Twilight Approaches
by Mike KrumboltzJul 30, 2008
Ever since Dracula ominously declared that he "never drinks... wine," mortals have been obsessed with vampires. "Twilight" is the latest franchise to take advantage of the morbid fascination. Already a successful series of books, "Twilight" steps into the Buzz spotlight thanks to a new novel and an avalanche of anticipation surrounding the upcoming film.
First up—the book. Set to hit store shelves at midnight (how appropriate) on Saturday, "Breaking Dawn" is the fourth in the ongoing series. Searches on the novel are up 48% over the past 7 days, but that's just the beginning. We're also noticing lookups on "breaking dawn spoilers" and "breaking down first chapter," as well as "stephanie meyer," the author and creator of the massively successful series.
Impressive, sure, but if you really want to know the level of anticipation, consider the spikes on "twilight fan fiction." Always a popular term, the query has surged over the past several weeks among fans who can't wait for Breaking Dawn's release. Patience, kids, it'll be here in a few days.
And now, the flick. Fans at Comic-Con got a good look at the upcoming epic and a slew of articles in the Buzz recapped the frenzy. PhillyBurbs notes that the cast of "Twilight" was met with a collection of screaming female fans and Entertainment Weekly compared the event to the second coming of The Beatles. Nerding out -- it ain't just for guys anymore.
For those yet to be sucked into the series, IGN offers readers an in-depth look at the movie and its mythology. Searches on the flick are up 54% this month and young females seem to be driving the lion's share of the queries.
Girls 17 and under account for around 52% of the lookups. That must explain the explosion of queries on Robert Pattinson, who is set to star as the tortured vampire with perfectly coifed hair. Lookups on the actor, best known for his role in the "Harry Potter" flicks, are up 65% and related lookups on "robert pattinson girlfriend" (as in, "Does he have one? Please say he doesn't!") are also rising.