Summary

• Animation can enhance key Twilight moments like the sparkling vampires, Forks' scenery, and Bella's fainting in class.
• The show can improve visual storytelling with animation compared to live action while retaining unique art styles.
• Animators face challenges showcasing 20 new vampires in Breaking Dawn and capturing dynamic wolf pack scenes.

The reboot of The Twilight Saga has the chance to improve upon some scenes from the movies and books with more artistic interpretations, brought to life through animation. Twilight is one of the most recent fantasy franchises to announce a TV show reboot in the works. This format will theoretically allow the writers and producers to further develop the story and avoid the shortcomings of the previous movies.

However, with the surprise update that the Twilight TV show is going to be animated, key moments from Twilight will possibly be re-envisioned to suit the animated medium. If they do it right, stylized animation can be used to elevate the story. With more artistic 3D animation taking off thanks to movies like the Spider-Verse series and shows like Arcane, it would not be surprising if Twilight followed suit. Different art styles could be used to expertly highlight Twilight's characters, settings, and lore.

10 The Sparkling Vampires

The sparkling vampires in Twilight are widely made fun of, but maybe the show could do better.

The aspect of Twilight’s world-building wherein vampires bursting into flames in the sunlight is replaced with them sparkling is mocked with endless memes. However, the right animation could be used to make this moment beautiful enough to redeem the plot point. Bella is in awe the first time she sees Edward step into the sunlight, a reaction which is hard for the audience to buy into with the movies’ bad CGI and stilted acting. However, this could come across better with something along the lines of Elsa’s magic in Frozen, and that was done with basic 3D animation.

9 Forrest Scenery Surrounding Forks

Animation could make the forest setting of Forks what Twilight wants it to be.

With the animated medium, the production designers have the chance to create the darkly whimsical setting that Twilight imagines itself having but perhaps doesn’t have the same impact in live action.

Twilight paints the forest weaving through and surrounding Forks as a place of mystery and magic. The color pallet is muted, especially in the first movie. However, this scenery would look even more mystical as a painting; the animators could even layer a pastel or watercolor-style background with regularly animated characters. With the animated medium, the production designers have the chance to create the darkly whimsical setting that Twilight imagines itself having but perhaps doesn’t have the same impact in live action.

8 Bella Fainting In Class

Bella's aversion to blood is removed from the movies but could be captured with animation for the show.

One of the Twilight book moments the movie failed but the show can fix is the ironic plot point of Bella’s aversion to blood, even small amounts that are not her own. This results in her fainting during a blood typing biology class, after which she insists to Edward that she can smell the blood, leaving him skeptical. If the writers and animators are shamelessly dramatic about it, this could actually be a good moment in the animated show. They could take inspiration from almost any scene involving blood in Arcane or Castlevania.

7 Alec's Gift

A key member of the Volturi could appear much more threatening animated.

Jane’s twin brother Alec’s gift is quickly explained in the last Twilight movie and doesn’t look great on screen. He is seen sending tacky black clouds toward other characters, which is only briefly explained to rob someone of all their senses. Bella’s exposition in the movie doesn’t properly convey how much of a threat Alec is, while his ability isn’t really suited to live action. It has the potential to look a lot better and more dramatic when animated, which, accompanied by a little more dialogue, could create some beautifully terrifying scenes.

6 The Final Battle With Victoria

The fight between Edward and Victoria is interesting in the movie but could be even better in the show.

The final fight between Victoria, Riley, and Edward is very visually interesting in the Eclipse movie, as they are all up in the mountains surrounded by pure white snow. The white contrasts with Victoria’s red hair, as well as the blood from Bella cutting her arm to distract the vampires for a moment, giving Edward the advantage. This stands to be one of the most visually stimulating moments to recreate with animation if they decide to stick with the snowy setting, and pending what techniques they use to emphasize color and create the motion of the vampires’ fight.

5 Alice's Visions Of The Future

Alice Cullen's glimpses of the future offer unique opportunities for animation.

Alice’s visions of the future pose an opportunity for additional artistic styles to be used in the animation. It would be particularly effective if these scenes had a subtly fractured style, since Alice’s premonitions are not set in stone. In particular, this is demonstrated by the notorious fake final battle in Breaking Dawn Part 2.

Some people argue that the story would be better if this scene were real. However, if the show decides to recreate it as Alice's vision, the use of animation in this scene will be important to how they want the audience to receive it. They might want viewers to once again believe that it is real, or to be clued in that it is not.

4 Motion Of Jacob's Wolf Pack Running

Other animated movies and shows demonstrate what can be done with the wolves' scenes in Twilight.

The Twilight show faces the challenge of living up to the animation industry’s innovation; any sequences of the Quileute wolf pack running or fighting will hopefully look as good as some fan-favorite scenes from praised animated movies.

Movies like Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse and Wolfwalkers show incredible innovation in capturing the fast, fluid motion of acrobatic-like heroes swinging between skyscrapers and animals running through the woods. The Twilight show faces the challenge of living up to the animation industry’s innovation; any sequences of the Quileute wolf pack running or fighting will hopefully look as good as some fan-favorite scenes from praised animated movies. This will be especially true by the time the show reaches the Eclipse and Breaking Dawn Part 1 storylines, where the wolves are involved in several big fights.

3 All The Vampires Introduced In Breaking Dawn

The animators will have a lot of work to do with new characters in the last season of the Twilight show.

The second half of Breaking Dawn throws a narrative curveball with around 20 new vampire characters introduced all at once, each bringing their own history and supernatural abilities. There are a lot of interesting ways the animators can construct the montage of these characters being introduced, showing their specific gifts, and possibly sharing glimpses of their backstories. Additionally, this many new characters means lots of new character designs. This will be a challenging sequence, but also a paradise for the involved artists who like conceptualizing new ideas.

2 The Volturi's City & Cathedral

A vibrant setting would enhance the introduction of the Volturi in the Twilight show.

The whole atmosphere changes when Bella and Alice go to Italy in New Moon. The city is sunny and dominated by red and gold pallets and grandiose buildings absent from Forks. The animation here should utilize some upward angles to show off the looming cathedrals. If recreated right, it will convey the power of the Volturi and how the main characters are at a disadvantage in this environment. This is also the place where this show will see Aro, Jane, and the rest for the first time; all are interesting characters who deserve a grand setting to make their entrance.

1 The Mary Alice Brandon Story

Animation could make Alice Cullen's backstory especially memorable.

Similar to flashforwards, any backstory sequence may be accompanied by a shift in style that would give the animators the chance to show off what they can do apart from the show’s standard aesthetic. Alice Cullen’s backstory especially is another moment left out of the movies which could be amazingly animated. The artists may opt for a hazier style to depict the glamour of the early 20th century, before Alice is committed. Alice’s human life is certainly one of the most interesting things from The Twilight Saga for the TV show to adapt, recreated with beautiful animation.