Will There Be a Midnight Sun Movie for Us Twilight Fans?

Given the original’s success, the fact that Midnight Sun—Stephenie Meyer’s long-awaited alt version of Twilight, told from the perspective of sparkly vampire Edward Cullen—sold 1 million copies in its first week of publication should surprise no one. But given how many years it’s been since Breaking Dawn Part 2 hit theaters, will there be a Midnight Sun movie? Another crucial question: Would the sixth film’s cast still feature Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson, aka the only Bella Swan and Edward Cullen we want?

Over 100 million copies of the modern-classic vampire books have flown off the shelves worldwide since the first installment’s arrival in 2005, spawning five blockbuster Twilight Saga films. Like the entries that preceded it, some fan reactions to Midnight Sun illuminate the controversial aspects of Edward and Bella’s inter-generational love story; the universe that Meyer’s created contains enough complicated material to fuel an entire subgenre of academic study debating whether Bella’s story is, or is in fact not, feminist. Regardless, Meyer’s mythology remains compelling enough to turn even the most over-examining critic into a Twihard, and we need to see Midnight Sun realized on the big screen (the Forks-set story in question, of course, not the 2018 Bella Thorne vehicle of the same name).
Cringe as I may at Edward’s controlling behavior or Bella’s questionable life choices, when I rewatch their tentative first kiss, or that scene where Edward *chews his wife’s stomach open* to deliver their vampire baby? That’s entertainment. More, please, even if it’s Essentially a retelling of their lion-lamb romance. Meyer’s surprise release brightened our 2020, and personally, I’m greedy for more to look forward to.

Here’s what we know about the odds of a new Twilight movie, and how fans feel about the prospect.
As of September 2020, no plans for a Midnight Sun adaptation have been announced.

That said, given the sheer volume of copies sold in the first month of release alone (even Amazon and Bookshop have had trouble keeping it in stock), it’s safe to assume all parties involved have been flooded with requests—including Meyers and her publisher, Little, Brown, and Company.

Then there’s the question of how the same story could be retold onscreen in a way that conveys that it’s from Edward’s perspective, in a way that feels fresh and new. A constant moody voice-over would get old fast.
Both Stewart and Pattinson’s careers have ascended to new heights since the final Twilight Saga installment, 2012’s Breaking Dawn Part 2. Following critical acclaim for roles in The Lighthouse and the Safdie Brother’s Good Time, Pattinson’s put on the ol’ cape to play emo Batman in Matt Reeves’ upcoming The Batman. His career is in a much different place than his pre-Twilight days, when Cedric Diggory was the biggest role on his resume.

Plus, Pattinson’s feelings about him on making the series are as … mixed as readers’response to Midnight Sun. His commentary on Edward’s flaws suggest he had no love for the role. Points are made.

“And the more I read the script, the more I hated this guy, so that’s how I played him, as a manic-depressive who hates himself,” Pattinson told Empire magazine in 2008. “Plus, he’s a 108-year-old virgin so he’s obviously got some issues there.”
Ten years later, Pattinson had a fonder view of his Twilight years, telling E! News, “It was really, really fun. It was a massive turning point in my life. I had an entirely different life after. I wasn’t entirely sure I was going to be an actor until after that movie so I’ll always appreciate it.” Whether he’d do it again, though, is highly doubtful.