thunderstorm, but also cringeworthy effects. With a budget of just 37 million dollars, this 'indie vampire film' became a worldwide hit.
The Twilight Saga: New Moon (2009)
In the second film, Edward leaves Bella after she cuts herself on wrapping paper and one of the Cullens nearly attacks her. What follows is a depressed Bella staring blankly out the window as the seasons pass, seeking out danger to summon visions of her ex. Meanwhile, Jacob Black becomes her rock, and a werewolf. Taylor Lautner got an impressive six-pack for the role and barely wore a shirt for the rest of the series. The film ends with a dramatic rescue in Italy from the vampire royalty, the Volturi.
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The Twilight Saga: Eclipse (2010)
Revenge is the theme of part three. Vampire Victoria builds an army of 'newborns' in Seattle to get Bella, forcing the Cullens and the werewolves into an uneasy truce. Between battles there's plenty of love-triangle drama. Thanks to director David Slade, who has a horror background, the final battle in the mountains looks surprisingly good. Heads roll, and Bella finally chooses her vampire.
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The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1 (2011)
Finally a wedding, but the honeymoon on a private island soon turns into a horror story. Bella becomes pregnant with a hybrid baby that consumes her from the inside. As she grows skeletally thin and drinks blood from a cup with a straw, the werewolf pack prepares to attack. The birth scene is downright gruesome, and the film ends with an iconic shot of Bella opening her eyes: they're blood red.
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The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2 (2012)
The finale introduces the most talked-about baby in film history: Renesmee, a CGI creation that still gives some viewers nightmares. Jacob has 'imprinted' on the baby, which doesn't make things any less awkward. When the Volturi believe the child is forbidden, they go to war. What follows is a huge final battle in which beloved characters fall... until it turns out to be just a vision by Alice. A daring choice that divided fans, but the film grossed about 830 million dollars, ending the saga on a high.
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