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WSJ: Can Twilight and Harry Potter co-exist?

July 9, 2009  Posted by Lindsay in Twilight

HPTwilight
Once again, we see Twilight and Harry Potter being compared. Fans of both series are getting tired of the comparisons, but seeing that the Wall Street Journal is a well-respected paper and not a tabloid, I found this to present some interesting points.

In an article today, the WSJ discussed the effects that Twilight‘s success has had on the Harry Potter franchise. The article also mentions that many Potter fans have now tossed the books aside to read the Twilight series.

Haami Nyangibo, a 13-year-old girl from London, says that after years of reading “Harry Potter” she has come to find the “Twilight” books “far more relatable. They just engage in a more realistic way. A lot of my friends have gone off ‘Harry Potter’ and are onto ‘Twilight,’ ” she says.

My question is this: Can Twilight and Harry Potter peacefully co-exist? Is it necessary to say that Twilight affected the marketing of the newest Harry Potter film? Claims are made that Potter‘s marketing was made more romantic to appeal to the Twilight fan-base.

Hollywood marketing executives say that these days the “Twilight” franchise has influenced almost every studio marketing campaign that targets teenage girls. Some posters for the upcoming “Potter” film echo “Twilight”’s emphasis on romance. One features Harry and his crush, Ginny, gazing longingly into each others’ eyes, in a pose reminiscent of “Twilight”’s now-iconic image of its star-crossed lovers, Bella and Edward.

As a Potter fan, I disagree with this argument. This book was written several years ago and the love stories between several of the prominant characters was written long before Twilight was made into a movie.

Summit plays it smart by just avoiding Harry altogether. Looks like this is the way to go fro here on out to allow them both to be successful.

For its part, Summit Entertainment, the studio behind “Twilight,” says it has been careful to steer clear of the commercial juggernaut that “Potter” has become, especially because its “Twilight” fan base overlaps with the “Potter” audience. The studio says that its strategy has been to avoid releasing any “Twilight” material too close to big release dates for “Harry Potter.”

I guess my problem is that I genuinely LOVE both series. They are quite different (even though they are compared all the time) and I don’t feel compelled to compare them myself. I find I can love them both! But how about you guys? Is it me or does it sound like people try to create a lot of drama out of nothing? Sound off in the comments.

  • personally, i like both twilight and harry potter

  • PILCH

    Yes! I completely agree - I was into Harry Potter WAY before Twilight and I read the Twilight series and instantly fell in love with it. Both Harry Potter and Twilight are such different stories and books that it IS possible to love both of them! I think it's silly and narrow-minded of people to just criticise one or the other and compare them all the time. Can people not accept that they can both be REALLY good?!

  • vampireQueen01

    i prefer harry potter over twilight because it is so much more creative and complex than a simple romance! Jk Rowling has established a whole new world, where as, Stephanie meyer simply based her ideas off of previous vampire books! if you want to read something by stephanie meyer you should read "the Host". it is, by far, the best of her work!

  • vampireQueen01

    I dont know...i love them both and must say that vampires are so much cooler than wizards, but, i still think Harry potter is better! the only reason people are so caught on the whole Twilight saga is because its simple to read! Stephanie Meyer has created a simple romantic plot, but J.K. Rowling has created a whole new world! Heck, she came up with an elite school, a sport, and even spells! i think she is a complete genious! If you want to read somethimg stephanie meyer wrote with a more complex outlet, you should read "The Host"! it is definetly the best of her work and it has some REAL creative background!

  • valeribella

    this is so stupid. the only reason that people are comparing both movies is because robert pattinson appears in both stories. i like both i like twilight more but i like BOTH... just if you dont like HP dont see it, if you dont like TWILIGHT DONT SEE IT, but if you LIKE BOTH, SEE IT AND PLZZZ DO NOT COMPARE THERE IS NOTHING TO COMPARE.
    TEAM EDWARD BY THE WAY lol

  • tiffanilauchlann

    Tbh, harry potter has been the one thing i look forward too, the new movies and stuff ever since it first came out, i've loved it...
    harry potter has more in it, and if you read the books you are ready for the movies because you kno they will be amazing and realistic.
    don't get me wrong twilight has captured my heart, the stories sometimes makes me cry at how heartfelt it is, i just love it... the story its self a love story i just love it, and robert pattinson just makes Edward amazing, no one can make him better, but i do say harry potter is amazing but also twilight, so alone i can't make this decision to say what is beter.. there both truely amazing (LLLLLLLLLLL)

  • twilightobbsessed16

    i like both twilight and harry potter but the problem with both film is that i feel like there should be more to it i feel like the directors leave massive important chumks out of the film that are in the book and i find that really dissapointing because i would rather the film was better than the books but the books are atchully better than the films :( x p.s. i love you rob!!! xxx

  • I love both books. I think there are probably more Harry Potter fans simply because the Harry Potter books/movies attract both guys and girls. I think that adding in such strong love intrest into the book may have been to attrackt more girls because HP has more guy followers, but I also think it's posible that she just did it because thats the direction she felt would be most realistic for her characters.

    I think the Twilight series has a more female followers not that there aren't guys who follow the story as well there just aren't as many. I think the only reason they are so often followed is because they are both extremly popular book/movies and are now focussing on the exact same age group so of course there are simularities. You have to admit action/romance flix are verry popular for the teenage age group and thats really all that either of them are. They also give your mind a great excape because of the fantacy world it creats. So of course it has some of the same followers, both authors are trying to appeal to the same people.

  • carluz

    I read every HP book more the once and i still like read them again...
    then i tried to read Twilight and after a few pages i just get annoied!
    so, nothing against twilight but i like harry potter much better..
    however harry potter and twilight are both different I think they can't be compared too
    Regarding the movies i prefer harry potter but also twilight is not bad

  • hopie90

    i disagree reading twilight made me give harry potters books a chance n i like them both prefer twilight vamps are cooler than wizzards

  • ParisFreak

    I must say that what the article above shows is correct.
    i LOVE Harry Potter,and i have read evry book.The HP books are amazing,and one of a kind.they may be similar to Twilight,but fans who just jump from HP to Twilight are losers.no offence.i LOVE Twilight.ALOT.so do i love HP to.
    but even now,im going 2 read all the bks. again,of both!!

    That's just called stupidity.throwing HP away,and going of to Twilight!!!?
    Ofcourse,you SHOULD read both,but still!
    dont give up on HP!
    J.K Rowling didnt become famous for nothing!
    neither did Stephanie Meyer!
    so people,stop this childdishness of urs!
    and no,it does have 2 do with which came first.in a way..
    Poeple used 2 go like:"OH MY GOD!!HARRY POTTEEEERRR"
    waiting in the middle of the nt. infront of bookstores for part 7!!
    it was ALLLL over the news.
    they are both different,but similar in a slight way,that what,there's love?!
    and no person everrr can compare HP and Twilightt!
    and this is not a fight to see who gets the "throne".
    what the hell people!!
    Grow up!
    God!

  • tori


    twilight and harry potter shouldnt be compared to eachother. twilight is twilight and harry potter us harry potter.end of story

  • SaraJane929

    I am definitely a fan of both Harry Potter and Twilight, for me I don't have a favorite between the two. I Love Edward and Harry, both heros of the heart.

  • twilightandharrypotterfan21

    I like them both. I have read the books and saw the movies (but im still watching Harry potter im watching the 6th one today). And I do agree that they shouldnt be comparing Harry Potter and Twilight because I think they are both amazing in there on way......

  • Amanda

    I love both Harry Potter and Twilight. I work at a movie theatre and have seen no difference. Harry Potter is a much older series then Twilight. All the books for both series are out and I personally own them all for both series. I own the movie Twilight and all the Harry Potter movies that have come out so far on DVD. Regardless Harry Potter is still an amazing story of a world that everyone dreams of, with lovers, magic and an amazing story line. Harry Potter was sold out for its Midnight screening and also on opening day, as I'm sure Twilight will be when it comes out in November. I personally think they are both amazing series and should not be compared. People love Harry Potter just as much as they love Twilight.

  • courtneymorrow

    woops posted it twice. XD

  • courtneymorrow

    I think that the reason they're always compared is cause although they are very different to each other, they both existing in a world where magic and in a supernatural world. I personnally prefer Twilight, cause i find that the characters are very easy to relate too. Plus, i never really was into witches and wizards before H.P but i've always loved Vampire stories so when to two were inevertably compared i guess i was always going to choose Twilight. I do love the H.P world but im just captivated by Twilight.

  • Afya

    Personally I think that they can exsist side by side no problem. I agree that they are very different series, both are amazing, and both have their pros and cons. The fact that they're being compaired only comes from the fact that they are both set in a fantasy world full of teenaged issues. But there are huge differences, Edward doesn't have to save the world, he only has to save Bella...and then he doesn't HAVE to, but if he didn't love her enough to have the personal need to, then there wouldn't really be much of a series.

  • Gemmaltd

    I feel that the twilight books captured my heart more then the HP books, however i 100% feel that the HP films are much better then the twilight film.

    i feel that the HP producers made the film perfect to the books, and they did a really good job of making them into a film.

    however i feel that the twilight books are 100% better then the films. and in a way the twilight books have been spoilt by the films.

    i also feel that you should read the twilight books before watching the film, and feel completly diffrent about the HP books.

  • Gemmaltd

    I feel that the twilight books have captured my heart more then the HP books, however i 100% feel that the HP films are much better then the Twilight film. i feel that the producers did an amazing job when it came to recreating the HP films, but i still feel that the twilight films shall never be as good as the books. :)

    i feel that you should read the twilight books before you watch the film, and vice versa with HP.

  • Delaina

    Hey excuse me y r u posting crap about Twilight on a Twilight website if u dnt like it? idiot. I just hate how ppl go on Twilight websites and post this crap. but I agree i love both Hp and Twilight (twilight more of course) but there both good

  • Delaina

    I loveee Twilight obviously but I do like HP 2! There both great books/movies an I know they will always be compared but I doubt HP is trying 2 copy Twilight considering it was wayy popular b4 Twilight even existed. there both great

  • lanikins

    I honestly neither like or hate either. Both are very popular, both have very addictive plots that identify with teenagers and neither are written incredibly well. Both series' are really similar, and both will probably be read for quite a long time... In my opinion they're equally as mediocre as each other.

  • Natalie

    Love them both! Very different and should co exist with no problems! Why people have to compare them, i don't know. Love JK Rowling and Steph Meyer as independent, talented writers! Stop comparing!

  • kayla3191

    Personally I don't like the Harry Potter series, I never really got into it so to me Twilight will always be better than HP. I really just have alot of trouble relating to HP, I'm sorry but I can't relate and am actually really offended by the HP idea that the whole world relies on just one person, I mean I know his friends help but in the end its all Harry and I think that's very silly to instill. Twilight I can relate to better, first love, being head over heals, and being prepared to do anything for the person you love (which it is the majority of the story line) despite the fact that I obviously wouldn't know about a whole vampire/human dynamic. Though even with that dynamic its a lot more relistic in an odd way. I set down the HP books right away (read the first one and just couldn't stand to read anymore but I watch the movies), but with Twilight I couldn't set any of the books down.

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