The Twilight Saga is a supernatural romance movie franchise based on the love triangle between a teenage human girl named Bella, Edward, a 104-year-old vampire, and a young werewolf named Jacob. The five movies are based on Stephanie Meyer’s four novels, introducing the world to 17-year-old Bella Swan, who returns to the Pacific Northwest to live with her dad. While there, she meets the Cullen family, a vampire coven, and a young man named Jacob, part of a shape-shifter pack.

While the love story is the selling point, there are also battles with a vampire serial killer, a war against a pack of newborn vampires, and a battle between the vampires and shape-shifters. It all culminates with an intense war with the vampire ruling class, the Volturi. Interestingly, despite everything that happens in the five movies, the overall timeline isn’t near as long as some fans might believe. Luckily, the watching order of the Twilight movies is relatively easy to figure out.

The Twilight Movies In Order

2008-2012

Stephanie Meyer published the first Twilight novel in 2005 and followed up with a new book each year, with the fourth and final coming in 2008. Hollywood was fast to pick up on the craze surrounding the books, and the first Twilight movie came out in November 2008, just three months after Meyer published the final book in the series. Directed by Catherine Hardwick (Lords of Dogtown), the first Twilight film introduced Bella and Edward, along with his vampire family. It also introduced Jacob, although he was still a human at this time.

One year later, the franchise added the prefix “The Twilight Saga” to each movie тιтle. New Moon came out from new director Chris Weitz and introduced the idea of shape-shifters, including having Jacob turn into a werewolf, and the love triangle formed here. The third movie, Eclipse, had 30 Days of Night director David Slade introduce the most horror-centric story of the franchise, with the vampires and shape-shifters battling a pack of newborn vampires and the vindictive Victoria (Bryce Dallas Howard).

Finally, following the lead of the Harry Potter franchise, the final book was split into two movies, both directed by Bill Condon, to finish the story. While there were four different directors in The Twilight Saga, the one constant was that Melissa Rosenberg served as the sole screenwriter for the entire franchise.

How Much Time Pᴀsses In The Twilight Movies

Only Two Years Pᴀss In The Twilight Saga’s Five Movies

While there are five movies and more than one major battle between the Cullen clan and forces plotting against them, only two years have pᴀssed in the entire Twilight Saga timeline. It all began when Bella was in her junior year of high school, transferring to Washington to live with her dad after her mom hit the road with her baseball-playing second husband. Edward is also going to school there, as the Cullens pretend to be high school students to hide the fact they are vampires.

The second movie, New Moon, takes place over the following summer when Edward disappears to protect Bella, but they reunite after both almost die. This movie includes Bella’s 18th birthday. Eclipse takes place right after New Moon and into the new year of high school. Finally, Breaking Dawn takes place a few months after the end of Eclipse as Bella and Edward get married, which leads to the final movie and the battle with the Volturi. In all, The Twilight Saga takes place over a period of two years.

The Twilight Saga

Created by

Stephenie Meyer

First Film

Twilight (2008)

Latest Film

The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2

Cast

Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, Taylor Lautner, Peter Facinelli, Elizabeth Reaser, Ashley Greene, Jackson Rathbone

Summary

The Twilight Saga is a paranormal romance series that ignited a cultural phenomenon. Centering on the forbidden love between ordinary human Bella Swan and the centuries-old vampire Edward Cullen, the saga explores themes of love, loss, and the supernatural. As their relationship deepens, they navigate a world filled with vampires, werewolves, and ancient rivalries, all while grappling with the complexities of their immortal and mortal existences. The series captivated audiences with its blend of teenage angst, forbidden romance, and supernatural intrigue, launching a global franchise that includes films, merchandise, and a dedicated fanbase.

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