Rebooting Twilight: Catherine Hardwicke Envisions Jenna Ortega and Jacob Elordi as Ideal Bella and Edward

In a move that might make even the stoic Edward Cullen crack a smile, Twilight director Catherine Hardwicke has cast her vote for the next generation of brooding vampires and their human loves. On the “Watch-a-long” podcast, Hardwicke declared Jenna Ortega and Jacob Elordi as the “perfect” Bella and Edward for a potential “Twilight” reboot.

Forget sparkling in the sunlight; these two might just sparkle on the big screen. While reflecting on the original casting challenges, Hardwicke amusingly recounted how Robert Pattinson’s pub-haunting days and questionable fashion choices almost cost him the role. Who knew a stained shirt and lackluster fitness regime could nearly derail a vampire’s destiny?

In an era where reboots are more common than vampire sightings in Forks, Hardwicke sees Jenna Ortega and Jacob Elordi as the ideal Bella and Edward for a “Twilight” do-over. “Oh yeah, that would be perfect,” she quipped, when the host floated their names. It seems like Edward’s brooding might have some serious competition with Elordi in the mix.

Hardwicke, who has an eye for talent that could rival Alice Cullen’s clairvoyance, reminisced about the original casting process. She revealed a rather human side to Robert Pattinson’s vampire portrayal. “When he came over to my house, he had black bangs for hair and was kind of out of shape because he was hanging out at the pub all the time,” she shared. It appears that Pattinson’s path from pub-goer to heartthrob vampire wasn’t as smooth as Edward’s marble skin.

The director’s faith in Pattinson’s transformation from a casual Londoner to a sparkling vampire heartthrob was nothing short of a cinematic metamorphosis. “I thought ‘it works not just in person, but it works on screen,’” Hardwicke recalled. She had to convince the studio that Pattinson’s cheekbones were a treasure trove waiting to be unearthed. “They called me back and go, ‘Do you think you can make this guy look good?’ I said, ‘Yeah, I do. Did you see his cheekbones? We’re doing a makeover on the hair and everything, and he’s going to start working out, and he’s going to be gorgeous.’ But they didn’t believe it at first.”

Hardwicke also dropped a juicy tidbit about actor Lewis Tan, who almost bagged the role of Jacob Black, later played by Taylor Lautner. “It would’ve changed anyone’s life if they got that part,” she mused. Indeed, the part did more than just change Lautner’s life; it launched an entire subculture of Team Jacob t-shirts.

As for Ortega, Hardwicke’s enthusiasm was as clear as the Cullens’ complexion. “I do think there’s a lot of really cool young actors today. Of course, you just mentioned Jenna Ortega, she’s amazing.” With Ortega’s recent success in “Wednesday” and the “Scream” series, she might just be the Bella Swan we never knew we needed.

While the thought of a new Bella and Edward is enough to make Twi-hards’ hearts race faster than Edward’s Volvo, it’s worth noting that the reboot is still as mythical as a friendly werewolf-vampire picnic. But if it does happen, Hardwicke’s seal of approval on Elordi and Ortega might just be the nudge it needs to become a reality. Now, the only question remaining is, who’s going to play the ever-exasperated Charlie Swan?