Netflix has had plenty of major franchise updates lately, with big returning titles like Wednesday and One Piece getting most of the attention. Twilight, by comparison, has been much quieter, even though Netflix said in 2024 that an animated series was in the works. Now there are signs it is moving forward.
The project is Midnight Sun, an animated adaptation of Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight companion novel. Netflix’s Tudum has confirmed the show is still in development, with Meyer as executive producer, Sinead Daly as showrunner, and Lynn Wang as supervising director. According to What’s on Netflix, the series is now seeking voice actors for Jacob Black and Billy Black. The casting breakdown calls for Native American (Indigenous) voice actors for both roles.
The Jacob casting update is likely to attract the most attention because it is the first clear sign the Twilight series is casting beyond the film version. The movies cemented Robert Pattinson, Kristen Stewart, and Taylor Lautner as the public face of the franchise. Netflix has not yet revealed who is voicing the core leads.
The casting breakdown doesn’t reveal who will play Edward or Bella or indicate the tone Netflix is aiming for. But it does suggest the series is starting to fill out the supporting cast, which is usually a sign the creative plans are taking shape.
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Robert Pattinson as Edward Cullen in the movie Twilight.Summit Entertainment
For now, the streaming platform has not shared a release date. Animation timelines can change substantially in early production, especially while a show’s visual approach is still being worked on. Netflix’s official posts about its animation slate (including recent “first look” materials for other projects) do not include Midnight Sun images or a teaser.
At this pace, a 2028 release seems more likely than an earlier debut. If that feels slow, it is probably because Twilight has been in a quieter phase for a long time. The five Twilight films ended their run in 2012, and the franchise returned to being primarily book-driven. The big publishing jolt arrived in 2020 with Midnight Sun, which returned to the original Twilight timeline rather than pushing the saga forward.
Midnight Sun is familiar enough to sell as Twilight, but it also offers a slightly different way in. Meyer has previously explained that she does not plan to rewrite more of the series from Edward’s perspective, which means this adaptation could end up being one of the only real chances to expand that angle on screen.
Release Date
November 21, 2008
Runtime
122 minutes
Director
Catherine Hardwicke