Could Midnight Sun Resurrect Twilight Films?
By: Theresa Dillon
As a Twihard, I have been anxiously waiting for "Midnight Sun" to be published since 2008. When Stephenie Meyer announced it was happening, my reaction was twofold: Hooray! Something good happening in 2020 and FINALLY!
Like other Twihard fans, August couldn’t come quick enough. Unlike them, I lost track of days and sadly had to wait a couple days for my hardback book (the only way to read the series). But when it came, the 600+ page book was devoured.
Even though, yes, it’s a retelling of "Twilight," it was refreshing to read Edward’s perspective. Some reviews have pointed out that this book does too much explaining, taking away some of the magic from the series. I wouldn’t the say the magic is gone. In turn, we got a deeper understanding as to why Edward can be so overbearing.
That being said, I’ve felt there’s been lots of critiques and reviews of "Midnight Sun" already. And most likely, if you didn’t read the other books, you’re not going to pick up this one. So, I’ve decided to write about something a little different – should "Midnight Sun" be the next "Twilight" film?
No.
My answer has nothing to do with the actual writing of the book but more of an overall view as a Twilight fan and film buff.
Here are my 3 reasons:
1. A recasting of characters would most likely be required.
Take a look at the amazing career Robert Pattinson has made for himself. Do you think he would really sign on to play Edward again? I’m pretty sure that is a hard pass and I agree with him. He has managed to break away from the teen heartthrob and bring to life brilliant, intense characters to the screen. I for one love it and while playing Edward introduced me to Robert, I look more forward to his new work now.
Kristen Stewart, love her or hate her, has also continued to stretch her acting capabilities.
So right there, the two main characters are recast.
In addition, I don’t know about other Twihards, but I was pissed when the studio recast Victoria, played brilliantly by Rachelle Lefevre, with Bryce Dallas Howard. Sure, maybe the more well-known name helped with ticket sales but Lefevre had an edge that Howard did not bring to the screen.
I hated seeing that recasting so there’s no way in hell I’m going to enjoy a complete recasting so "Twilight" can come back to the big screen. That means no money from me Summit Entertainment.
2. There is too much internal dialog to allow the film to flow successfully.
In the "Twilight" series, Edward has the ability to read people’s minds. With "Midnight Sun," we finally got to read his mind. An enjoyable journey for a reader; not so much for a movie goer.
Case in point, another of Stephenie Meyer’s books that was brought to the screen, "The Host." "The Host" did not do well at the box office. Maybe it was due to Twilight fatigue but I think it had to do with the execution of the film. "The Host" is a really fun, intense book but 95% of the book is internal struggle. The main character, Melanie, literally talks to and fights the alien entity, Wanda, that has over taken her "soul." These interactions are all done with internal dialog.
When it came to showing the struggle on the screen, it came off as flat and uneventful. Saoirse Ronan did her best but the movie just could not bring the book to life.
I think the same thing would happen with "Midnight Sun." Edward internally struggles and talks to himself. He also "talks" to others by reading their minds instead of speaking. That is not going to go well for a movie audience.
3. With a few exceptions, there is nothing new to show/tell the audience.
Remember, "Midnight Sun" is a retelling of "Twilight" through Edward’s perspective. All the main plot points and conflicts are the same. The 2 biggest new additions are Edward’s reaction to meeting Bella for the first time and fighting for Bella’s life during the main conflict of the book. Readers get more details, hence possible new scenes and avenues of storytelling for a film.
But those extra scenes are what many are already saying is too much explanation that was never needed in the first place. And while I enjoyed reading them, I agree it wasn’t necessary.
So, what the studio would then have is "Twilight," with a possible new action sequence. Not very convincing to get an audience in the seats.
Conclusion - I had fun diving back into the Twilight universe with "Midnight Sun." And I personally prefer to keep my experience and not see the studio’s played out badly on screen.
