Some pop culture franchises have withstood the test of time and kept their cultural dominance for decades, from Harry Potter to The Bachelor to Game of Thrones. For fantasy and romance fans who came of age in the 2010s, the Twilight saga is the juggernaut that's still going strong, 19 years after Stephenie Meyer's first novel hit the shelves and 16 years after it was brought to life in the 2008 film. Now, to the joy of all Twihards, Bella and Edward's love story will continue (or technically re-start) via Netflix.
On September 4, 2024, the streaming giant announced that Midnight Sun, Meyer's 2020 retelling of the events of Twilight from Edward's perspective, will be adapted into a new TV show. Currently in development, the animated series(!) is set to be executive-produced by Meyer, Wyck Godfrey (who worked on all the Twilight saga films), and others, with Sinead Daly (Tell Me Lies) writing.
News of the new series quickly delighted Twilight Nation, from current Team Edward/Team Jacob diehards to former stans who immediately flashed back to their teenage selves reading the first 12 chapters of Midnight Sun on Meyer's website back in 2008. (Guilty.) When it was eventually completed 12 years later, the Edward-narrated novel sold more than one million copies in its first week, despite controversy around the book's "outdated" romance.
While it's still early days for news on the Netflix show, read on for everything we know so far about Midnight Sun, including the chances that any of the original Twilight cast could reprise their roles.
When will 'Midnight Sun' be released on Netflix?
It's yet to be announced when Midnight Sun will be released on Netflix. The September 4, 2024 announcement is the first anyone's heard of the new series, and it will likely take a while for it to even leave the development stage. What we do know is that (barring a catastrophe) Midnight Sun is happening, as Netflix gave the show a straight-to-series order.
Will the original 'Twilight' cast appear in 'Midnight Sun?'
Since the original Twilight film series completed its run in 2012, many of the show's stars have gone on to successful Hollywood careers, most notably Oscar nominee Kristen Stewart and The Batman star Robert Pattinson. KStew and RPattz have been asked about their Twilight years throughout their careers, and with news of Midnight Sun, they'll likely soon be fielding questions on whether they'll make a special appearance in the animated series.
Based on what they've said so far, it seems pretty unlikely that either Stewart or Pattinson want to return to the world of Twilight. Even back in 2018, the pair answered questions of whether they would be up for a reboot with deadpan sarcasm. Still, now that over a decade has passed and they're established as Hollywood heavyweights, there could be a chance that there's enough goodwill left (or a Netflix check big enough) for a cameo.
Watch this space for updates.
