FX Buys the Rights To The ‘Twilight Saga’

With Twilight: New Moon breaking all kinds of records and such this past weekend, it only makes sense that studios would be trying to jump on the gravy train (whether or not the train is “Edward” or “Jacob” is neither here nor there). It was a little surprising when the first studio to jump in was the cable network FX, however.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, the network has purchased the rights along with Summit Entertainment for exclusive TV distribution:

FX has acquired the ad-supported TV rights to the four “Twilight” movies in a package deal with producer Summit Entertainment that also includes the indie studio’s Oscar hopeful “The Hurt Locker,” the Nicolas Cage thriller “Knowing” and actioner “Push.”

Under the pact, FX will start running last year’s “Twilight,” the first movie in the franchise, beginning in late 2011. “The Twilight Saga: New Moon,” which shattered projections to open at $142.8 million domestically this past weekend, will be available in late 2012. “Eclipse,” which is slated for a June 30 release, will have its premiere on FX in early 2013. Summit has yet to greenlight production on “Breaking Dawn,” an adaptation of the fourth book in Stephenie Meyer’s “Twilight” series.

With the purchase of the Twilight rights, the network also purchased the distributions rights to other huge 2009 hits such as 2012, Star Trek, X-Men Origins: Wolverine, Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian, Monsters vs. Aliens, Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs, The Proposal and Zombieland.