Twilight, the forthcoming adaptation of Stephenie Meyer’s bestselling young adult fantasy novel, has already sold out almost 2,000 screenings in the US ahead of its release this Friday, Variety has reported. In an even more impressive feat, 600 of these screenings are midnight performances, proving that there is a large audience base who are waiting fervently for the film’s release.
The film, which is directed by Catherine Hardwicke (13, Lords Of Dogtown), tells the story of 17-year-old girl Bella who forms a friendship with a classmate, Edward, who is actually a 108-year-old vampire. Meyer’s novel, which was the first in a series of four novels, was a New York Times bestseller and has been translated into 20 languages. Summit Entertainment, which only became an independent film studio in 2006, has stumped up $37 million for the movie, for which it has also, reportedly, begun making plans on filming a sequel. With three novels in Meyer’s series to go, the studio will be hoping that Twilight is a box-office success to launch the franchise.
