Robert Pattinson has once again surprised fans by revealing that—despite years of mocking his Twilight past—he would actually be open to returning to one of his most iconic roles. The actor, who played brooding vampire Edward Cullen across five blockbuster films from 2008 to 2012, has spent much of the last decade joking about both the franchise and the character that made him a global heartthrob.

Yet in a recent interview segment, Pattinson admitted that he’s surprisingly willing to star in a reboot of The Twilight Saga, though in classic Pattinson style, the reasoning is delivered with a heavy dose of dry, sarcastic humour.

I mean, is he really Team Edward? (Franco S. Origlia/Getty Images)

Pattinson has been busy promoting his forthcoming film Die My Love alongside co-star Jennifer Lawrence, with the pair participating in Vanity Fair’s famed lie detector test. During the segment, Lawrence confronted Pattinson with the question on every fan’s mind:
“If they were gonna direct a new Twilight, would you do it?”

Without hesitation, Pattinson responded, “Oh yeah, for sure.”

Lawrence, visibly stunned, replied, “I don’t think you should, but ok,” while Pattinson continued, completely passing the polygraph test as he elaborated:
“It would be great. I like taking jobs off younger actors. I do. I wanna play 17 again. There’s that Zac Efron movie, 17 Again. I wanna be 17 again, every year.”

He then jokingly claimed to be part of Gen Z, prompting Lawrence to correct him immediately: “You’re a millennial. You’re 39.”

Pattinson’s long, complicated relationship with Twilight

Even during the original run of the franchise, Pattinson made no secret of his conflicted feelings about Edward Cullen. Speaking to Empire Magazine in 2008, he noted:
“He’s the most ridiculous person who’s so amazing at everything… the more I read the script, the more I hated this guy. So that’s how I played him — as a manic depressive who hates himself. Plus, he’s a 108-year-old virgin, so he’s obviously got some issues.”

Over the years, Pattinson has described Twilight as a “weird story” and once even joked that the original novel felt like “a book that shouldn’t have been published.”

Despite that, the films propelled him into worldwide fame, making him a central figure in 2010s pop culture and ultimately helping him transition into the respected, risk-taking actor he is today, with acclaimed roles in The Lighthouse, Good Time, Tenet, and The Batman.

So… could a 39-year-old play an immortal teenager again?

While Pattinson’s comment was clearly layered with his signature deadpan humour, the fact that he passed the lie detector has sent longtime Twilight fans into a frenzy. His answer suggests that—if the opportunity arose—he wouldn’t immediately rule out revisiting Edward Cullen, even if he did so ironically.

But whether audiences would accept a nearly 40-year-old Pattinson portraying an eternally youthful vampire remains a different question entirely.

For now, fans are left to interpret his comments however they choose — as a joke, a hint, or an unexpectedly sincere possibility.

( Sources: Vanity Fair, Empire Magazine, BBC News, The Hollywood Reporter )