Article by Alexandra Gambardella
“Harry Potter” did it for wizards, “Lord of the Rings” won big for hobbits, and “Narnia” brought it home for the talking woodland creatures. But can a soon-to-shoot movie similarly turn the creaky film cliché of vampires into the next multimillion-dollar fantasy flick franchise?
“The movie is called ‘Twilight,’” 17-year-old “Into the Wild” actress Kristen Stewart beamed when we recently spoke to her. “['Lords of Dogtown' filmmaker] Catherine Hardwicke is directing it in Washington. It’s based on a book that’s pretty popular [among] young adult, high school kids.”
Although Stewart and co-star Robert Pattinson (Cedric Diggory!) will soon film only the first movie, they’re already talking about turning the vampire storyline into a series that really sucks. And since the latest book sold over 150,000 copies in its first day alone, Bella and Edward fans everywhere are already counting down the months until the film’s release.
“People really love these books,” said Stewart. “Right now it’s a trilogy, and a fourth book is coming out, so hopefully we’ll get to shoot all four.”
For those who haven’t yet been bitten, “Twilight” will feature Stewart as Bella Swan, a teenage girl whose life gets turned upside-down after she meets and falls in love with a vampire. Additional names will be cast in the next few weeks, but according to the actress, 21-year-old Pattinson is already sinking his teeth into the role of Edward.
“He’s so good and he’s so soulful and he’s just not a liar — you can feel pain from him,” Stewart cooed. “The cool thing about the story is that it’s a seemingly wonderful fantasy — let’s fall in love with vampires and live forever — but it’s so much harder than that. Imagine living forever. Living one life is hard enough.”
But don’t get fooled into thinking this is going to be “The Notebook” for the undead. “The main character is like, superhuman,” Stewart said of the action scenes in the script. “He’s a vampire, but with really [heightened powers]; he can run faster than a car can drive, and he’s super strong. He throws me over his back [in one scene], right before he’s going to tell me that he’s a vampire, and then he runs over the treetops. And we’re going to be in real treetops; we’re not just going to CGI it. We actually get to go up there, and that’s what I’m stoked on.”
“It’s a pretty triumphant love story,” Stewart concluded, looking forward to stepping in front of the cameras. “It’s gonna take a while, and it [deserves to be] at least a series of three.”
UPDATE (2.28.08): ‘Twilight’ Co-Star Rachelle Lefevre Talks Treetop Controversy!
February 6th, 2008 at 3:31 pm
Ok so regardless of what i think is good for the movie or not.. (besides, my opinion has been mentioned by various people and i doubt that anyone wants to hear MORE ranting on the same subject) BUUUUUTTT what does get me curious and made me post this comment is that i wanna know where everone is reading bits and pieces of the script?! How awesome! I’ve been everywhere searching for SOMETHING that contains the script but alas… no luck… someone fill me in please!
Thanks guys!
ps… i think our Ced-Ward is going to do just fine. People need to have a little more faith. I mean come on. if you’ve never read the Twilight series before and someone (stranger) comes up to you and rants and raves about how some book is SUPER and that its about Vampires, Werewolfs and Love all in between , would you really think RIGHT there on the spot to go and buy/rent it? No, but you HAVE.. and it VERY MUCH exceeded ALL of our expectations so why would Ced-Ward be any different?
February 6th, 2008 at 3:34 pm
I CANT WAIT TIL THEY MAKE THE MOVIE!!!!!!!!!!!
February 6th, 2008 at 3:36 pm
I cant wait and im the 400th person to post just had to do it when it was 399!
February 6th, 2008 at 3:38 pm
i’m kind of excited that they are making a series, but it will be animated right? i love the cast so far but i dont think they will be able to portray the mood of the movie that well.
Treetops?
February 6th, 2008 at 3:41 pm
cant wait till the movie, its gunna be awesum
but…….
Y NOT GASPARD ULLIEL??????????????????
February 6th, 2008 at 3:53 pm
I was so excited when i saw this, but i really hope they keep to the storyline more. The running on tops of the trees is a lot different than the book, what about Port Angeles??? Please pray to god that they will keep to the book, or there will be a definite reaction from Bella and Edward Fan’s, including me.
February 6th, 2008 at 4:03 pm
OMG!!! I CANT WAIT for this movie. It will be AMAZING!!! Oh BTW to all the Twilight fans (if u havent read it allready) The release date for ‘Breaking Dawn’ is Tomorrow (Feb. 6th)!!!
February 6th, 2008 at 4:11 pm
They don’t run over tree tops in the book! And Edward doesn’t directly tell Bella he’s a vampire either, she guesses. And you REALLY can’t cut out the Port Angeles scene, I mean thats how it starts! Sure, sure, she knows him from biology and the mean glares, then getting talked to like it never happened to getting saved from getting squished by Tylers van, ya’know, but she has to figure out what he is. Its like one fourth of the book and you just messed it up!….Regardless I’m still excited to see the movie.
February 6th, 2008 at 4:14 pm
omg! this movie is gunna suck i mean they cant change port angels top of treetops wat the flip!
they suck get keep it a damn book!!!
February 6th, 2008 at 4:14 pm
I HATE their choice for Edward. He should’ve been Gaspard Ulliel. Really. And their choice for Bella is too pretty unless they can find some way to make her look less pretty. I LOVE the choice for Jacob though.
February 6th, 2008 at 4:17 pm
i’m sitting here with matt (from above)…he’s not all there…w/e Jackie!!! Leave me ALONE!!!…as you can see, he’s here…=D…so yeah i think the movie will be ok, but idk…so far it seems like they’re changing a lot of things (treetops????)…i mean i understand that they have to change some stuff, but twilight was so good the way it was…idk, just my opinion…=D
February 6th, 2008 at 4:18 pm
Jackie (above) is making fun of me!!! plz ignore…I am ALL HERE (see I’m even typing!!!) W/e… OMG did u read the whole Treetops thing AMAZING (only cuz it’ll be REAL) so yeah…I’m done for the day…
February 6th, 2008 at 4:18 pm
kristen stewart is going to have a REALLY hard time trying to play bella. let’s just hope she ~@%%@ the entire thing up.
February 6th, 2008 at 4:21 pm
i cant wait til the movie comes out… i am so exstatic about it, the actors will be amazing together they make such a cute couple… i mean for the movie that is. i really hope they dont cut the port angeles scene out though that is a really major part… & the treetops thing is really screwed up, no where in the book does that say that… im really glad they might make the movies into a series… This will be awesome!!!!!
~Katy~
February 6th, 2008 at 4:22 pm
Well, It sounds like it’ll be ok, but… I don’t get the “Over the treetops” and “BEFORE he TELLS me he is a Vampire”. That doesn’t sound right. All in all, I think it is going to be an ok movie though.
February 6th, 2008 at 4:26 pm
gah, they can’t cut port angelas! wtf are the DOING?
well at least they cast the roles well. cant wait to see it, hopefully it wont be horrid.
omfg, and i cant wait for breaking dawn. the official release date is going to be announced tomorrow- 2/7/08!
February 6th, 2008 at 4:27 pm
okay, im excited about the movie, but i dont know if i wanna see it because im scared the charaters will ruin the books, im mean bellas girl is really good, but the guy who play edward–EWW, hes so ugly. whatever
February 6th, 2008 at 4:34 pm
Tree tops? right before he tells her he’s a vampire? what the heack is all that about? i really hope they don’t srew up this movie!
February 6th, 2008 at 4:36 pm
helloo people…love the book and love kristen and robert..kiss and hugs from europe,croatia..love ya all..
February 6th, 2008 at 4:39 pm
Well I’m glad she sounds enthusiastic but I’m afraid they are going to butcher the book. You can’t really experience Twilight without the entire book. My favorite scenes are in Port Angeles and the meadow. It’s all very important. They can do it all Harry Potter was a 2 hour and 30 minute movie.
: }
February 6th, 2008 at 4:40 pm
Ugh. I agree Sarah.
I’m very frightened.
February 6th, 2008 at 4:45 pm
Woah. treetops.
guys, its not going to be perfectly in line with the book, and we all know it.
so just be cool with the fact that treetop running…. sounds pretty much awesome.
*shrugs* live and let live.
the book is where the story truly lives, consider this movie an awesome fanfic.
February 6th, 2008 at 4:46 pm
Yes, Kristen will have a lot of expectations to live up to. As will Robert, him more-so I”m thinking, because he’s playing the PERFECT Edward Cullen!!!! Over the tree tops? WHAT THE HECK, NO!!!!!!!!!! Where did that come from!!!!! And BEFORE he tells her he’s a vampire!?!?!! Um, no!!!!!!! But I think over all it will be a very good movie!!! I can’t wait to see who the rest of the cast is!!!!
February 6th, 2008 at 4:54 pm
Im glad that Kristen is as excited about the movie, as we fans. At first I wasn’t too happy with the cast, but you can’t have everything you want, but I have to draw the line at flying through the treetops. It messes up the plot, where does Jake fit into all of this?!?! I can’t wait to see the movie. I know its not going to be perfect but they can at least try to stick with the books.
February 6th, 2008 at 4:58 pm
WRONG WRONG WRONG!!!!!!!!!!! EDWARD taking bella to TELL her hes a vampire while FLYING over trees???????!?!?!?!?!?!? WTF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! i think stewart and pattison are going to be great in the roles, but that just ISNT RIGHT! stay true to the books, people!!! im going to be sooo sad if the movie is waaayy of from the books. why ruin something so beautiful
February 6th, 2008 at 5:00 pm
I read this on a Kristen Stewart fansite. What the hell is with the treetops thing? Edward runs on the ground! And he doesn’t tell her he’s a vampire, Bella guesses and Edward hints that she’s right! My friends and I are so upset! I hope that they don’t butcher it… If they do, I’m definately starting a boycott.
February 6th, 2008 at 5:04 pm
Ok, really scared now. running over trees? sounds cheesy, and, oh yeah, NOT IN THE BOOK!!!!!! they better not @#**$ up Twilight!!!!!!!!!
February 6th, 2008 at 5:06 pm
OMG! OMG! OMG! THIS EXCITES ME SO MUCH! I’M SO IN LOVE WITH EDWARD. THIS IS GONNA BE GREAT! EVEN IF THEY CHANGE A FEW PARTS ITS STILL GONNA BE GREAT CAUSE ITS BELLA AND EDWARD! COME ON ALL YOU GIRLS KNOW THAT YOUR IN LVOE WITH EDWARD TOO!!!!
February 6th, 2008 at 5:07 pm
NOOOOOOO
please dont butcher the books, i will be so sad!
i mean whats the point of makeing a movie if its not true to the book?
treetops????? over the treetops??? before he tells her he is a vampire??!??!?!?!
it doesnt make any sense…the port angeles scene CANNOT be cut i mean it was an amazing scene!!
omg im scared now!!!
February 6th, 2008 at 5:09 pm
I’m super excited that they’re making a movie about my favorite book! I think Kristen will be a great Bella. Pattinson’s so hot!!!! I think people need to stop complaining about how the whole “running over trees” thing is messing up the book. It won’t! I’m sure it’ll be a great scene. Chillax! I’m so excited!!!!!!!!!!!
February 6th, 2008 at 5:09 pm
WTF tree tops?!?!?! my goodness i hope they dont bucher the storyline
February 6th, 2008 at 5:10 pm
i know everyone is scared that the movie isnt going to stay true to the book but hey no movie does its just imposible, we just have to hope that the things they add and cut will make a really damn good movie…(just hoping they dont do what they did with eragon lol!) anyways i love kirsten and robert for the main roles im sure they will do a good job
and ive been really dying to see the rest of the cast because each character in the books are just amazing lol!
February 6th, 2008 at 5:11 pm
Can’t wait for the movie or Breaking Dawn!!! umm yeah…treetops??? Kristen sounds ready and excited for the movie, and so does Robert…i mean after all he read the books…i hope they stick to the plot line of the book as much as possible, otherwise they’ll have a bunch of unhappy twilight fans, including myself. The Port Angeles scene is one of the most important scenes, they can’t cut it out!!
February 6th, 2008 at 5:20 pm
Okay, so you say that the “treetops” thing isn’t a big deal? If we know that scene is messed up…Then what about the other scenes? What about the next books that get turned into movies? I guess I can see why some people don’t think the treetops thing is a big deal, I mean people who have read the Hary Potter series know how much can be changed, but with Twilight, can’t they try to follow the book? It’s so sad..
February 6th, 2008 at 5:21 pm
what? treetops?? the movie wont be the same without port angeles part! what else will they cut out and change? like edward TELLING bella that makes no scence! they better not tamper to much with the book!
February 6th, 2008 at 5:23 pm
I agree with Ashley because no where in the book does it say anything about running over treetops and they shouldn’t add stupid stuff.
February 6th, 2008 at 5:32 pm
OMG! I can not wait for this to come out! It sounds so amazing! I have read everything Twilight series book about 3 times in about 1 week! The treetop thing does sound a little different but hey, with Edward (Robert) and Bella (Kristen) being such great actors, i really don’t care if they add stuff! it is gonna be so great! I love Edward Cullen and Bella Swan!
February 6th, 2008 at 5:33 pm
Everyone needs to stop jumping to conclusions! it seems like they’re doing a great job. From the scripts I’ve heard and seen, they’re sticking to the plot with some MINOR changes. Although I’m not sure about Port Angeles. I don’t think they’ll take the scene out. Aside from that, All the characters are in the movie!
I love that Kristen seems excited about a movie that means so much to all of us! That is a step in the right direction. And I haven’t seen Robert act, but I believe he’ll do fine! Just be greatful and support Stephanie’s accomplishments and her opinions! She wrote it, duh!
February 6th, 2008 at 5:34 pm
ugh.
they need to stop changing the story
this isnt harry potter
u cant take things out and substitute it.
this book is TOO good
for that to happen.
i am going to be insanley pissed
if they *@~?? this up
February 6th, 2008 at 5:40 pm
Omg… the f***ing trees… wth is that? and if they cut out the Port Angeles scene… i will strike ahah jkjk. i will be kinda bummed. I already hate Robert Pattinson as Edward… omg look at his hideous pic on imdb.com.. wtf. his face. ekkk ok well anywho at least kristen gets her role right? she’s really into it. that’s good. at first i didn’t like her but i was willing to give her a chance but robert is just NEVER going to be edward! hey peoples what about matt long as edward cullen… oh and if you want mysteriousness… go for gaspard ulliel… so pretty.
February 6th, 2008 at 5:41 pm
I am really getting worried about the movie How much are they going to cut out of the book and what is with the treetops they cannot cut out port angeles it’s like a main part of the book and running across treetops just doesn’t fit the personality of the relationship they better not change too much else or the movie will suck!
February 6th, 2008 at 5:43 pm
Tree Tops? Does Edward fly in the movie? That is so random…I hope they don’t give him “super powers” he doesn’t actually have…..
February 6th, 2008 at 5:48 pm
i’m not too thrilled on the person they picked for edward. no offense to robert or anything i just don’t see an edward in him. but i like the idea of kristen playing bella was good. i can’t wait for the movie to come out either. (or the fourth book) i’m really excited about it
February 6th, 2008 at 5:50 pm
I’m so excited for this movie!! and i think these actors are perfect for the parts, although i never actually thought of them myself… the only thing that scares me is the treetop thing, that didn’t happen in the book and seems like it could be taken as really… well… stupid =/. And I’ve already heard that they’re not having the first kiss in the meadow but in her bedroom, so thats also a big change… I’m hoping this movie will satisfy all of the Twilight fans that are hoping for a movie that recreates the greatness of the book and leaves it in a good light. Making it cheesy could just squash all my hopes for the movie. I love the actors and i love the book… now let’s just see if i love the movie =/
February 6th, 2008 at 5:55 pm
Please, please, please, Edward cannot have a British accent! He’s an American boy! And one last request, don’t butcher the script. Talk with Stephenie please.
February 6th, 2008 at 5:56 pm
people. treat this like the last harry potter. trust me, YOU DON’T WANT TO KNOW. just wait until it comes out and don’t torture yourselves in between. (having said that i am now in a mild panic about them messing up the film as i love the books. Love with a 6 foot tall L. but im trying really hard to imagine that the changes will make the film BETTER and not worse, although the treetops thing seems dumb. and they said on the summit webiste that laurent and james are old enemies of the cullens when they come to town.)
ok i take it back. they really should not change a single thing about the books since they are in fact perfect. oh dear. i’m still wishing it were henry cavill and emily browning. sigh.
February 6th, 2008 at 5:57 pm
NO! They CANNOT, just CANNOT CANNOT CANNOT cut out the port angeles scene. She must be confused. Or they SERIOUSLY mixed up the script. Those (something else)!!!!
February 6th, 2008 at 5:59 pm
WHAT THE HELL thats not what happened in the book. THANKS now more then ever im worried that they really WILL RUIN THE BOOKS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
February 6th, 2008 at 6:06 pm
On the summit website they say that Renee sends Balle to Forks.WRONG she sends herself.And it looks as though they are leaving out Victoria.WTH is that about?It ruins New moon and Eclipse with her not on the picture.
I can’t wait for the movie but I am terrified that they are going to murder this book.
February 6th, 2008 at 6:07 pm
what the hell is wrong whith these people they need to skick with the books stoyer line and stop chopping the moive up in to some cheap ass knock off of the best book ever