Watch The Twilight Saga in release order: Twilight (2008), New Moon, Eclipse, Breaking Dawn Part 1 and Breaking Dawn Part 2 (2012). It is one continuous story, so release order and story order are the same.
- Titles
- 5
- Films
- 5
- Watch time
- 10 hours
- Box office
- $3.34 billion
- Avg IMDb
- 5.2
Twilight movies in release order
Here is every Twilight title in the order it came out, 2008 to 2012: 5 films.
| # | Title | Year | Type | Runtime | IMDb |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Twilight | 2008 | Film | 2h 2m | 5.4 |
| 2 | The Twilight Saga: New Moon | 2009 | Film | 2h 11m | 4.8 |
| 3 | The Twilight Saga: Eclipse | 2010 | Film | 2h 4m | 5.1 |
| 4 | The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1 | 2011 | Film | 1h 57m | 5 |
| 5 | The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2 | 2012 | Film | 1h 55m | 5.6 |
Release or chronological: which order is best?
For The Twilight Saga, release order and story order are the same thing: every film picks up after the one before it. There is no prequel to slot in early and no flashback to reshuffle, so the list above is the only order you need.
Where to start
Start with Twilight and go in release order.
The whole thing is 10 hours. At two hours a night that is about 6 evenings.
The three highest rated: The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2 (5.6), Twilight (5.4), and The Twilight Saga: Eclipse (5.1).
Every Twilight movie, explained
One entry per title in release order: what it is about, why it matters to the bigger story, who is in it and how it did.
No. 01 · 2008 · Film · 2h 2m
Twilight
When Bella Swan moves to a small town in the Pacific Northwest, she falls in love with Edward Cullen, a mysterious classmate who reveals himself to be a 108-year-old vampire. Despite Edward's repeated cautions, Bella can't stay away from him, a fatal move that endangers her own life.
Why it matters: Bella meets Edward in Forks.
- Starring
- Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, and Billy Burke
- Director
- Catherine Hardwicke
- Box office
- $394 million on a $37 million budget
- Scores
- IMDb 5.4 · Rotten Tomatoes 48%
No. 02 · 2009 · Film · 2h 11m
The Twilight Saga: New Moon
Forks, Washington resident Bella Swan is reeling from the departure of her vampire love, Edward Cullen, and finds comfort in her friendship with Jacob Black, a werewolf. But before she knows it, she's thrust into a centuries-old conflict, and her desire to be with Edward at any cost leads her to take greater and greater risks.
Why it matters: Edward leaves and Bella grows close to Jacob.
- Starring
- Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, and Taylor Lautner
- Director
- Chris Weitz
- Box office
- $710 million on a $50 million budget
- Scores
- IMDb 4.8 · Rotten Tomatoes 28%
No. 03 · 2010 · Film · 2h 4m
The Twilight Saga: Eclipse
Bella once again finds herself surrounded by danger as Seattle is ravaged by a string of mysterious killings and a malicious vampire continues her quest for revenge. In the midst of it all, she is forced to choose between her love for Edward and her friendship with Jacob, knowing that her decision has the potential to ignite the ageless struggle between vampire and werewolf. With her graduation quickly approaching, Bella is confronted with the most important decision of her life.
Why it matters: Victoria's newborn army.
- Starring
- Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, and Taylor Lautner
- Director
- David Slade
- Box office
- $698 million on a $68 million budget
- Scores
- IMDb 5.1 · Rotten Tomatoes 46%
No. 04 · 2011 · Film · 1h 57m
The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1
Bella Swan and Edward Cullen's honeymoon phase is abruptly disrupted by betrayals and unforeseen tragedies that endanger their world.
Why it matters: The wedding and Renesmee.
- Starring
- Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, and Taylor Lautner
- Director
- Bill Condon
- Box office
- $712 million on a $110 million budget
- Scores
- IMDb 5 · Rotten Tomatoes 25%
No. 05 · 2012 · Film · 1h 55m
The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2
After the birth of Renesmee, the Cullens gather other vampire clans in order to protect the child from a false allegation that puts the family in front of the Volturi.
Why it matters: The Volturi; ends the saga.
- Starring
- Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, and Taylor Lautner
- Director
- Bill Condon
- Box office
- $830 million on a $120 million budget
- Scores
- IMDb 5.6 · Rotten Tomatoes 49%
Twilight box office and budgets
The 5 Twilight films with reported numbers have grossed $3.34 billion worldwide on about $385 million in combined budgets, roughly 8.7 times what they cost. The biggest is The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2 at $830 million, 25% of the franchise's total on its own, followed by The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1 ($712 million) and The Twilight Saga: New Moon ($710 million).
Measured against what it cost, the best return belongs to The Twilight Saga: New Moon, which made 14 times its $50 million budget. The weakest was The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1 at 6.5 times its $110 million budget. As a rule of thumb, a film needs about two and a half times its budget at the box office to cover marketing and the theaters' cut.
The best and worst rated Twilight movies
Across 5 rated titles, The Twilight Saga averages 5.2 on IMDb. The top of the list is The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2 at 5.6, then Twilight (5.4) and The Twilight Saga: Eclipse (5.1). At the bottom: The Twilight Saga: New Moon (4.8) and The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1 (5).
- The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 25.6 · RT 49%
- Twilight5.4 · RT 48%
- The Twilight Saga: Eclipse5.1 · RT 46%
- The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 15 · RT 25%
- The Twilight Saga: New Moon4.8 · RT 28%
Who appears in the most Twilight movies
Kristen Stewart leads with 5 appearances as Bella Swan, ahead of Robert Pattinson (5) and Billy Burke (5). Counted from each title's top-billed cast.
| Actor | Role | Titles | First and latest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kristen Stewart | Bella Swan | 5 | Twilight (2008) to The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2 (2012) |
| Robert Pattinson | Edward Cullen | 5 | Twilight (2008) to The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2 (2012) |
| Billy Burke | Charlie Swan | 5 | Twilight (2008) to The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2 (2012) |
| Peter Facinelli | Dr. Carlisle Cullen | 5 | Twilight (2008) to The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2 (2012) |
| Ashley Greene | Alice Cullen | 5 | Twilight (2008) to The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2 (2012) |
| Jackson Rathbone | Jasper / Jasper Hale | 5 | Twilight (2008) to The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2 (2012) |
| Kellan Lutz | Emmet Cullen / Emmett Cullen | 5 | Twilight (2008) to The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2 (2012) |
| Elizabeth Reaser | Esme Cullen | 5 | Twilight (2008) to The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2 (2012) |
| Taylor Lautner | Jacob Black | 5 | Twilight (2008) to The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2 (2012) |
| Nikki Reed | Rosalie / Rosalie Hale | 4 | Twilight (2008) to The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2 (2012) |
| Dakota Fanning | Jane | 3 | The Twilight Saga: New Moon (2009) to The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2 (2012) |
| Michael Sheen | Aro | 2 | The Twilight Saga: New Moon (2009) to The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1 (2011) |
Twilight directors and creators
4 filmmakers have directed or created The Twilight Saga; Bill Condon has the most, with 2.
- Bill CondonThe Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1 (2011) and The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2 (2012)
- Catherine HardwickeTwilight (2008)
- Chris WeitzThe Twilight Saga: New Moon (2009)
- David SladeThe Twilight Saga: Eclipse (2010)
How long it takes to watch every Twilight movie
All 5 titles add up to 10 hours. That is about 6 two-hour evenings, or 2 days of ten-hour binges. The longest film is The Twilight Saga: New Moon at 2h 11m.
The 4 best rated films: The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2, Twilight, The Twilight Saga: Eclipse, and The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1.
Everything takes about 2 weeks.
Track what you've watched on the timeline and it counts the hours left.
Common questions
What order should I watch the Twilight movies in?
Watch The Twilight Saga in release order: Twilight (2008), New Moon, Eclipse, Breaking Dawn Part 1 and Breaking Dawn Part 2 (2012). It is one continuous story, so release order and story order are the same.
How many Twilight movies and shows are there?
There are 5 titles in the The Twilight Saga franchise: 5 films and 0 series, released from 2008 to 2012.
How long does it take to watch all the Twilight movies?
About 10 hours for all 5 titles, counting every episode.
What is the first Twilight title in chronological order?
Twilight, set in Forks, Washington. In release order the first is Twilight (2008).
What is the best Twilight movie?
By IMDb score, The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2 (2012) at 5.6, followed by Twilight at 5.4.
What is the highest-grossing Twilight movie?
The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2 (2012), with $830 million worldwide. The Twilight Saga films have made $3.34 billion in total.
Who has appeared in the most Twilight movies?
Kristen Stewart, in 5 of them as Bella Swan.
What is the longest Twilight movie?
The Twilight Saga: New Moon, at 2h 11m.
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