"Twilight" And Robert Pattinson Fever At Comic-Con (PHOTOS, VIDEO)

(SCROLL FOR PATTINSON PICS, COMIC-CON HOME VIDEO, AP TEXT)

SAN DIEGO -- Most camped out overnight. Some spent two nights outside the San Diego Convention Center. They wore homemade T-shirts, made friends with fellow fans and talked about their allegiance to Team Edward or Team Jacob.

They are the "Twilight" fangirls, and they came to Comic Con by the thousands to see the movie's stars in person [scroll for Pattinson pics] at a panel Thursday for the film's sequel.

Director Chris Weitz was joined by Robert Pattinson, Taylor Lautner, Kristen Stewart and Ashley Greene. High-pitched screams drowned out the introductions.

Those same shrill screams (of joy) also threatened to overwhelm the dialogue during the clips filmmakers showed.

The first showed Jacob (Lautner) teaching Bella Swan (Stewart) how to ride a motorcycle, but she's distracted by visions of the vampire Edward (Pattinson) with whom she fell in love. She crashes, and Jacob sheds his T-shirt and uses it to soothe her wound, provoking more fangirl screams. Lautner famously gained more than 20 pounds of muscle for the role.

WATCH: (amateur video w/screams, official trailer from before at bottom)

A second clip featured Bella running through Italy to save Edward. He, too, doffs his top in the scene. Screams ensue.

Story continues below

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PATTINSON PHOTOS:

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The reason for most girls screams was Robert Pattinson

So many women and girls relate to the "Twilight" series because they identify with Bella, Stewart said.

"Because it's a first-person narrative and you're always so very inside of her head, I don't know, it's just closer to home," she said. "You feel like it's not happening to someone else, like it's happening to you."

Fourteen-year-old Tori Kaiser waited more than 24 hours for her seat near the front during the "Twilight" exhibition.

"It was so worth it," she said. "I had this big Taylor Lauter poster and he pointed at me twice and waved at me, so my life is totally complete right now. I'm, like, really happy."

Attending her first Comic Con, Kaiser planned to hit the Summit Entertainment booth on the convention's main floor to see what kind of "Twilight" swag she could snag.

Lautner said the overwhelming response from fans bolstered the cast's performance in "New Moon."

On the first film, "we didn't know the reaction we would get," he said. With the sequel, "we were more confident because we know we have you behind us."

"New Moon" opens November 20.

OFFICIAL TRAILER:

Comments

[PresidentRobertBooth]

***So many women and girls relate to the "Twilight" series because they identify with Bella, Stewart said***

If that's true, then it's very sad. While the movie "Twilight" is enjoyable and Stewart is a likeable actress who does a good job in the first movie, the Bella Swan of the book series is god awful and sends a terrible message to young women.

She falls in love with Edward Cullen for no other reason than his appearance. While he's OK in the movie, thanks to Robert Pattinson making him a better character, his personality in the book series is never developed beyond the absurd Stephanie Meyer obsession with describing how beautiful he is.

Edward Cullen is little more than a controlling psychopath of a boyfriend and Bella does little more than enjoy being dominated by him. While the movie is an improvement, the Twilight book series is nothing more than mediocre fan fiction with "vampires" who are so unlike vampires they may as well have been called "sparkly stone cannibals"

[Xylem44]

You are clearly not the target audience. 70 mil books say you are wrong about Ms. Meyers.

[robbyJ]

This book just sells sex. Gender roles are digusting. Unless you are 12, move along

[VyperStryke]

Dear Kristen Stewart,

Oh Kristen. I just don't know what to think about you anymore.

I get that you are a 19 year old and need to embrace that angsty teenage youth thing. But when you go to events like this, you are not only representing yourself, but the film you made as well as everyone who was in it with you AND the studio. I get it that at the moment you're channeling Joan Jett. But when doing press for something as big as the Twilight Saga, have some pride in your appearance.

Girlfriend you need some serious media training. I don't mean to hate, but c'mon. At conventions such as Comic Con, I can imagine how it can be frustrating getting all sorts of stupid questions from the audience. But these are the people that pay their hard earned money to see your movies. And since they love you as Bella, chances are good they will follow your career. Show some respect to your fans. Following the live twitter updates during the panel one person commented on how he loved you because of your "thinly veiled contempt" for your fans. That's not a compliment. Because the fans pay money to see your movies, you have a job.

Lastly, please show respect for your co-stars when doing a joint interview. Perhaps you should take some lessons from Taylor. He's got it down.

Sincerely,
VS

[robbyJ]

Sorry to shatter your dreams, but they are in it for the money.

[Bluejay00234]

Agreed.

[Ayshie]

Thats sorta rude, Kristen is a beautiful person, and she does respect her fans.
She's a great actor.. Dont just hate on her cause your jealous.


Sincerely Aj,

[malibumadman]

Jeepers... you all sound like Peerez Hilton Fans...

[sue100]

I saw the movie with my daughter, and no, I didn't particularly care for it much. It's definitely a tween movie. She absolutley loved it, and is now reading the series and anxiously awaiting the new movie. There isn't much differnce between their reaction to this movie, and our reaction to Bon Jovi in the 80's. As far as I'm concerned if she's inspired to read in order to see the next movie ( which is our rule) it's a plus. Adults, remember what it was like when you were a teenager before you criticize these kids for their reactions.

[Bluejay00234]

Somewhere many moons ago you actually needed talent to be an actor/actress.

[fbr79]

Can't wait to see the Runaways movie.

[Lizard49]

Twilight and True Blood both s*ck

[LyssaBarnes]

You can't compare the two. Twilight is somewhat entertaining, but True Blood is like a drug.

The only reason I read the Twilight books and saw the horrid movie was because my daughter was so into it and I monitor whatever media she comes across.

[Womanvoter4Obama]

There is no comparison between True Blood and New Moon..they are two totally different types of storytelling so it really makes no sense to try to compare them. The only thing they have in common is subject matter. But the stories are told much differently and I like both. New Moon appeals to the young girl in me that wanted me to be more chivalrous and romantic. True Blood appeals to the adult woman I am who loves the raw sexuality and good storytelling. Apples and oranges.

I am surprised this was at Comic Con but promotion is promotion I suppose if you have a film to sell. And media events need media.

I can't pick a team..Team Jacob or Team Edward...I­'ll go with Team Bella because if she's smart she'll enjoy both for a little while.

[dnddays]

This movie series summed up: Luke Perry becomes a vampire and sucks. Blood that is.

[lilykudrow]

Two ‘New Moon’ Video Clips premiered at Comic-Con International
http://celebrise.com/blog/2009/07/24/two-new-moon-video-clips-premiered-at-comic-con-international.html

[LittlePurpleUSA]

I don't get the whole Twilight thing. It's not like it's True Blood.

[hellameangirl]

Ahh to be a teen girl again. I went to an all-girls high school and once some local boys streaked (totally naked) through our campus at lunchtime. The screams were so loud I'm surprised the windows didn't all break!

[ErrinF]

A friend of mine summed up 'Twilight' quite well... it's a vampire movie as written by a 7 year old girl daydreaming about what it would be like to have a vampire for a boyfriend.

I saw the first movie and it is utter nonsense. A triumph of marketing over filmmaking. It demonstrates a marketing pattern that has become quite dominant over the last decade... make juvenile-minded, teen-targetted fluff, then market it to adults as well as children, particularly adults that are the parents of children. Jonas Brothers, Twilight, Britney Spears... these are just a few that follow that pattern. I'm guessing it's so successful, this marketing strategy, because the 'adult' baby boomers are still the self-centered children they have been their entire lives. If our society has dropped culturally and economically (and it has), it's because the boomers have been in charge and done every other generation a great disservice. They are all such well-trained consumers, to the point of sheer blindness and idiocy.

[Casey Bryan]

I imagine you writing this post while smoking a pipe, with your ascot on and sipping a glass of brandy. Such a snob. Its just a simple love story.

Just because it extends past its target audience doesn't mean its bad or good. It just means its pop, meaning part of popular culture. You are right in saying that its similar to pop music, its enjoyed at the surface. You don't need to dive into the deeper meaning to enjoy it. If you want to see a deeper love story go read or watch something else. Stories like this have its place in pop culture because has its place not only from marketing but because the simple, enjoyable quality.

[robbyJ]

Anyone above the age of 12 reading this book is sad.

[Nick2]

Come on. Relax, let the kids have their fun. It's just pure escapism. The Twilight books and movies are not an assault on the very fabric of America, as so many killjoys try to say it is. My late mother screamed herself silly over Elvis Presley when she saw him at the county fair when she was 14, and the world didn't end.

[dnddays]

Thank you, Professor Dumblebore.

[GrooveGrl4]

Dumbledore didn't have a problem with vampires. A vampire attended a Christmas party at Hogwarts in the 6th book.

Plus, he encouraged learning and reading. He would have seen young adults reading books as a good thing.

[EveryCliche]

I've seen the movie and found it enjoyable and have read up to half way through book 3. I can't seem to finish it though, I find the character of Bella extremely weak. Her whole world revolves around a guy and she can't take care of herself.

My only reason for going to see the next movie is the other members of the wolf pack, good looking guys.

[Stephanie71]

The whole series is written like a Fan Fiction with Bella in the Mary Sue role. The beginning of book 3 (I think it was 3 maybe it was 4) where she's driving around in her new car is especially revolting.

[Nick2]

Why did you keep reading them if you found them revolting?

[firelord5000]

The books are extremely weak, and make even HP look amazing.

[dnddays]

I have never read them or seen the movie. I am sure I have the gist of it. Luke Perry as a vampire. And he meets a girl who sees the good in him. And he rides a motorcycle, because only cool guys and fat guys ride hogs. And he never smiles, because smiles are a mask society tells us to use to hide our own pain and loneliness. And they don't understand him yet she does. And her parents don't approve of him. Because he's bad news. From the wrong side of the tracks. And his buddies try to make him choose between her and doing bad things. And at first he chooses the vampire crew, until he sees them about to do something terrible and then he miraculously beats the cocky jerk vampire in a dramatic fight and whisks Brenda Walsh off somewhere to kiss on a beach/beside a fire/romantic place. And music will play. And she will scream out his name as he flies/runs/rides away at least once, but he will keep flying/run­ning/ridin­g because he's a mysterious wanderer with a leather jacket. And she will touch a scar or wound gently, and he will look at her tenderly and she will look at him, and they will feel the chemistry and kiss.

How much did I get right?

[crossoverwriter]

OY VEY!!!