Z is for Zafrina
You won't have seen this character on screen yet, as she doesn't arrive in the story until Breaking Dawn.
But she's a South American vamp, a member of the Amazon Coven who pledges to help the Cullens in their hour of need during the book's plot.
She has a special ability to create illusions, which should prove to be an interesting FX challenge if the character makes it into the film - or films…
Y is for Yorke
Thom Yorke, the man who fronts Radiohead.
You might not think of Radiohead as the sort of band who would need to put their track on a Twilight film, but '15 Step' played over the first movie's end credits and now Yorke's solo track Hearing Damage is on New Moon.
It's a good name for what happens whenever you put a lot of Twilight fans in a room…
You can hear it here . Just don't play it too loud or you'll suffer from… you get the idea.
X is for X-Men
You might be surprised to learn about one of Meyer's biggest inspirations for the Cullens.
"'This is crazy, but I loved those Saturday-morning cartoons… I was always fascinated with the X-Men. I love the idea of a group of people and all of them can do something really well.
"They're special, but they're strongest when they work together. Maybe that comes from having a big family, but I always clicked into that kind of story.
"And I think that really came into play when I was subconsciously forming the Cullen family. Though I certainly wasn't thinking about Cyclops when I was writing about them, I think it was there in the layers underneath.''
W is for Washington
Washington State is the setting for much of the Twilight story, at least early on.
While Stephenie Meyer didn't live in Forks, Washington, where the series is set, she has been there…
"Being in Forks was the most incredible experience. There were a few small differences: the logging presence was much more evident than I'd pictured it—the clear cuts put a bit of a lump in my throat, and the constant, gigantic log haulers barreling down the wet highway made driving a thrilling adventure—and it was sunny, as I've mentioned.
"Otherwise, it was eerily similar to my imaginings. Walking down Main Street, shopping at the Thriftway (I still have that receipt!), driving up side streets until we found a house that could have been Charlie's, and then turning the car around only to find a beat-up, once-red, early-fifties Chevy truck parked across the road…
"The word surreal gets overused a lot, but this really was like walking around inside of a dream. We spent half a day at La Push, and that was even more uncanny.
"Unlike Forks, there were no differences between my imaginary La Push and the real thing. I spent the morning expecting every minute that we would turn a corner and run into Jacob Black."
V is for Vampires
Because for all their Meyer-flavoured trappings, that's what Edward and co truly are. They're vampires.
Yes, they sparkle in the sun. Yes, they don't have fangs. But Cullens aside - and this wasn't always the case - they're only too ready to tear the flesh from your body and snack on you like a Happy Meal.
What's less shocking is the fact that Twilight's creator really isn't a big fan of the traditional fang club.
"I am not a vampire fan and I never have been. I don't do horror. I'm an enormous scaredy cat.
"Hitchcock is about as much as I can handle and I love it, but anything more than that and you're not going to see me in the theater. And I have never gotten it – why are people obsessed with vampires, you know, and I know a lot of people who are.
"I'm actually surprised now I know how many more people are, and so the fact I would write about them is wildly out of character for me and bizarre, and nobody who knows me believed it for a really long time."
U is for Unconscious
Stephenie Meyer credits the creation of Edward, Bella, Jacob and co to a dream she had one night.
"I woke up on June 2nd from a very vivid dream. In my dream, two people were having an intense conversation in a meadow in the woods. One of these people was just your average girl. The other person was fantastically beautiful, sparkly, and a vampire.
"They were discussing the difficulties inherent in the facts that A) they were falling in love with each other while B) the vampire was particularly attracted to the scent of her blood, and was having a difficult time restraining himself from killing her immediately.
"For what is essentially a transcript of my dream, please see Chapter 13 ("Confessions") of the book.
"Though I had a million things to do, I stayed in bed, thinking about the dream. I was so intrigued by the nameless couple's story that I hated the idea of forgetting it; it was the kind of dream that makes you want to call your friend and bore her with a detailed description."
Instead, she decided to bo… er, entertain the whole world with a detailed book series.
T is for Team Edward/Team Jacob
Like football teams, the Twilight fans tend to split themselves into camps - some push for the Edward/Bella relationship and the Cullens, while other prefer the shirtless antics of Jacob Black and his wolfy tribe.
An entire merchandising sector has grown up around shirts, badges and other "Team"-adorned items, but the oddest thing we've found is a pair of corn mazes in Syracuse, Utah that bear the faces of the actors.
Scared now.
S is for Sheen
Michael Sheen, that is.
The man who played Tony Blair, Brian Clough and David Frost has experience with vampires and werewolves - since he's played ferocious furry type Lucian in the three Underworld movie.
This time, however, he's switching sides to play Aro, leader of the Volturi in New Moon.
He's not worried about criticism of the series - "I take it seriously, but it's up to other people how they respond to it. I have no control over that.
"I just want to do as good a job as I possibly can for Stephenie Meyer, who wrote the stories, Chris Weitz, who directed the film, and for my daughter, who's the person who got me into it in the first place.
"So if people don't respond to it, that's up to them, but I don't think anyone's going to be too worried about that. I think there's quite enough people who are into it."
R is for Rosenberg
Melissa Rosenberg is the screenwriter who has the unenviable task of turning the Twilight books into workable scripts.
She had a lot of editing to do for New Moon. "Not only was there a lot I had to not do from the book, there were things in the screenplay that we then had to cut down for production.
"What I find is that I think 'oh, my god, we have to have that moment in there!' And as it gets boiled down and boiled down, the soup actually tastes pretty good, so I don’t miss that as much, because it’s captured in some other scene.
"It’s about condensing; so long as you’re taking the characters on the same emotional journey, you don’t miss the specifics as much."
Q is for Quileute
The Quileute are the tribe that Jacob Black belongs to.
They're a real Native American tribe, though as far as we know, none of the actual members have the ability to become werewolves - or, as the Twilight series has it - spirit wolves.
We met just a couple of what Jacob sees as his "pack" in Twilight, but in New Moon, we get to see the whole gang.
"We've got Sam Uley, who leads the pack," says Lautner. "We all follow him. He's the alpha.
"And then we've got Jared and Paul — Jared is a funny guy, a real jokester — and Bronson (Pelletier), who plays him, in real life is the same way, so he does that well. Paul is the hothead. He goes out with my girl, and I tear him to shreds. And then there's Kiowa Gordon who plays Embry — he's my best friend."
P is for Pattinson
Robert Pattinson, or R-Patz as he's sometimes known.
When Total Film talked to him on the set on the original film, he was quick to point out where he drew inspiration from for Edward.
"I watched a bunch of vampire movies before the audition but it's not about that.
"The vampirism aspect from Edward's point of view is that it's a disease, something he's caught, rather than just being a vampire. He was changed against his will and he's fixated on that.
"I've been trying to think of it in terms of reality. He was dying and then his soul is taken and he's eternal. I was trying to figure out how he can deal with that."
O is for Obsession
It's a driving force in the Twilight world, both within the plot - Edward's feelings for Bella, both romantic and carnivorous - and her own longing for him.
But outside of the story, the fans have connected to Stephenie Meyer's stories in such a way that it often crosses the border into crazed adulation.
"A year ago was the first time we saw what we were kind of getting ourselves into, and ever since then, it’s been crazy the whole way," Kristen Stewart said at Comic Con.
"Since then, we’ve seen so many different experiences like that along our way. So we were expecting that, we knew it was going to happen, but I still find myself shocked every single time they show up and support us."
N is for New Moon
The latest film, which hits our cinemas on 20 November, has been through the development wringer, with studio Summit trying to get it out as soon as possible to capitalise on the success of Twilight.
With Catherine Hardwicke replaced by Chris Weitz, the new challenge is the fact that the second book's plot meanders rather than motors.
Weitz has kept that intact. "It is a bit of a slow burn - not so slow that people fall asleep! - but it builds to this big crescendo.
"It starts very quietly and eventually we go to Italy and there are fights and reunion and sweeping romance and all that stuff and it's very important that the film captures that element of the book that has to deal with melancholy and deep sadness and darkness.
"And that's not something you can skip past- you want to be able to represent that cinematically as well. "
M is for Meyer
Stephenie Meyer is the woman without whom none of the Twilight world would exist. So you can either celebrate or blame her for that.
She was very specific about what she wanted from any adaptation of her work for the screen.
“The vampires have to have the same basic rules as the vampire world I’ve created, which means no fangs, no costumes, they have to sparkle in the sunlight, the characters have to exist by their present names and you can’t kill anyone that doesn’t die in the book.”
“It was a horrifying experience, I had realized that it could go wrong, and that it could be done badly, that they would do something that had nothing to do with the [original] story, that was shocking to me.”
L is for Laurent
Laurent is a nasty, manipulative vamp who travels as a nomad with James and Victoria.
He's played by Edi Gathegi in Twilight and New Moon, though - spoiler alert for those who haven't read the books - the character doesn't make it much further.
Gathegi himself is glad that while shooting New Moon he was able to change one significant part of his wardrobe. " "In "Twilight' we didn't have shoes, because in the book they don't have shoes — you know, nomadic vampires don't have shoes. And I was cold, I was froze to death! But Chris was like, 'Well, wear shoes.'"
K is for Kristen Stewart
One of the lynchpins of the franchise and the first person cast by Catherine Hardwicke for the original film.
While she never seems quite comfortable in her own skin, she does seem to enjoy a few aspects of the films. Like the fact that people actually go to see them.
"I'm glad to be a part of something that's actually bigger than me for once. The success of it is the coolest thing ever because I can't tell you how much it hurts to do something that you feel like you can really learn from — and you feel is an important section of your life that you put everything into — and then nothing, it just never comes out.
"So the fact that we can share that, that's why we do this. It's the coolest thing."
J is for Jacob Black
The most important character in the series after Bella and Edward, Jacob is the member of the Quileute tribe featured in the novels and films.
Played by Taylor Lautner, he's a longtime friend of Bella whose relationship with her develops into something else during New Moon.
Oh, and he has anger management issues which activate his tribe's curse - they're werewolves.
Lautner had to wear a wig for the first film, but now he gets to rock his own style. "I was very excited to ditch the wig. I did not have a fun experience with the wig in the first film, I liked it a lot more in the second film, but it still was a long process, and itchy at moments.
"So it was awesome to cut it off and be able to have my real hair back, and I’ve got to give some competition to Rob’s spectacular hair."
I is for Insanity
Make no mistake - the Volturi in New Moon might seem charming and austere. But Chris Weitz knows what they really are.
"I think the Volturi are nuts and very, very dangerous. They are not, however, naked. Contrary to rumours!
"Jamie Campbell Bower, who is very smart and funny and a very good actor, said jokingly on MTV that there's a nude scene with all the Volturi sitting around in a Roman bath. But that's not true! But I do think they're crazed."
H is for Howard
Bryce Dallas Howard has a complicated history with the Twilight films. She was originally offered the part of Victoria back when the first movie was being cast.
But, after considering that the role was a little too small to satisfy her, she passed.
Now, she's controversially been cast in the role, replacing Rachelle Lefevre, who played her in Twilight and worked on New Moon, for Eclipse.
Catherine Hardwicke wishes they could have done things differently. Or, if you ask us, weirdly… "Too bad they couldn't have an alien-style scene where Rachelle emerges from Bryce's mouth. I wish they could have had them both in the film."
G is for Glitter
Ah, the pretty glittering sheen that the vampires give off when exposed to sunlight.
It's one of the big changes Meyer has made to the traditional vamp lore - as the creatures have, in the last few decades, been more known to burn up in direct sun.
It was a big subject for New Moon director Chris Weitz. "We've got a really good run at the sparkling. It's trying to do the same thing that they were trying to do in the first film, in that he shines like a diamond.
"I think that we're re-exploring making him sparkle in different ways. And really the attitude was, because in book two, his sparkling could get him killed so it's kind of a big effect on this one. The guy's gotta sparkle…"
F is for Fanning
Dakota Fanning, who has joined the cast with New Moon to play Jane, one of the Volturi.
A fan of the first book before she ever got the part, she looked forward to a new challenge - playing someone the audience might not root for.
"It's definitely something that I look forward to," she said. "I think you have to do all kinds of roles, and eventually I am going to be the person you hate in a movie.
"And that's the fun thing about acting: You can be sweet and be mean at the same time in different films."
So why is she right for Jane? Natural skin talent, apparently: "We're both pale. I don't think they'd have to put a lot of makeup on me if it works out. I'm pretty pale as it is."
Eclipse
The third book in the series finds an army of "newborn" vampires committing murders across Washington and the Cullens must joins forces with their old werewolf foes to battle the threat.
The film version will be directed by Hard Candy's David Slade, who caused some controversy with earlier comments about preferring a shot to the head to having to read one of the books.
Now, however, he's excited.
“It is darker, and there is a lot more action than the previous two,” he admits. “The third book is from Bella’s point of view, but the film will be more objective.
“We are going to focus on the origin stories of several characters, like Jacob, and show how Bella will decide between Edward and Jacob.”
D is for Demetri
Demetri, who will crop up in New Moon as one of the Volturi associates, is well known in vampire circles as one of the best trackers.
He gets a meatier role in Breaking Dawn.
For New Moon, Chris Weitz cast Charlie Bewley in the role. Working on the Italian location of the film was his introduction to the world of Twilight fandom…
“Italy was a dream. Very surreal. I think everyone there, no matter who it was, Rob Kristen, Chris or anyone else would say that it was an experience that they may never go through again. The hospitality of the whole thing, the way they treated us, the whole setting was so magnificent. “
“I was just swamped with 15-year-old girls wherever I went. My inner 14-year-old teenager in my head had a great time.”
C is for Cullen
The Cullen Clan, to which Edward belongs, and which is headed by Carlisle (Peter Facinelli in the films) have sworn not to kill humans like many of their fellow vampires.
Facinelli initially resisted the idea of playing a vampire - even a sparkly one. "When I first heard of the project I was not interested in it, because my mind automatically went to fangs, gore, and zombies, which, as an actor I'm just not interested in doing.
"But when I read the books and saw that it was an anti vampire tale in that it dealt more with vampires trying to be human, and steered away from stereotypes I became intrigued and as I read more, obsessed."
B is for Breaking Dawn
Spoiler Alert! The fourth book in the series, published in 2008, finds Bella and Edward finally marrying, doing the nasty and getting pregnant, which turns out to be actually nasty.
When her childbirth nearly kills her, Edward turns Bella into a vampire and, after a quick tussle with the Volturi (who are convinced that half-human/half-vampire crossbreeds are inherently dangerous), the family is allowed to live their lives in peace. Well, for now…
And it's a big tome - one that author Stephenie Meyer thinks might have to be more than one film, a la Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows.
“The book is actually broken up into book one, book two and book three, and the end of book two is kind of the exact middle of the story,” Meyer says. “It really feels like the clearest place to stop the action, but I’m not a movie person, I don’t know. I just think it’s too long for one movie.”
A is for Alice
Alice Cullen, Edward's nervy but loving sister, is played by Ashley Greene, who is full of enthusiasm for the role and her cast mates in New Moon.
"With the second one, it was more intimate as far as the amount of people involved," she's said. "After the first week or two of production, it was just me, Kristen, Rob and Taylor, and then Rachelle (Lefevre) was there for a little bit."
"Rachelle and I have this, like, zest for life. She and I can just go and have a glass of wine and unwind, and we work out together and stuff like that, so she and I have that kind of relationship — I think we're both easygoing, fun people."
Wonder what she thinks about Lefevre getting replaced for Eclipse?
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