Fifty 'Twilight' stories you might've missed

'The Twilight Saga: Eclipse' - Kimberley French/Summit Ent.

Over the past month or so, the Twilight world has been incredibly filled with new daily headlines, and now that The Twilight Saga: Eclipse has been released, the whirlwind of information has started to slow up a bit. It’s a bit easier at this point to look back and see some of the Twilight and Eclipse news headlines that one might’ve missed in the hurricane of new movie news, so to make it easier on those who might be searching for some of the stories that may have been overlooked, here’s a handy list of fifty Twilight stories that could’ve fallen under the radar.

1. Kellan Lutz reacts to an old Robert Pattinson magazine spread: Twilight Lexicon posted this story, stating that “Kellan Lutz is over in Europe and some fans from European Twilight sites managed interviews.” Kellan Lutz has been the subject of quite a few entertaining headlines elsewhere on this list, too.

2. Bryce Dallas Howard on Chelsea Lately: Coming into the cast as a fan herself, it was interesting to hear how Bryce Dallas Howard approached the situation of coming into the crew . . . and resisted the temptation to touch Taylor Lautner’s abs. Howard also revealed them, erm, interesting story behind her middle name.

3. Dakota Fanning and her Jane cutout: Dakota Fanning told MTV about how her cardboard cutout of herself as “Jane” mixes with her homelife.

4. The Twilight Saga: Eclipse and the Razzies: The L.A. Times contends that Eclipse might be one film in contention for the next round of Razzie awards.

5. Twilight Saga = World’s Most Successful Franchise?: MTV’s Terri Schwartz did a really interesting piece about how the Twilight Saga stacks up in the world of film franchises, contending that the series “will likely go down in history as the smartest move a film production company ever took” thanks to its budgeting versus ticket sales figures.

6. Ashley Greene, LOL: Ashley Greene recently signed on for a new project, LOL with Miley Cyrus, Thomas Jane, and Demi Moore. According to Reuters, “Greene will play a high school bad girl.”

7. Media unfair to Twilight fans?: The media’s treatment of Twilight fans has always been an area of interest here, so to see the Washington Post weigh in on the issue of Twilight fan treatment and come out on our side was really fascinating.

8. Alex Meraz respects Michael Sheen’s wolf portrayals: Alex Meraz, who portrays “Paul” in the Twilight series, was asked by the Washington Post about which on-screen werewolf (the Twilight series excluded, of course) he respected the most, and he said that it was Michael Sheen’s work in the Underworld series that took the cake. “There’s some pretty cool classics that I remember watching, but it wasn’t until Michael Sheen in Underworld that I was like, man, there’s a lot of substance that he creates. He’s an incredible actor. I have to give it to Michael Sheen,” he said. Meraz also mentioned that he got the opportunity to tell Sheen exactly how he felt about his work during New Moon press junkets. “We had five days where we were doing tons of interviews and I‘d see him in the elevator or at lunch and at the premiere. I got to tell him he’s just an incredible actor. He’s such a humble and polite – he’s just a total gentleman.”

9. Twilight fandom goes too far: Almost as often as we’ve discussed unfair media treatment to Twilight fans, we’ve tackled the issue of when Twilight fandom can get a little out of hand, but the Los Angeles Times has done a piece on that very issue, bringing to light some rather intense stories about when devotion becomes addiction. In the piece, fans whose real life relationships are being affected by their fandom speak up about what exactly the series can or could have cost them. Laura Brotherson at the Mormon Times also had a few things to say on the issue of Twilight devotion.

10. Melissa Rosenberg hints that there’ll be more Volturi in Breaking Dawn: The Hollywood Reporter’s Risky Business Blog did a really in-depth interview with Twilight series screenwriter Melissa Rosenberg, and she hinted at one thing Twilight fans can look forward to with the final films: more Volturi. In the interview, Rosenberg was asked about her relationship with Twilight series author Stephenie Meyer, and, indicating that there’s a strong collaboration between the two, she revealed that the last thing she’d talked about with Meyer was “about the Volturi” and “something to do with, in her mind, in 'Breaking Dawn,' what were the Volturi up to? We don’t see them until the end. And in her mind, what was driving them? She’s lived with these characters a lot longer than I have. She has a very intricate mythology and very detailed backstories for all these guys. At one point, I had so much in there about their backstories — it’s very interesting what she’s come up with and what I could expand on.” Seems like a big part of how Breaking Dawn the book can and will be made into two films will be to include some of those Volturi moments we didn’t get to see from Bella and Jacob’s perspectives.

11. Relationship expert tackles Twilight: Team Edward and Team Jacob are not new concepts in the Twilight world, but one interview that the Kansas City Star did with advice columnist Carolyn Hax (with the Washington Post) is a bit more coherent than some of the other discussions the issue has spawned. One part which is particularly interesting is her take on the issue of why Edward tolerates the Bella/Jacob kiss.

Q. Later, Edward doesn't put up a fuss when Bella wants to see Jacob, saying he only wants her to be happy. Is that because he's a fictional character, or are there really guys out there who would act that tolerant of a potential rival?

A. There are absolutely guys like that. Some of them are genuinely interested in taking the high road and feel it's not their place to decide whom their loved ones befriend. Some are also shrewd and realize that standing between two friends is a great way to romanticize their attachment, which is exactly what he doesn't want. 

12. Twilight malware: As with any film, illegal downloading is dangerous to your computer’s health. It’s tempting to forego the cinema for a perusal through pirate sites, but it’s also potentially harmful to your computer (particularly, it seems, with The Twilight Saga: Eclipse). USA Today has an informative piece on what you should know before trying to bypass the movie theater. Despite the potential harm, BitTorrent already has the film on its list of most pirated films.

13. Kagan is Team Switzerland?: A few weeks back, Elena Kagan’s confirmation hearing included one question that she probably didn’t expect amongst the “what would you do in this situation” dialogue . . . Team Edward versus Team Jacob. At least, it was mentioned in passing as the type of subject the questioner wouldn’t get into, but Elena Kagan didn’t want to weigh in on the matter anyway.

14. Liz isn’t Esme: Elizabeth Reaser made an interesting comment to New York Daily News about one major difference between herself and some of her characters (including Esme from the Twilight series). "It's funny to me that I do play a lot of mothers. And it's interesting that people see me as that. I'm curious if I have some sort of warmth or something that I'm communicating. I'm not a mother, and I don't think in that way, so it's been a challenge,” she explained.

15. Jackson, Ashley, and Kellan talk merchandise: There are some items in the Twilight merchandise brigade that can cause even the most ardent Twilight fans to shiver, and one has to wonder what the Twilight cast would think if they saw their own faces on some of these items. In a press conference interview with Jackson Rathbone, Ashley Greene, and Kellan Lutz, we learned a little about their perspectives on some of the goodies out there.

16. Twilight cast’s favorite vampire films/shows: The Twilight cast has a few favorite vampire films of their own, and the AP caught up with some of the cast to ask about their favorites outside of the Saga. Weighing in on the issue were Taylor Lautner, Ashley Greene, Jackson Rathbone, Bryce Dallas Howard, Xavier Samuel, Jodelle Ferland, Nikki Reed, Peter Facinelli, and Elizabeth Reaser. What’s nice about this interview is the fact that it’s the Twilight series cast talking about True Blood for a change (as opposed to the cast of True Blood being bludgeoned with Twilight questions all the time).

17. Nikki Reed, Bruce Willis, Forrest Whitaker, and Deborah Ann Woll: Nikki Reed’s latest project is Catch .44, a film co-starring Bruce Willis and True Blood actress Deborah Ann Woll. Reed has mentioned it a few times over the course of press for Eclipse. More on that can be found here.

18. The Twilight Saga: Eclipse in ten minutes: The Seattle Times has a rather entertaining write-up of what The Twilight Saga: Eclipse’s screenplay might look like as a ten minute short film rather than a two hour theatrical movie.

Jacob, to Bella: How can you love an evil vampire? And not me? Look how shirtless I am!

Bella: You're a werewolf. But I love you, too. It's confusing.

Both sit and look confused.
Cut to: Bella's bedroom, decorated with "I [Heart] Vampires" bumper stickers and pictures of rain.

Edward: How can you talk to him? He's dangerous! He has an abnormally high body temperature! My people have long despised his people! Except that none of us are really people!

Bella: I'm Switzerland. I refuse to be affected by territorial disputes between mythical creatures.

19. Miramax and Twilight: Tom Barrack, who’s purchasing Miramax from Disney, isolated himself with the Twilight series books, and what did he learn? “I now understand why some women are emotionally altered from merely reading a book . . . I have also gained a deeper realization that understanding the circumstances and points of views of those with whom we are negotiating, working, living, loving or fighting is the key determinant factor in an enduring relationship.” His full tale is available at the Wall Street Journal.

20. Twilight vampires bringing sexy back: Peter Facinelli talked to the U.K.’s Mirror about his opinion on why vampires are “sexy,” saying “There’s something sensual about wanting to consume someone else, to want them so badly you have to ingest their blood. The sensuality of biting someone’s neck, that’s very sexy, and the idea of eternal youth, that’s very sexy too. There is something addictive in the books that reminded me of what vampire folk law was originally. The way they’re seen as this mysterious, sensual creature, like in the old sexy film noir movies. Hollywood took the romanticism out of vampire movies for a while and made it about blood and guts, so it was nice to go back to the origins with Twilight.”

21. Eclipse breaking records with IMAX: Goodness knows that The Twilight Saga: Eclipse knew how to open with a bang (setting records with the number of theaters it opened at and midnight ticket sales), and Eclipse’s stint in IMAX is no exception. According to The Numbers, it set a record, pulling in $1 million during midnight screenings alone. This broke the previous record of $950,000 held by Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen.

22. Nikki Reed and Elizabeth Reaser’s Eclipse premiere fashion choices: Elizabeth Reaser and Nikki Reed did an interview with Nordstrom where they talked about, among other things, their wardrobe selections for the red carpet premiere of The Twilight Saga: Eclipse in Los Angeles. While Reed was going for an “age-appropriate” and “silly” look, Elizabeth Reaser wanted to dial down the actress-as-a-fashionista concept for her dress.

23. Michael Welch and the USO: Twilight Lexicon caught an interesting story about Michael Welch and how he used some time off in Germany to perform for the USO.

24. Booboo Stewart’s “Rainy Days”: Booboo Stewart and sister Fivel Stewart have a new song out on iTunes called “Rainy Days.” A behind-the-scenes video of the song’s creation was also revealed by Popstar.

25. Edward Cullen is one of the ten best screen vampires: Among the list of movie history’s best vampires are Nosferatu, Dracula, and Edward Cullen. The Guardian chose Robert Pattinson’s character as one of the best based upon the success that his portrayal has given his career. “Stephenie Meyer's blockbusting gothic romances have made R-Patz the most successful screen vampire of all time, outselling previous title holders Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt in the Anne Rice adaptation Interview With the Vampire.”

26. Xavier Samuel, this or that: During an appearance on PIX Morning News, Xavier Samuel got to play a little “this or that,” and we learned that Samuel is a sneakers, Mac, winter, boxers, Playstation, weekends, dogs, Batman, vampire, chocolate, pizza, and New York type of guy.

27. Nikki Reed on Regis and Kelly: Nikki Reed hit up Live with Regis and Kelly to talk about her involvement in the Saga, and she got the chance to reflect upon her relationship with Twilight director Catherine Hardwicke which stemmed from her very early youth.

28. No Taylor Lautner in X-Men: Rumors swirled around the net for a few days about whether Taylor Lautner was going to become a part of the next X-Men film, X-Men: First Class, but Gossip Cop confirmed that there was no truth to the suggestion.

29. Don’t bite!: ABC did a story about the fact that some teens are inclined to resort to biting as a consequence of their Twilight fandom and showed some of the many dangers associated with that type of behavior.

30. Costume security: New Zealand’s Event Cinemas got to boast a display of real The Twilight Saga: Eclipse costumes in their theater, but the clothing had to be highly protected. According to one source, "The clothing has to be in shatterproof glass and be guarded by security – it is in such demand."

31. Xavier Samuel’s prior movie available online for free: Some fans have been clamoring to know more about newcomer Xavier Samuel, but a lot of his prior work is based in Australia and thusly inaccessible to American fans. Well, at least one of his movies is accessible here: his film Newcastle. Twilight Lexicon has the details on how fans can watch the movie online for free (legally).

32. Overnight tourism is a “tight rope” to walk: Forks, Washington is a new hotspot for Twilight tourism, this you know. Chamber of Commerce director Marcia Bingham, however, has elucidated a bit of the difficulty associated with going from “an ugly stepsister” of a town to one which makes people “breathless” to USA Today. “We're walking a tightrope,” she explained, “We want to give (visitors) an experience and make them feel like they're part of the story . . . But we don't want to offend people who live here, either."

33. Jodelle Ferland is “Mighty Fine”: Jodelle Ferland isn’t going to be back for Breaking Dawn, but she is in Louisiana anyway working on Mighty Fine, a movie she’s doing with Andie MacDowell and Chazz Palminteri. According to Ferland’s recent interview with NOLA.com, though, things are a bit tougher on this movie than she was expecting. “It is a pretty emotional movie . . . It's a family drama, so it's not like doing a nice, light comedy where every day is really easy. It's been a little dramatic, and it's a little bit more difficult than most films.” Ferland reported that she had to take a few days off from filming the movie to make time for Eclipse promotions – including the premiere.

34. Eclipse is more action-oriented, but it still isn’t a horror demographic: According to Dread Central, the opening of The Twilight Saga: Eclipse was something that the makers of Paranormal 2 were interested in being a part of, and the trailer for that film was showcased in some theaters. Apparently, it was a little too much, though, because it was reportedly pulled from some theaters as a bit too scary for the Twilight crowd at-hand. The teaser really is a bit frightening, to be honest, so it’s easy to see why it might’ve been misplaced when put in front of Eclipse. After all, Eclipse might be the most action-oriented of the Twilight series films to-date, but it is no horror film.

35. Kellan Lutz can say nothing and still make a great interviewee: There was a really funny interview that Kellan Lutz did with one source (found by Twifans.com) where he was asked to simply remain quiet for the interview, citing his ability to capture an audience without even speaking. Check that out below . . . Come to find out, the interviewer was right: he can be interesting by just sitting there.

36. Billy Burke, “Removed”: Billy Burke talked to Reelz Channel about how the Twilight series helped him to do something he’s been wanting to do for a long, long time: create a music record.

37. Peter Facinelli hits FHM: Peter Facinelli is featured in the August 2010 edition of FHM, and the site has posted a few photos from the spread.

38. Fansites and Stephenie Meyer: More photos and snippets from Stephenie Meyer’s fansite press junket have been posted at the four sites that participated in the event: Twilight Series Theories; Twifans; and Letters to Twilight.

39. Burger King Eclipse fan commercial: Burger King has a new Eclipse commercial that includes the fans. Check out more on that at Twilight Source.

40. “Heavy in Your Arms” live: Florence and the Machine got the opportunity to perform their The Twilight Saga: Eclipse soundtrack song “Heavy in Your Arms” live at the English Music Festival Glastonbury a few weeks back.

41. Jasper is most-improved: Entertainment Weekly’s Mandi Bierly picked Jasper Hale as The Twilight Saga: Eclipse’s most-improved vampire. Considering all of the backstories featured in the story of Eclipse, this is quite an accomplishment, but given Jackson Rathbone’s spot-on portrayal, it’s no surprise he was chosen as a favorite.

42. Kellan Lutz wants Emmett’s Jeep: When you think about what type of Twilight set gear the actors would want to take home, it might be easy to think of clothes, jewelry, or perhaps a few props here or there, but for Kellan Lutz, it’s the jeep. “I’ve wanted it since we shot the first movie. I keep saying that, but nothing’s happened. I’m still waiting!” he told Instyle. Considering how well he handled standing up in it, he could certainly pull off Jeep ownership, so someone get the props guy on the phone!

43. David Slade became a fan during the process: Director David Slade might not have been a fan of the Twilight series before taking the job of directing The Twilight Saga: Eclipse, but being immersed in the Saga left him clinging to certain moments in the series. In his interview with James Kleinmann, Slade revealed how his involvement with Eclipse made him value the importance of certain moments in the book – much the same as Twilight fans do with their own favorite sequences. Welcome to the club, David Slade!

44. Ashley Greene and Rolling Stone: Ashley Greene sat in Peter Travers’ chair for Rolling Stone’s “Off the Cuff,” and in addition to talking at length about the series and her own career choices, he even got her to sing a little bit.

45. Kristen Stewart still wants K-11 to happen: While Kristen Stewart has had no trouble making movies over the past decade, let alone since Twilight’s release (she did The Runaways last summer and will be starring in the long-awaited On The Road as well), K-11 – the script her mother co-wrote and which she’d star in as a male prisoner – can’t seem to get off the ground. In her interview with Entertainment Weekly for the Eclipse special edition, she talked about that, saying “I still can’t get K-11 made because I’m playing a boy. If I were playing a pretty girl, it would be done already.” Robert Pattinson, in turn, offered to produce it himself (not sure whether that was a joke or not).

46. Twilight Beauty nail polish: Twilight Beauty has added nail polish to its Twilight beauty products line-up, and some of the colors are pretty interesting. Each features the Cullen crest, and you might be able to discern which Cullen member would wear which shade (Alice, no doubt, would be Chiffon and Talon, while Rosalie might be Debutante or Sangria).

47. New Orleans resident sees the potential for Louisiana and Breaking Dawn: The Advertiser’s Krista Richmond, who was one of the on-site sources for early speculation about Breaking Dawn’s filming location, issued an interesting plea to Louisiana’s residents about the news that The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn would be filming in Baton Rouge, noting its potential to draw in more from the film industry, thusly elevating the area’s economy.

48. Charlie and Bella in Eclipse deleted scenes: Aside from the Bella and Angela jealousy talk, there may also be another known deleted scene to look forward to on a The Twilight Saga: Eclipse DVD: another talk between Charlie and Bella. Digital Spy did an interview with Slade while he was in town for the London premiere of the film, and he revealed to them that “there is also a ‘lovely scene’ between Bella and her father Charlie (Billy Burke) after the graduation when he expresses his pride at her achievements. ‘Again, it's a really heartwarming scene but I felt the clap [at the ceremony] did the same thing,’ he said. ‘There's a bunch of stuff like that, there will be quite a few DVD extras I hope.’”

49. REAL Networks brings a free Eclipse mobile game: REAL Networks has made a free The Twilight Saga: Eclipse mobile game for Twilight fans who are looking for something new for their iPhone. A trailer for the game can be found here, and you can download the game here. REAL Networks also has the Twilight Memory Quest game available for download here for $2.99. A Memory Quest trailer is available here.

50. Xavier Samuel’s The Loved Ones: A new trailer for Xavier Samuel’s TIFF-debuted The Loved Ones has come online, and it looks intense! This is sure to be a different portrayal than we’ve seen of Samuel in Eclipse, but if you’re wondering what you can see him in next, this’d be one of the next things to look out for!

Phew! While there's no doubt more content out there from Eclipse and its cast, I hope this helped!

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