Twilight Movies in Order: The Complete Watch Guide
In short: There are five Twilight films, and release order is story order: Twilight (2008), New Moon (2009), Eclipse (2010), Breaking Dawn Part 1 (2011) and Breaking Dawn Part 2 (2012). Watch Breaking Dawn's two parts together. Next up is Midnight Sun, a Netflix animated series retelling the story from Edward's point of view, in production with no release date.
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Get movie picksPrefer to answer a few questions? Take the 8-question movie quiz →The five films, in order
- Twilight (2008, dir. Catherine Hardwicke, 122 minutes). Bella Swan (Kristen Stewart) moves to Forks, Washington, and falls for vampire Edward Cullen (Robert Pattinson).
- New Moon (2009, dir. Chris Weitz, 130 minutes). Edward leaves; Bella grows close to Jacob Black (Taylor Lautner), who turns out to be a werewolf.
- Eclipse (2010, dir. David Slade, 124 minutes). Victoria builds a newborn vampire army, forcing vampires and wolves to team up.
- Breaking Dawn, Part 1 (2011, dir. Bill Condon, 117 minutes). The wedding, the honeymoon and a dangerous pregnancy.
- Breaking Dawn, Part 2 (2012, dir. Bill Condon, 115 minutes). The Volturi come for the Cullens' daughter, Renesmee.
There's no chronology puzzle: release order is story order.
What changes from the books
The films follow Stephenie Meyer's four novels closely, with the last book split into two films. The biggest change is Breaking Dawn Part 2's climax, which adds a battle that isn't in the book. Fans of the book either love it or hate it.
Which ones are best?
Critics were lukewarm on the whole saga, but the first film's blue-green look, Carter Burwell score and indie feel have aged into a cult favourite. Breaking Dawn Part 2 is the most fun, thanks to Michael Sheen's Volturi leader Aro and the final battle. New Moon is usually ranked lowest.
What's next: Midnight Sun
Netflix and Lionsgate are adapting Meyer's 2020 novel Midnight Sun, Twilight told from Edward's point of view, as an animated series. Sinead Daly is showrunner and Meyer is an executive producer. Casting was reported to be under way in July 2026, but no release date has been set.
More series to watch in order: the Fifty Shades movies, which began as Twilight fan fiction, and the Narnia films.
Frequently asked questions
Which Twilight movie is the best? The first film and Breaking Dawn Part 2 are the most popular with fans. Twilight has Catherine Hardwicke's moody look; Part 2 has the big final battle and a famous twist.
Is there a new Twilight series? Yes. Netflix and Lionsgate are making Midnight Sun, an animated series based on Stephenie Meyer's 2020 novel that retells Twilight from Edward's perspective. Casting was under way in mid-2026; no release date yet.
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