[“Bella’s Lullaby” from the Twilight Soundtrack plays]
“Where have you been, loca?” is what Twilight fans might’ve been saying awaiting the series’ return to the big screen. The cult classic franchise reappeared in theaters this Halloween weekend in honor of the first novel’s 20th anniversary. One of the five movies screens each day, with the last airing on November 2nd. The movies’ return to theatres brought out old fans and some new, like Javaeh Bouyer.
[ JAVAEH BOUYER] I’ve never seen it in theaters before, so this is my first time and I’m actually really excited.
Bouyer attended the screening of the first movie with her friend Sahar Ali, a longtime fan of the series. The movie is the perfect intro to their Halloween plans.
[ SAHAR ALI] I’m gonna see New Moon and Breaking Dawn Part Two as well as this one.
[ JAVAEH BOUYER] I’m just doing the first and last ’cause I’m partying any other day.
[ SAHAR ALI] Yeah, it’s Halloweekend.
[ JAVAEH BOUYER] It starts now, today.
Some fans even came in costume or wearing t-shirts of their favorite characters. Evanston bookstore co-owner Betsy Haberl wore wolf ears as she attended the screening with her co-workers.
[BETSY HABERL] We learned that these two are mega fans of Twilight and committed hard, I’d say, to all Twilight experiences. We had a party at our bookstore that was bedazzling copies of the 20th anniversary editions.
Even after 20 years, the series’ impact continues to be felt in pop culture as it reaches new and younger audiences. Zoe Berge and Katharine Mooyen believe one reason for this is Twilight’s strong fanbase.
[ZOE BERGE] I say it ages like fine wine. Okay. It only gets better with time.
[ KATHARINE MOOYEN] It’s like transitioned from millennial to Gen Z too, which is nice.
While many might think of the series as a battle between Team Edward and Team Jacob, Ali believes it’s had a much greater influence.
[ SAHAR ALI] It literally changed the entire like vampire culture in media. Like it’s definitely just mentioned in so many things. It’s huge. So I feel like the impact is still there.
The screenings drew in a large community of Twilight fans, filling most seats in a local Evanston AMC theater. The in-theater experience changed the way even longtime fans viewed the movies.
[ZOE BERGE] It was so fun being in there with all the people who were like laughing.
[ KATHARINE MOOYEN] It was so much more funny.
[Edward] This is the skin of a killer, Bella.
[Audience laughter]
And so the lion fell in love with the lamb, and audiences continue to fall in love with the kooky and dramatic story of Twilight.
[nat sound: audience clapping]
For WNUR News, I’m Olivia Payne.
