Okay, okay… both sides calm down. Those whose fervent wish it is that Summit somehow find a way to pump out more Twilight movies stop getting too excited, and those who would rather wish the entire franchise got swallowed up in a black hole, put down those assault rifles: as of right now, the Twilight franchise finishes with this year’s Breaking Dawn – Part 2, and any future films are simply executive speculation.
But when that executive is Lionsgate CEO John Feltheimer, and he runs the company that just bought Twilight home Summit Entertainment for $412.5 million, he gets listened to. Mostly because he now has the power to make it happen and, as the head of a business that answers to shareholders, he needs to make that hefty acquisition pay off for them.
“I'm anticipating Breaking Dawn – Part 2 being $700 million-plus in worldwide box office," said Feltheimer in a statement picked up by the LA Times. He went on to add: "It's hard for me to imagine a movie that does $700 million-plus doesn't have ongoing value. It's an amazing franchise that they have done a great job of maintaining with absolutely no deterioration. So the simple answer is 'Boy I hope so.'”
In terms of raising his company’s profile and possible future profit, it’s a good plan. A most estimable idea. Except for one teensy, tiny, little thing: there are no more Twilight books to adapt. Which, we guess is probably not something Lionsgate will worry about, as there are multiple routes it can go down to generate more stories – sequels, prequels, spin-offs or even pulling a Misery: holding Stephenie Meyer hostage until she scribbles down a few more tales. Though that one has probably already been dismissed as incredibly illegal and dangerous.
There’s also the cast of the films to consider. We doubt R-Pattz, K-Stew and the One Who Takes His Shirt Off A Lot are desperate to keep churning out franchise entries, so they’d need serious financial inducement to do so. Either that, or Lionsgate can just do what Sony did with Spider-Man. Or find some way to tell other stories in the same universe. Heck, even Meyer brought out novella The Short Second Life Of Bree Tanner, which expands on one of the minor characters. And given Lionsgate’s TV department, there’s scope for a Twilight show that doesn’t feature Bella and the rest. Renesmee: The Teen Years, anyone?
**Breaking Dawn – Part 2 **arrives on November 16. After that? Well, first we have to see if the Mayans were right on the old apolcaypse thing, don't we?