Which 2008 film was the first in the Twilight film series?

The first film in the Twilight film series was Twilight, released in 2008. Directed by Catherine Hardwicke, the film adapts Stephenie Meyer’s 2005 novel about Bella Swan, a teenager who moves to Forks, Washington, and falls in love with vampire Edward Cullen.

Twilight stars Kristen Stewart as Bella and Robert Pattinson as Edward. Its supernatural romance combines high-school drama, vampire mythology, and a central conflict involving Edward’s struggle to protect Bella from the dangers surrounding his family. Summit Entertainment released the film in the United States on November 21, 2008, after a November 17 premiere in Westwood, California.

The movie became a substantial commercial success despite mixed critical reviews, earning about $412 million worldwide. It was followed by New Moon in 2009 and Eclipse in 2010, while the final novel, Breaking Dawn, was split into two films released in 2011 and 2012. A frequent mix-up is naming New Moon as the beginning because it is the first sequel, but Twilight is the franchise’s starting chapter.