Seeing all five of the Twilight franchise films on Netflix’s top 10 list recently made me extremely proud as a longtime fan. It also made me begin thinking about how the films have been deemed as corny and low quality over the last decade. The cinematic value of the franchise is certainly up to individual interpretation; however, we cannot ignore the cultural phenomenon that is Twilight and the consequential young adult film genre that it helped generate. 

Twilight’s highly successful run from 2008 to 2012 grossed a total of $3.317 billion worldwide with a collective budget of $419 million. The way in which the films were able to use small budgets and break records at the box office proves they were a grand success deserving of the hype year after year. Plus, let’s face it, a great number of current students participated in the fandom as preteens mesmerized by sparkly vampires and protective werewolves.  

It also must be recognized that the franchise was immensely successful in countries around the world. I remember seeing the premiere of “Eclipse” in 2010 while I was visiting family in Argentina and being shocked at the sight of a packed theater full of screaming fans who were thrilled to see the film. The truth is, Twilight was a major worldwide phenomenon that lives on to this day as it has become a household pop culture reference for a reason.

Aside from the impressive numbers and international fans, the nostalgia the films provide is unmatched. The unique soundtracks gifted us with alternative gems like “Decode” by Paramore and Muse’s “Supermassive Black Hole” from the iconic vampire baseball scene. The surplus of famous quotes from the entire saga, but especially the first film with “…and so the lion fell in love with the lamb” or “is she even Italian?” have stayed in our collective memory. 

The memories many of us have of going to the midnight premieres at the movie theater, discussing why we were Team Edward or Team Jacob and more hold a much higher value than the script or acting skills of the films. Although, I personally do think the films are great as far as those terms go as well. Growing up with these films and seeing what a cultural impact they had on society made me feel as though the world was on the same page.

It is undeniably exciting when we all take part in a fandom as massive as Twilight. As we did with the other young adult franchises like The Hunger Games, Divergent and more, it was exhilarating. Especially for current Gen Z college students, these films were what shaped us into dystopian novel obsessed adolescents. For many, it was a memorable time period where we were excited to read instead of just seeing the films. Even if the genre is no longer prevalent in today’s films, we can appreciate them for what they were: exceptional for their time.

I have owned all the Twilight films on DVD since they came out, but there is something truly exciting about them arriving on Netflix. Just as shows such as “Friends” or “New Girl” are available for new generations now through streaming services, Twilight can now be enjoyed all over again, whether you were a crazed fan when they came out or brand new to the Twilight Universe.

As we move closer to an in-person semester, we will once again have the opportunity to meet new people in every class. I guarantee if you spark up a conversation this fall about Twilight with a fellow student that you will be able to bond over the franchise as true twi-hard fans or not.  

Instead of critiquing the acting skills or “flawed” plot of the Twilight films, let’s enjoy the nostalgia and admit many of us have a special connection to the franchise. I definitely recommend having a Twilight marathon any day and enjoying the simpler times when vampires and werewolves were all we needed to entertain us.