The hype is huge, and the novels have sold
18 million copies worldwide. So we've compiled this list for "Twilight" newbies planning a trip to the movie theater:
1.
The books -- "Twilight," published in 2005, is the first in the four-tome series, followed by "New Moon," "Eclipse" and "Breaking Dawn."
Bella: Kristen Stewart
2.
Bella Swan -- The 17-year-old heroine, played in the film by Kristen Stewart ("Into the Wild," "Panic Room"), is new in the small town of Forks, Wash., where she goes gooey for a handsome classmate who happens to be a vampire. Bella is the books' first-person narrator.
3.
Edward Cullen -- The aforementioned vamp, the tall, pale and handsome yin to Bella's yang. Played by Robert Pattinson -- best known as Cedric Diggory in the "Harry Potter" films -- Edward protects her from evil bloodsuckers. And smooches her.
Edward: Robert Pattinson
4.
The Cullen family -- Edward is one of four adopted siblings, and his father, Carlisle, is the town doctor. They're all vampires, but are benevolent and drink animal blood.
5.
Jacob Black -- He has a small role in the first book/film, but he must be mentioned: He's played by Grand Rapids-born, Hudsonville-raised star-in-the-making Taylor Lautner. Jacob, who lives with his father in LaPush, the Indian reservation home to the Quileute tribe, is one of Bella's oldest friends. He has a larger role in subsequent stories.
The Cullens: Jackson Rathbone as Jasper and Ashley Greene as Alice
.
6.
Stephenie Meyer -- Lots of comparisons to
J.K. Rowling for this writer and recent multimillionaire, who got the idea for "Twilight" from a dream. She had input on the movie script, and has a cameo in the diner scene. She's now writing the series from Edward's point of view.
7.
Catherine Hardwicke -- Highly credible director gets a major shot at the mainstream with "Twilight." She's no stranger to the subject matter of teenage girls -- her directorial debut was "thirteen," a shocking drama about junior-high girls discovering sex and drugs.
8.
Sequels -- Considering advance ticket sales and oodles of hype, they seem like a sure thing. Film studio Summit Entertainment already has optioned the other three books.
9.
Team Edward/Team Jacob -- It's no secret "New Moon" finds Bella broken up with the
vamp and getting together with howling-at-the-moon Jacob. Hence, the "Twilight" fanbase is divided (and Lautner has a built-in fan base).
10. The next big franchise? -- It sure seems that way. When
"Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" was bumped from the release schedule, "Twilight" took its prime pre-Thanksgiving spot. Hardwicke recently told Entertainment Weekly it likely would have to earn $150 million before the studio green-lights "New Moon."