TWILIGHT STAR: Fans' appetites for Twilight insatiable Trailer lands millions of hits within 48 hours

Saturday, October 18, 2008

Fans' appetites for Twilight insatiable Trailer lands millions of hits within 48 hours

ERIKA TUSTIN STAR STAFF
Fans are ravenously consuming the latest online trailer for the hotly anticipated Twilight movie, which doesn't hit theatres for more than a month.The clip garnered 3.5 million hits within 48 hours of hitting myspace.com/trailerpark last Friday, and that's not counting how many times it was viewed after a friend emailed it to a friend, who emailed it to another friend. Well, you get the picture.
"It's every marketer's dream. It's truly viral," says Victor Rego, vice-president of marketing (Quebec), for E1 Films, Twilight's Canadian distributor.
It's by far the biggest film the Montreal-based company has been involved with, says Rego, who got a taste of things to come when the first Twilight teaser, released earlier this year, logged 4 million hits on MySpace, surpassing Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. Rego said they're currently working on advanced ticket sales for the Nov. 21 premiere. "The growing aspect of Twilight is phenomenal," says Rego. "The fans are doing their own things, creating their own merchandise. They are ahead of what we are doing; It's totally fan-driven. We make them aware of what is going on and then it spreads like wildfire."
The movie, based on Stephanie Meyer's bestselling Twilight book series, stars Kristen Stewart as Bella Swan and Robert Pattinson as Edward Cullen, a modern-day Romeo and Juliet couple with a twist – Edward's a vampire.
The trailer teases in all the right spots, giving fans an up-close look at the vampire trio James, Victoria (played by Montreal native Rachelle Lefevre) and Laurent, whose arrival threatens the couple's romance, but keeps secret the final looks of Bella's friend Jacob Smith and the rest of the Cullen clan.
The movie's fans are some of the most bloodthirsty out there, creating dozens of fansites (bellaandedward.com, hisgoldeneyes.com, www.twilightmoms.com, to name a few), and buying everything Twilight-related that's out there.
EW's July issue, with Stewart and Pattinson on the cover, was the magazine's best-selling cover of the year, outselling Dark Knight and Harry Potter covers, says Rego.
The soundtrack for the film, which doesn't come out until Nov. 4, is already No. 5 on Amazon.ca's bestseller list. It features MuteMath, Muse, Linkin Park and exclusive songs written for the movie by Paramore, Perry Ferrell and Pattinson.
Thankfully, there will likely be a sequel for fans to dig their teeth into after Twilight. Meyer's second book in the series, New Moon, has already been optioned by Summit Entertainment.
Watch the trailer at myspace.com/trailerpark.

Interview with Twilight Cast and Crew

Thirteen Twilight Twilight The Nativity Story

DAILIES TRANSCRIPT "Twilight Interview" INTERVIEWED: Taylor Lautner, Catherine Hardwicke, Stephenie Meyer, Robert Pattinson ORIGINAL AIR DATE: July 28, 2008 See where to watch ReelzChannel TV Mike Richards: Welcome to Dailies. I'm Mike Richards. Now as part of our Fan*tastic Summer we've taken Dailies on location, out of the soundstage to bring you the latest in all the big summer movies. And the big summer action was right here in Comi-Con, We're in San Diego, the big comic book and movie convention. A lot happened over the weekend, we've got it all covered for you. Let's start with the stars of Twilight who talked to me about meeting the very excited fans of this book, soon-to-be movie. Mike Richards: This is your first, sort of, interaction with the fans of Twilight and they're rabid fans. Taylor Lautner: It was good, you know, the fans they're, uh, they're crazy but they're passionate. I understand their passion for the book because I'm just as passionate for it. Mike Richards: Was there nerves bringing your books, your movie to Comic-Con? Catherine Hardwicke: Well I didn't wear white in case tomatoes were hurled at me but Stephanie was brave... Stephenie Meyer: I wasn't afraid. Mike Richards: We've talked to the cast a little bit about being on the set, that it didn't feel like this big, huge movie but now that it's here you're, I'm watching them begin to get overwhelmed. Did you guys give them any advice? Stephenie Meyer: I did lean over to Rob today with the screaming and said, "I apologize for what I've done to your life." (laughs) Robert Pattinson: It's a terrifying sound, like, hearing 6,000 people screaming. It sounds like the devil is coming down or something.