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Twilight Director Was Told That Film Would Flop Because It ls ‘For Girls’

written by Virginia Singh
reviewed by Louise Everitt
Twilight Director Was Told That Film Would Flop Because It ls ‘For Girls’
Image credit: Summit Entertainment

That was a huge moment of female gaze underestimation.

Summary:

  • Twilight is one of the most iconic young adult fantasy movie franchises based on the book series of the same name.
  • The first film premiered in 2008 and became a global success with more than $400M at the box office.
  • However, before that happened, the studios didn’t want to pick up the project deeming it a failure.

Every time a studio takes on an adaptation project, they are taking a big risk. While some adapt books into movies and TV shows in a way that makes them even more beloved by audiences and popular worldwide, others do such a terrible job that even the authors themselves don't find the world they created appealing.

There is certainly a spectrum where an adaptation can fall. Depending on whether it lands on the side of The Witcher or The Hunger Games, it can determine the future view that audiences will have of everyone involved. From the director to the actors, no one would escape the judgment of loyal fans.

Another risk that studios have to take when creating an adaptation is the risk of being rejected by the general public. No matter how much the fandom loves the novels, that would never be enough to make the movie a commercial success. It has to appeal to the general public.

The executives behind the production of Twilight in 2007 knew this. That is why they were skeptical about the idea of making the movie and were not afraid to take people into a dark pit.

Twilight Director Was Told That Film Would Flop Because It ls ‘For Girls’ - image 1

Twilight Was Doomed For A Failure

As director Catherine Hardwicke recalled on the Happy Sad Confused podcast with Josh Horowitz, where she sat down with a host and reacted to the entire film, she was warned that the film would do poorly at the box office and tarnish her career.

“Everyone said we weren’t making this. Even when I started on the job, they said, ‘You know, “Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants” was a popular book for girls. It made $29 million. That’s probably all this movie can ever make.’ Of course our opening weekend was $69 million and we made $400 million overall. Nobody could predict it!” she said.

If Twilight wasn't romantic and inspiring enough for you, and Bella Swan wasn't the type of character you could relate to, then the story of Hardwicke's dedication to bringing the story to life should be.

Twilight Director Was Told That Film Would Flop Because It ls ‘For Girls’ - image 2

After all, 15 years after its release, Twilight is still as strong a brand as it was back then. And to think that all that could be lost if it weren't for a woman who could recognize a great story for a profitable movie is truly devastating.

If you're feeling nostalgic and want to join in the celebration, you can rent or buy all the movies in the saga on Amazon Prime Video or Apple TV Plus.

Source: Josh Horowitz YouTube