Allison Doolittle has followed the Twilight series since she read the first book in grade school for a class assignment.
“After that, I was hooked,” the 21-year-old UF sociology senior said. “I’ve read all of them twice.”
Hundreds of vehicles surrounded Butler Plaza’s Regal Gainesville Stadium 14 on Thursday night as fans like Doolittle packed eight auditoriums to watch the much-anticipated final film of the Twilight series,“The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn — Part 2.”
Last year, lines wrapped around the building as people waited outside in cold temperatures for hours to see the fourth movie in the series. But this time, lines were scarce.
Regal Cinemas declined to comment on the official number of people in attendance and the amount of money made from the premiere.
Ronni Hunt, a 34-year-old UF patron access coordinator, said she is an avid reader and has followed the Twilight series since the first book was published.
“This series allowed me to go to another world,” she said. “It’s addicting.”
UF English professor R. Brandon Kershner said series like “The Twilight Saga” let audiences enter a world where magic exists.
“They’re powerful mixtures of fantasies and realism,” he said. “People identify with the characters and live vicariously through them.”
Kershner said going to the movies is not just about seeing the film; it’s a bonding experience for friends and families.
The Butler Plaza theater’s first show began at about 10 p.m., and the last began at 12:45 a.m. Friday.
Doolittle and Hunt went to the premiere together, along with Doolittle’s mother, grandmother and best friend.
They wore matching T-shirts reading: “Bite me” on the front and “I was born to be a vampire” on the back.
“It was a two-day project,” Doolittle said.
Even though their showing wasn’t until midnight, Hunt said her group arrived at the theater at about 10:15 p.m.
“We knew that we wouldn’t have to wait in an insane line,” she said. “I think the theater did a great job of keeping people out of the cold.”
