Less than a week after it was confirmed that the Harry Potter TV series is set to become a reality, cult-classic franchise Twilight could now be heading for a reboot.
If reports are to be believed, a TV series of the popular Twilight Saga is apparently “in the works”.
In case you missed it, after weeks of rumours and reports, streaming service HBO Max last week revealed that a reboot TV series based on Harry Potter, is to officially hit screens with author JK Rowling set to executive produce it.
Potterheads were excited to hear that the Harry Potter series could be on air for up to a decade, and will be a “faithful adaptation” of the books about the wizarding world, while keeping the original films “at the core” of the franchise.
Image: Lionsgate
And this is likely to be exactly what Twilight fans are hoping for as well, as it’s also been exclusively reported by The Hollywood Reporter this week that the massively-popular literary and film saga based on a series of books is the next to “get the television treatment”.
Undoubtedly one of the best-loved and highest-grossing Young Adult franchises of the 21st century, The Twilight Saga is a fantasy romance series made up of four novels published between 2005 and 2008.
The success of the books lead to five film adaptations released between 2008 and 2012.
Just like Harry Potter, Twilight changed the life of author Stephanie Meyer, made household names out of its trio of leads, Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, and Taylor Lautner, and developed a devoted fanbase along the way.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, the Twilight TV series is currently “in early development” via Lionsgate Television.
Screenwriter Sinead Daly, whose credits include Tell Me Lies, The Walking Dead: World Beyond, Raised by Wolves, and more, is attached to write the script.
It’s yet to be decided whether the series will be a remake of Meyer’s books or “a different offshoot”.
The series is said to be “in its infancy” and does not yet have a network/platform, as sources say the studio – which controls the rights to the franchise – plans to lead the development on the project, before shopping the rights to the package.
At this point, there is no timeline for when the series will be taken out to potential buyers, and therefore appears to be a long way off from hitting screens.
Just like JK Rowling, sources say author Meyer is expected to be involved in the Twilight television adaptation.
New British series Adolescence has shot right to the top of Netflix’s most-watched TV charts after more than 24 million people tune in.
Hitting the streaming platform just last Thursday, Adolescence is a four-part limited series about a 13-year-old boy who is accused of murdering one of his classmates, with each episode remarkably being filmed in one unflinching and continuous shot.
This truly gripping story unfolds in real time as the main characters search for answers in the wake of a shocking tragedy.
Who is actually responsible? Why did it happen? And could it have been prevented?
Image: Netflix
Co-created and written by Jack Thorne and Stephen Graham, with Graham starring alongside an ensemble cast of accomplished actors such as Ashley Walters and Erin Doherty, as well as screen newcomer Owen Cooper as the young boy Eddie Miller, accused of murder, the show tells the story of how a family’s world is turned upside.
“We could have made a drama about gangs and knife crime, or about a kid whose mother is an alcoholic or whose father is a violent abuser,” Stephen Graham said ahead of the show‘s release.
Image: Netflix
“Instead, we wanted you to look at this family and think, ‘My God, this could be happening to us.’ And what’s happening here is an ordinary family’s worst nightmare.”
Over the course of the four intense one-shot episodes, the show shines a uncomfortable spotlight on and examines key themes such as male rage, the dangers of social media, cyberbullying, incel culture, and more.
The latest viewing figures show that Adolescence undoubtedly has been a runaway hit, with a whopping 24.3 million views amassed in its first four days of availability, making it the streaming platform’s top show for the week of 10-16 March.
Image: Netflix
As the show continues to garner universal acclaim, standing at 98% on notable critic website Rotten Tomatoes, those viewing figures are set to clock up thick and fast as the days go on.
While Adolescence and Jamie’s story isn’t based on a real person or event specifically, Graham, Thorne, and director Philip Barantini have confirmed that the idea for the series did spring from reports that co-creator Graham had heard about on the news of young boys being involved in knife crimes – particularly the shocking 2021 murder of Ava White in Liverpool.
Much of Adolescence was filmed in Pontefract in West Yorkshire, with the casting of Cooper in the role of Jamie ultimately influencing where the show was shot.
“We knew it was going to be set somewhere in the North of England, and we also knew it would be from somewhere around wherever our Jamie was from – in this case near Warrington – because it would have been unfair to make him do an accent,” explained director Philip Barantini.
All four episodes of Adolescence are now available to stream on Netflix.
Featured Image – Netflix
TV & Showbiz
First look images released of new Channel 4 drama series set in Leeds
Ownership The Hoot
The new coming-of-age drama series will air on Channel 4 later this month.
The first look images have been released for Dreamers, a coming-of-age drama series created by Lisa Holdsworth and Gem Copping.
Set and filmed in Leeds, the series is based on characters that have been workshopped and inspired by people from the city with support from the Young Audiences Content Fund (YACF), which was managed by the BFI and funded by the UK Government.
Image: Channel 4
The production was shot in and around Leeds and provided a fantastic opportunity for 10 Leeds-based people to break into the broadcast industry.
Production was tailored to people with no previous production experience, providing training, mentoring, one-to-one sessions, career planning and the chance to work on a major production.
Image: Channel 4
The series follows an eclectic group of dance students as they navigate the intense highs and lows of coming of age in today’s complex world – captured through stories which are as joyful and funny as they are raw and truthful, brought viscerally to life via irresistible dance choreography.
Image: Channel 4
Rebekah Wray-Rogers, Co-Founder of Duck Soup Films says: “We couldn’t be more thrilled that Dreamers was born and raised in our very own city. Collaborating with such a phenomenally talented and diverse group of new to the industry creatives has been an unforgettable journey, and we are buzzing to finally bring this exceptional series to the screen.”
Kevin Blacoe, Head of Partnerships & Skills at Channel 4 says: "4Skills is proud to fund the 10 full-time training placements on the production of Dreamers. It’s been a brilliant opportunity for these ten trainees with many of those who worked on the series now further developing their careers in the industry. Initiatives like these show the impact Channel 4 and 4Skills can make.”
Emily Sergeant -
20th April 2023 
