Can and will Stephanie Meyer restore our addiction to loving a teen vampire with Midnight Sun?

15 years ago vampires and werewolves weren't exactly cool, and a young girl fixated on a boy at school was no stretch of the imagination. But put these all into one story and, four books, five films later, you have possibly one of the greatest love stories that entranced over 100 million readers. Now roll on 15 years and a simple countdown put onto Stephenie Meyer's website, the rumours and anticipation have hit meltdown with many Twilight fans praying that this all ties into re-visiting the world of Teenage love, vampires and werewolves. We could end up red-faced and it has no connection to our beloved twilight, but even if this is the case it doesn't take much to bring the millions of Twilight fans out from the darkness.

Twilight

A story about life, love and teenage lust. Aimed at young adults, we join this story with Bella a young school girl moving to the town of Forks to stay with her dad. A quirky, awkward girl with a slight attitude towards life joins the local school and becomes intrigued by a boy who she notices in her lunch break and very quickly becomes infatuated with the story behind his abnormal behaviours. As she gets to know this boy more she finds out that behind his calm and collective approach, a dark and addictive presence exists.

Now if you have never read Twilight, I can imagine that brief synopsis, did nothing to get those taste buds working and this book doesn't sound like anything you would want to read, young schoolgirl falls for the bad boy. But if you're one of the millions of Twilight fans out there, even my most brief description has just reminded you of the whole story the canteen, the eyes, Edward and now the whole story has hit you and you want to read the books, watch the films all over again... Well, don't quite dust off the book cover or go to Netflix just yet. Let me just take you through how this story, its adaption and overall impact on our world that maybe doesn't get the credit it deserves.

The Books

In 2003 a Stephenie Meyer had a dream come to her about a Vampire who fell in love with a girl but thirsted for her blood. Creating the story of how much one can want another but the consequences being too dangerous to act upon it.

This is the hook which became the craze and passion for Stephenie to begin writing twilight, which then released in 2005. The book became a great success selling thousands of copies and leading to the story continuing across a further 3 books.

The first book (Twilight) sets the story up following Bella, a young girl starting life in a new town, new school and facing her teenage years flashing past with no friends or finding real meaning to where she is heading. Her first experience at her new school is as expected usual groups of teens, typical teachers but what begins to unfold after she meets Edward a tall, pale, handsome boy, her time in forks immediately becomes more interesting as not only is she a teenage girl falling in love, but falling in love with a Vampire!

As the series evolves Bella & Edwards relationship faces huge challenges with many from the Vampire world rejecting the thought of human knowledge about the vampire world let alone fall in love with one. Not only is there a constant threat to Bella from the dangerous world of loving a vampire but having another teenage boy called Jacob, declaring his love for her but that he also has a secret, that fact that he is a werewolf there to protect humans from the vampires. What builds throughout the books, is three incredibly complex characters in an unorthodox dangerous world, all searching for the one thing that everyone wants.. to love someone and be loved back but who would Bella truly love!

The books continued to attract millions of readers, die-hard Twilight fans who became entranced in each of the characters journies and sit in their chosen camps Edward (The Vampire) or Jacob (The Werewolf) a choice that many Twilight fans argue until this very day. The story goes on to span across four books (Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse & Breaking Dawn) and with great success and a huge following, the adaption to the film wasn't far behind the books.

The Films

In 2008, Twilight was released into cinemas to thousands of fan flocking to get a bite of the action and with an already strong fanbase from an incredibly successful book and on a very modest budget, the film was deemed a huge success with sequels put in place and even splitting up the final book (Breaking dawn) into to two films leading to the series grossing over $3.3 billion worldwide.

All the success and achievements didn't come without its critics with a mixed response and many critics pointing to big failings of bringing the depth of the book to the big screen, but this did not stop the masses of fans supporting the movie continue to grow with the story having such a strong connection to teens, the fantasy world and dangerous love that many felt magnetised to cheering on their favourite characters and willing to fight their corners on the red carpets of each premiere.

There is still the arguments that always arise when a book is adapted to film and whether they hold up to the fans expectations but for all twilight fans alike the films and the character moving onto the big screen elevated this series beyond what anyone involved could ever have imagined even an immortal vampire.

Midnight Sun

Following shortly on from the success of the series, Stephanie Meyer shared that she had been working on a new book that would tell the story of Twilight from Edwards perspective. While writing this companion to the series, the manuscript was leaked to the public which led to Stephanie putting the book on hold. Many years have gone by with fans hoping for the completed version to the midnight sun, but no luck and no concrete news to support that this was going to happen anytime soon or ever at all.

So why did I decide to write about this? Well.. to tell you the truth, I have never stopped loving the twilight story, the books and films have both been constantly making their way to the top of my reading and watch list. The Soundtrack is awesome and has some of my favourite songs and true indie hits. I truly enjoyed the films and yes its a very dreary, teenage drama and a little funny in places with how deep it goes for teenagers declaring their love for one another, but it got everything I find fascinating... Fantasy, Love & a world that takes us all away from the normality of only being human.

Is it coming back?

Well if you’re a true Twilight fan you will be hoping that the recent events are going to answers our prayers and that the countdown event that was posted up on Ficklefish's Instagram account (Stephanie Meyer's Film production company) and has been leaving us all guessing just what we are going to be seeing come to the end of the countdown?

There are many things it could be a sequel to the Host (another of Stephanie's Books) it could be something completely new.. or it might just be the reopening of the scar we all hold as Twilight fans, one that we will always have like Bella & Edwards love... Forever.

Once we do find out just what the countdown is all about, whether it be Midnight Sun, The host or something new to get our hands-on. One thing is for sure seeing Stephanie Meyer back on our minds and seeing the Twilight series back on streaming for binge-watching all over again is something amazing to come out of 2020.

If you haven’t read the books absolutely get hold of them and enjoy!! Then go get binge-watching the films.

Thanks again for your time reading this, I can’t tell you how much I appreciate it.

You can follow me @sj_hyt89 for more stories and the launch of my own Book soon!!

Sj