Famous for its great love triangle between Edward, Bella, and Jacob — Robert Pattinson, Kristen Stewart, and Taylor Lautner, respectively — The Twilight Saga was a successful vampire movie franchise. The films are based on the YA novels by Stephanie Meyers, who also acted as a writer for the series. The vampire/werewolf fantasy drama grossed over $3.4 billion worldwide, securing its legacy among one of the most popular and successful franchises in the 21st Century.
While the Twilight movies were a success among their fans, it’s no secret that most of the main cast didn’t care much for their roles in the saga. Robert Pattinson has been the most outspoken about the saga, as reported by Pop Buzz, stating he hated both the books and the movies. Nevertheless, despite their less than enthusiastic attitude towards the saga, the cast of Twilight today has inevitably been able to draw on their fame and move on to projects they are more passionate about. For those looking to go back to the actors' roots, here is a comprehensive list of all the movies in The Twilight Saga in chronological order.
Twilight
Bella Swan moves in with her dad in Forks, Washington. She's a quiet girl who has never felt like she has fit in anywhere. Not expecting much of her new home, she finds her entire world changed when she meets Edward Cullen, who happens to be a vampire. As the two grow closer, Bella discovers his mysterious family's secret. When a group of nomadic vampires threatens Bella's life, it's up to the Cullen family to save her.
Twilight is the first movie in the saga, and is certainly more indie in style than the rest of the films. Fans of the novel were excited about the onscreen version of their favorite couple. Overall, the initial review of the film was from excited fans who loved seeing some of their favorite scenes come to life. The teenage demographic was able to appreciate the love story, while film critics mostly found fault in the uncanny relationship. Director Catherine Hardwicke's style was an artistic take on the film, though she did not return to direct another film in the saga.
New Moon
After an accident involving Bella and a harmless paper cut, Edward decides her life is better without him. When he leaves with the best of his family, Bella goes into a downward spiral and seeks solace from her friendship with Jacob Black. She also turns to reckless behavior as a way to see Edward. When Jacob starts dodging her calls, Bella seeks to find out the truth about his new friends and then looks to choose between her love for Edward and her friendship with Jacob.
New Moon is the second movie in the saga and the first real insight into Jacob's life. While it was nice to learn more about a new character, the film, unfortunately, has the lowest rating in the franchise. Watching Bella self-destruct and then stick her nose in everyone's business made it hard to watch for some viewers. This film, of course, did start the Team Edward vs Team Jacob debate, which, according to Insider, is still a popular topic today.
Eclipse
A string of murders in the nearby Seattle area has once again put Bella's life in danger. As the number of disappearances increases, the threat of the Volturi, the head of all vampires, to check and see if Bella has been turned into a vampire per their initial deal also increases. Meanwhile, the tension between Edward and Jacob rises as they battle for Bella's love and attention. As graduation nears, the choice between the two grows imminent.
In the third film of the saga, Eclipse, we finally get to see a few more action sequences in the form of an epic battle. The love triangle between Bella, Jacob, and Edward is also pushed to the extreme when the three spend a night together in the mountains and the two men share more about their feelings for Bella. With a little something for everyone in the film, it is one of the few that strays a tad bit away from the teenage demographic target.
Breaking Dawn - Part 1
Bella has finally made her choice between Jacob and Edward, and marries Edward at the beginning of Breaking Dawn - Part 1. Jacob is understandably upset, but he shows up at the wedding before getting angry and leaving again. He goes on the run as Bella and Edward head off to Isle Esme for a honeymoon. The two finally become intimate, which results in Bella being covered in bruises. For most of the honeymoon, Edwards does all he can to distract his wife and tire her out by bedtime. Bella soon realizes she is somehow pregnant with Edward's baby. As the baby threatens her mortal life, the Quileutes threaten to end both Bella and the baby's lives if it comes to that.
While there are four books in the Twilight series, in order to capture all the important parts of the plot, the fourth novel was broken into two parts ending with Bella's transformation. When the news came out that the fourth book would be broken in two, fans were excited to see how faithful the last two films would be to the book. Thankfully, the wedding and the honeymoon scenes followed the novel close enough that devoted fans got to enjoy — and cringe — at the headboard-breaking scene.
Breaking Dawn - Part 2
Bella and Edward's baby, Renesmee, part-vampire and part-human, is born, and Bella's transformation into a vampire is complete. Everyone is happy that the baby is alive, healthy, and safe thanks to Jacob's love for her, but her existence is not something the vampire community is used to. When word of her gets back to the Volturi, the Cullens have to put together an army to stop the Volturi and urge them to listen to Renesmee's story before killing them all.
One of the best, most shocking moments in the entire saga happened in Breaking Dawn - Part 2, when a fictional moment happens in a vision about Carlisle. The epic battle in that vision also was a nice deviation from the novel and gave something for the audience to enjoy. The film itself was given mixed reviews, but for the most part, it was a well-deserved ending for everyone's favorite vampire couple.