Posted in: Movies | Tagged: bill condon, summit entertainment, twilight

Twilight Director on Embracing the Saga's Campy Nature

Bill Condon says Twilight was “in on the joke,” unpacking the franchise’s campy appeal despite backlash from critics and moviegoers.

Stephenie Meyer's Twilight novels hit first, selling more than 160 million copies worldwide and building a massive fan base. Summit Entertainment then translated that momentum to the screen, shaping a five-film franchise that defined late-2000s YA cinema and launched a new wave of stars. Fans showed up for every chapter, from the first Twilight to the two-part Breaking Dawn finale event. And honestly, they'd probably still show up for more if that was an option.

Now, the director of those final two installments, Bill Condon, is reflecting on how the films were received and why some critics missed the intent.

Twilight Director on Embracing Camp

Speaking with The Hollywood Reporter, he pushed back on the idea that the franchise took itself too seriously, saying, "Obviously, it became such a target for people, and people felt superior to it, and I thought, 'God, you were really missing the point.' Because this is a big franchise that is in on the joke. For me, personally, as a gay director, I thought I brought a bit of camp to it that was permissible." He later adds, "There's a line that Molina has in Kiss of the Spider Woman where he says, 'Call it kitsch. Call it camp. I don't care. I love it.' And that's how I feel about that movie."

Audience response backs him up. Even if Twilight wasn't generally liked by critics (or those unfamiliar with the franchise), moviegoers made their verdict clear by consistently showing up. The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 1 earned about $712 million worldwide, and The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2 climbed to roughly $830 million, the highest in the series. Collectively, the five films have grossed over $3.3 billion worldwide. And judging by the numbers, it's safe to assume that plenty still watch it.

While YA has seen hits since, few have matched Twilight's cultural footprint. The Hunger Games is the clearest exception, turning dystopia into a mainstream phenomenon and returning with The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes to strong interest. Beyond that, breakouts have been few and far between. The Maze Runner found a solid core audience, though others struggled to sustain momentum, with franchise starters like Divergent fading before the finish line. So, regardless of the stance, there's simply no denying that Twilight did something right.

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