Picture Credit: Lionsgate
Netflix is going all in on Edward Cullen. Lionsgate has revealed that the animated adaptation of Stephenie Meyer’s Midnight Sun has a two-season commitment from Netflix, giving the long-gestating Twilight series a rare upfront vote of confidence before a single frame has hit the service.
As first unveiled all the way back in September 2024, Netflix and Lionsgate are teaming up on an episodic animated adaptation of Midnight Sun, Meyer’s 2020 companion novel that retells the events of Twilight from the perspective of Edward Cullen.
The latest update came during Lionsgate’s Q2 2027 earnings call on November 5th, where Kevin Beggs, Chairman of the Lionsgate Television Group, confirmed the size of the order while discussing the studio’s plans for the Twilight franchise.
Beggs explained that Meyer’s love of television, and animation in particular, “really led directly to the adaptation of Midnight Sun,” before adding:
That’s a 2-season adult animation order at Netflix. Stephenie and her team are very hands-on, really running the process along with us at Netflix.
Beggs went on to say that Lionsgate has “high expectations” for the series and sees it as a “continuation and expansion” of the Twilight universe.
Earlier in the same call, Lionsgate’s Motion Picture Group chairman Adam Fogelson said the studio knows the Twilight audience is “desperate for more authentic content,” and that conversations with Meyer about the franchise are ongoing on the film side too.
Why does a two-season order matter?
Netflix typically orders new series one season at a time, waiting to see how a show performs before committing to more. Multi-season upfront orders are generally reserved for projects the streamer has real confidence in, and for animation, where seasons can take years to produce, it’s a big deal.
Locking in two seasons now means the production can keep rolling without a lengthy pause waiting on a renewal decision, which should help shorten the gap between seasons. That’s something Lionsgate is clearly thinking about. On the same call, Beggs discussed how getting shows back on a predictable timetable is “becoming more and more important” in the streaming era, pointing to Netflix renewing The Hunting Wives for a third season before its second had even premiered.
It also raises an interesting question about pacing. Midnight Sun is a hefty book (it’s considerably longer than Twilight itself), so a two-season split for a single novel suggests the series will be taking its time with Edward’s version of events. Whether season 2 stays within Midnight Sun or begins to venture into new territory remains to be seen.
Beggs’ description of the show as “adult animation” is worth noting, too. While Twilight is famously a YA franchise, it seems the series is pitching itself at the now-grown-up fans who devoured the books and films the first time around.
Who is working on Midnight Sun?
As we reported back in July, Sinead Daly is serving as showrunner, with Lynn Wang on board as supervising director.
Stephenie Meyer is executive producing alongside Marty Bowen, Wyck Godfrey, Erik Feig, Meghan Hibbett, and Emily Wissink. Meyer’s Fickle Fish Films is producing alongside Lionsgate Television.
No voice cast has been officially announced yet (although we have heard names floated to us). Our July report revealed that casting was underway for the recurring roles of Jacob Black and Billy Black, but we’re still waiting to find out who will be voicing Edward and Bella.
When will Midnight Sun be on Netflix?
Netflix hasn’t announced a release date yet. According to the production details we obtained earlier this year, production was tentatively scheduled to run from August 2026 through May 2027, with Los Angeles serving as the hub for voice recording and production.
Given that timeline, we’re sticking with our previous prediction: don’t expect Midnight Sun on Netflix until late 2027 at the very earliest, with 2028 looking far more likely. The good news is that with season 2 already secured, the wait for more shouldn’t be anywhere near as long.
Are you excited that Netflix has committed to two seasons of Midnight Sun? Let us know in the comments below!