Autumn is the perfect time to sit back and watch movies about vampires and werewolves.

The Twilight Saga features both and is actually one of the most successful franchises in history. Based on four best-selling novels by Stephenie Meyer, it consists of five films, which generated $3.4 billion worldwide at the box office and became a cultural touchstone for the 2010s.

Like the novels, the movies follow 17-year-old Bella Swan as she moves to Washington State and meets the mysterious Edward Cullen. While the actors who star as Bella and Edward were relatively unknown a decade ago – the casting department clearly made some stellar choices. Kristina Stewart (Bella) is now coming off her first Oscar nomination with 2021’s Spencer, and Robert Pattinson (Edward) recently headlined as the Caped Crusader in The Batman.

If you’re interested in finally checking out The Twilight Saga, or maybe you just want to revisit the movies ahead of Halloween, here's the order to watch them all. It goes by cinematic release date, because that’s how the story plays out – in chronological order. Allow us to explain.

How to watch the Twilight movies in order (chronological and release date)

THERE MAY BE SPOILERS BELOW. Skip to the bottom of this guide for the bulleted, at-a-glance version that is free of spoilers.

Twilight (2008)

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Twilight (2008)

Bella Swan moves to Washington and starts an odd relationship with Edward Cullen, who saves her from being hit by a car with his supernatural powers.

  • Directed by: Catherine Hardwicke
  • Based on: Twilight by Stephenie Meyer
  • Screenplay by: Melissa Rosenberg
  • Produced and distributed by: Summit Entertainment
  • Run time: 121 minutes
  • Box office: $407 million
  • Where to stream: Amazon Prime Video

The first Twilight movie introduces us to Kristen Stewart’s Bella Swan, who moved from Arizona to Washington to live with her father. She notices the Cullens when she starts high school. They’re a group of siblings who primarily keep to themselves. Of course, she ends up sitting next to Edward Cullen (Robert Pattinson) in Biology class, which starts an odd relationship between the two – until Edward saves Bella from being hit by a car with supernatural powers.

As the two get to know each other, it becomes clear to Bella that Edward is a vampire. Unfortunately, another group of vampires – led by a tracker named James (Cam Gigandet) – arrive and decide to hunt Bella, which leads to Edward and his siblings protecting Bella.

The Twilight Saga: New Moon (2009)

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The Twilight Saga: New Moon (2009)

New Moon picks up with Bella in senior year. Edward dumps her after his brother attacks her. But when he thinks she later dies, he goes to the Volturi to die.

  • Directed by: Chris Wietz
  • Based on: New Moon by Stephenie Meyer
  • Screenplay by: Melissa Rosenberg
  • Produced by: Temple Hill Entertainment
  • Distributed by: Summit Entertainment
  • Run time: 130 minutes (extended cut is 138 minutes)
  • Box office: $709 million
  • Where to stream: Amazon Prime Video

New Moon picks up with Bella in her senior year of high school and continuing her relationship with Edward. While celebrating her birthday with the Cullens, Bella gets a paper cut, which causes Edward’s brother Jasper (Jackson Rathbone) to instinctively attack her. Although Jasper was stopped before hurting Bella, Edward believes she can never be safe around him or his family. He ends their relationship and moves away with the rest of his family.

Bella then spends more time with Jacob Black (Taylor Lautner) – until she finds out he and other members of his Quileute Native American tribe are werewolves.

She begins to chase the thrill of life-endangering moments just so she can feel close to Edward. This inadvertently makes Edward believe that Bella has died jumping off a cliff. His sister Alice (Alice Green) even sees a vision of it. The guilt causes Edward to appear before the Vampire royalty known as the Volturi in the hopes of ending his own life.

The Twilight Saga: Eclipse (2010)

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The Twilight Saga: Eclipse (2010)

The Volturi wants Edward to turn Bella into a vampire - all while a separate group of vampires prepares to attack. Edward and Bella lean on werewolves for help.

  • Directed by: David Slade
  • Based on: Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer
  • Screenplay by: Melissa Rosenberg
  • Produced by: Temple Hill Entertainment
  • Distributed by: Summit Entertainment
  • Run time: 123 minutes
  • Box office: $698 million
  • Where to stream: Amazon Prime Video

Following the Volturi’s decision at the end of New Moon, Eclipse focuses on Bella and Edward trying to decide when she will be turned into a vampire. The two disagree about it.

While that is going on, Victoria (Rachelle LaFevre) – who was a member of the group of vampires that originally hunted Bella – wants to enact revenge. She builds an army of vampires to attack the town of Forks, where Bella lives. The Cullens then find a common cause with the Quileute werewolf pack in order to fend off the vampires.

The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part One (2011)

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The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part One (2011)

Part One opens with Edward and Bella marrying. She soon ends up pregnant but refuses to abort the child. Meanwhile, the Volturi still expect Bella to turn.

  • Directed by: Bill Condon
  • Based on: Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer
  • Screenplay by: Melissa Rosenberg
  • Produced by: Temple Hill Entertainment
  • Distributed by: Summit Entertainment
  • Run time: 117 minutes
  • Box office: $712 million
  • Where to stream: Amazon Prime Video

Breaking Dawn - Part One opens with Edward and Bella marrying. The happy couple set off for their honeymoon on the Isle Esme – where they consummate their marriage and make love for the first time. Soon after, Bella discovers she is pregnant.

Edward and his father Carlisle (Peter Facinelli) believe that Bella won’t be able to give birth to a vampire baby. They recommend she abort it, but Bella refuses. Meanwhile, members of Jacob’s pack of werewolves believe that Bella and the baby must die before it can be born. Of course, there’s also the problem of the Volturi, who are still expecting the Cullens to turn Bella.

The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part Two (2012)

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The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part Two (2012)

Bella gives birth to the baby. This is a no-no for the Volturi. Their leader heads to kill her. But Edward's sister has a vision, which allows them to prepare.

Breaking Dawn - Part Two picks up where the last film left off – with Bella adjusting to becoming a new mother and a vampire at the same time. Their daughter, Renesmee (Mackenzie Foy), is a half-vampire who ages more quickly. But she is seen while in the woods with Edward’s father by a vampire from another coven, and the Volturi learns that the Cullens have what is known as an immortal child – aka a vampire who was turned too young and will never age.

This is a no-no for the Volturi. Their leader, Avo, heads to Forks to kill the Cullens. Alice Cullen has a vision of the Volturi, however, which gives the Cullens time to prepare for the attack.


Spoiler-free version: The Twilight Saga movies in order

Chronological and release date order

OK, so here is the at-a-glance version of the guide above. It's free of spoilers.

  • Twilight (2008)
  • The Twilight Saga: New Moon (2009)
  • The Twilight Saga: Eclipse (2010)
  • The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part One (2011)
  • The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part Two (2012)

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