'Twilight' Fans: Do You Really Want to See 'Breaking Dawn'?
Filed under: Drama, Romance, Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Fandom, Remakes and Sequels
In their neverending efforts to cover all things Twilight related, MTV has been asking cast members who they think should helm the final installment (or two), Breaking Dawn. (Because, if Robert Pattinson is to be believed, the movie will film next fall.) Jamie Campbell Bower, who plays the Volturi member Caius, thinks it should be Tim Burton, while Pattinson himself is also playing the guessing game, and wishes for Gus Van Sant. Apparently, RPatt heard that filming would take place in Portland, and Van Sant "shoots everything in Portland."In other words: Everyone has different ideas, which seems to be the big theme of Breaking Dawn.
Do you guys really want it? Sure, after taking this journey, you want to see it through to the end and see the final (and epically long) book make it to the screen. But let's face it -- it's not going to be as you expect. Is your curiosity for anything stronger than your desire for a worthy-to-the-source adaptation?
Hit the jump for the spoilery discussion.
The book just can't make it in its original form. There's too much skin, blood, pages, and anticlimactic action.
In the others, it wasn't too hard to deal with. Bella and Edward did nothing more than kiss, so that part was kosher. The blood and guts -- well, that's slowly increasing, but still reserved to keep it audience-appropriate. And the action ... a family friend friend sub plot was added to the first to give more intrigue. The second has Edward in a big Volturi fight. Eclipse is the only one that has a lot to work with.
But the final installment... There's going to have to be A LOT of particular camera work and dilution of the story to get the honeymoon on screen. I would be quite surprised if elements like Bella's bruised body and Edward's predilection for ripping through bed posts makes it way in. Once that pesky sex stuff gets thrust onto the back-burner, there's a whole second book where Bella lounges, slowly dying from her pregnancy while Jacob runs around and rants through the wolfy mind-meld. Not much happens, but after setting Taylor Lautner up as the next big macho man, it would be silly to ignore it and tick off a mass of fans if his moments were massively cut.
Then Bella gets a cesarean, her baby wants her blood, Edward bites her all over the place to turn her, and Bella gets a shot in the heart a la Pulp Fiction -- not exactly the sort of imagery considered appropriate for the younger folk. But to leave it out takes out the most action-filled and tense moments of the book. After that, you've got Jacob imprinting on a baby who grows into a toddler in the blink of an eye, a long we-must-prepare-to-fight period, and then the ultimate showdown with the Volturi, which is just a lot of talking, some stares, and then everyone saying g'bye and parting before Bella and Edward have sex again.
There's no way a big buzzed-about film -- and the final of a super-successful franchise -- is going out without a good fight, especially if this sucker is broken down into two films. This means massive edits and big changes to make it all come together on the big screen.
Do you want to see it all wrapped up, even if wrapping up the series means seeing a Breaking Dawn vastly different from the book?










Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
11-10-2009 @ 5:38PM
Mia said...
"elements like Bella's bruised body and Edward's predilection for ripping through bed posts..."
.....Oooh, so you mean that domestic abuse imagery that is supposed to be romantic. Yes, perhaps once it is in a visual form the stupid masses will see that being beaten isn't romantic at all and that Edward is truly deplorable.
"Jacob imprinting on a baby" ....
...and this wonderful gem which is really just mind-rape. Jacob takes away that girl's life choice. She is forced to be with him forever simply because he said so and he forces his way into her mind (past her threshold without her permission) and "imprints" himself on her. Oh, thats nearly as romantic as Edward's abuse.
"Bella and Edward have sex again"...
....which she never seems to enjoy or be conscious during. Such a good role model for girls! I hope my daughter will be a sexual receptical for her man.
"if this sucker is broken down into two films."
....there isn't enough material to sustain two films. How many hours must we watch the wistful gazing and pubescent angst!!
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11-10-2009 @ 8:39PM
roxie said...
This summation is totally incorrect. Either you did not read the book or you're being dishonest.
Edward does not beat Bella. Bella does not pass out. No one gets "mind raped" & if anyone's choice gets taken away it's Jacob's.
11-12-2009 @ 6:47AM
ljt said...
Did u really even read the books because if u did u dont understand the meaning of it! edward abusing bella come on be real jacob and mind rape your talking about things i dont think you really no or understand the books have meanings they repersent troubles in life that real people go through every day but its put in a fictional way its about forbidden love (twilight) heart break and new love (new moon) choosing sides and and breaking ties (eclips) and a begining of the end and how things in love storys should always end with they lived happily ever after! (breaking dawn)
Did u note the big thing in all this ?!
ITS A LOVE STORY NOT ABOUT ABUSE OR RAPE JUST LOVE AND 1ST LOVE AT THAT SOMETHING THAT IS VERY REAL AND VERY STRONG AND WE ALL HOPE FOR ARE VERY OWN HAPPY EVER AFTERS!
11-18-2009 @ 5:54PM
Jess said...
I just do not understand, if you hate twilight so much? to get to this website i actually googled "breaking dawn" why do you spend so much time and effort out of your life to even come on this site then? why don't you go to a site where you like this and comment there? just because you dont like twilight, doesnt mean that everybody is going to agree with you, and mostly everybody on this site are TWILIGHT FANS, unless they wouldn't be wasting their time, coming on this site for nothing.
11-18-2009 @ 6:01PM
Mia said...
Yes, I have read them all - so I am making an informed judgement.
And to Jess, this site is not a Twilight site. This site is a site about film and television in general and it happened to have a post on Twilight. And I don't know if you've even looked around this site to see that your assessment of it being a Twilight site is very incorrect and to that end its arrogant to claim that everyone here is a Twilight fan....as numerous other commentors on this post have clearly demonstrated.
11-10-2009 @ 6:00PM
Erica said...
Breaking Dawn will make an intense, sexy, brutal, outrageous, romantic flick. Or two. Can't wait.
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11-11-2009 @ 12:47AM
pauline said...
yes of course i want to see breaking dawn be made into a movie it wouldent be complete with out it
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11-11-2009 @ 7:11AM
katia said...
Yes of course, BD is one of my favorites, can't wait to see it on film.
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11-10-2009 @ 6:25PM
Jackie said...
They made Lion King *one and a half* in hopes of making some money. Not to mention however many Saw movies we're up to now, Indiana Jones 4 (with a 70-year-old Harrison Ford), and there's dozens of rumors flying about yet another Pirates of the Caribbean movie, despite a lack of several of the main actors. Why would they NOT make the entire Twilight series into movies when they've already got an enormous (and occasionally rabid) fanbase?
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11-10-2009 @ 6:35PM
JustSayNo said...
I agree with Mia. If Breaking Dawn (or Spawn) is made into a movie, my faith in humanity will dip to its lowest point. The book was so ridiculous that I laughed my entire way through it, then when I finished it I thought it was one of the worst pieces of so called literature I'd ever read. That includes fan fiction.
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11-10-2009 @ 7:51PM
Eva said...
but you did read the whole thing duh
11-11-2009 @ 8:19PM
Corey said...
If it was so bad, why did you continue reading it? If your that masochistic to read something that you don't even like, than you should love Edwards supposed "domestic violoence"!
11-11-2009 @ 6:32AM
twilightangel17 said...
Ya know Summit is in business to make money, and it just so happens that they were smart enuff to grab the right vehicle to do so.
I can't even imagine that BD won't make it to film, vastly different or not. Will we the fans be happy with it?
Who knows, but I'd rather they try than to leave the series unfinished.
My hope for a director would be Chris Weitz, as we already know from KStew that he's sensitive, as well as able to deal with CGI.
As it will be the final movie(s) I hope Summit would have the balls to be more daring even if it means an R rating.
There are just as many fans well past their teenage years to make it a profitable move.
Bring it on I say.
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11-10-2009 @ 6:53PM
pknail said...
Can we please stop talking about the two-film Breaking Dawn as a serious possibility? It's bad enough they're making one.
Having said that, if by some miracle they could get David Cronenberg to direct, I would totally see that, as much as I loathe this franchise. The cesarean birth would be EPIC and worth the price of admission all by itself.
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11-10-2009 @ 7:05PM
Sarita Blackmon said...
Well Truthfully if they can do what they have done with the First 3Twilight saga books than it can work. Why leave us hanging on the edge of out seats. I think they should making Breaking Dawn in2 a movie like they have done with the other movies. Newmoon has a fight sence with the volturi which is not in the book. SO yes they will have 2 chage sumthings around 2 make it pg-13 but I belive they can do it and I have faith thatt they can do it. I Have read all the Books and I am a really big fan. SO it will hurt a lot of fans if they were 2 do only 3books into movies and Not the forth. SO like many other fans out there in the millions I hope they do the Forth book into an movie 2 finish out the Series. Stepanie Mayers is an great writer. and all of the Twilight Sagas should become movies not 3 but 4. SO I hope that summit has faith in the fans like e have faith in them 2 do greatnes with the sagas. If they choose 2 do the Forht book into an movie hey have my surrport and millions of other who r complete fan of the sags surport So please so the rite thing and Make Breaking Dawn into an movie. Please Complete the Sagas and don't leave us hanging and please don't replace the cast with other ppl. keep the casr how it is. anyone new will jut be confsusing and upseting. Thx 4 hearing me out. ur turely. A True Twilight Saga Fan
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11-10-2009 @ 7:19PM
Devon said...
XD I like Twihard mockers.
11-10-2009 @ 7:06PM
Stan Winsome said...
Wishful thinking that Tim Burton or Gus Van Sant would want to have anything to do with a series that far along its grab for the money path...
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11-10-2009 @ 7:21PM
Nikki said...
Mia have you read this book?
I don't believe that 'domestic violence' is the term that should be used to describe the sex life of Bella, who is still human at that point, and Edward, an extraordinarily strong vampire nor does it state anywhere that she is unconscious every time or any time that they have sex. I would like to know where it says that she is unconscious and that she doesn't enjoy the sex... It pretty much states that they do in fact have sex but because the book doesn't go into any detail you assume that she is not wanting it!? It seems that she is very satisfied by the act so have you really and I mean really read this book?
Yes Jacob imprints with a half vampire baby, but I wouldn’t call it mind rape. He’s not having sex with a baby nor is he making sexual advances or putting sexual thoughts in her innocent mind! Jacob is a wolf remember, not a mind reader, and he doesn't have any capability of getting into anyones mind except the others in his pack when they are in wolf form. Renesmee has the capability of communicating with her mind and her father can read most people's minds. Where does it say that Jacob has gotten in her mind? Imprinting just happens to be something that this Native American tribe believes in very much. It doesn’t say anything about the other person not wanting the person that did the imprinting. It is supposed to be seen as true love at first sight if you really break it down. Keep in mind that this is a fictional book people.
Breaking Dawn was a little weird but so is a town with vampires and wolves. It will be a bit tricky to make it into a wonderfully interesting movie, but you cannot stop a series until the end. That's just something you don't do. It may not be the best ending in the world but it leaves you wanting more. I wish that there would be more to this series.
At some point things have to end and they don't always end how we want them to. Think about the Sopranos ending....
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11-10-2009 @ 7:56PM
Reuben said...
All I know about this book is what my girlfriend told me while she was reading through it, so I'm not exactly prepared to debate its merits as a novel or a movie.
HOWEVER
I did enjoy The Sopranos ending.
11-10-2009 @ 9:33PM
Jen said...
Thank you Twilight, for making us Anita Blake and Anne Rice fans look comparatively sane.