Earlier this month we brought you an exclusive preview of “Archie & Friends” #146, in which Archie and the Riverdale gang encounter a brooding vampire, a shirt-adverse werewolf, and a host of other characters inspired by the wildly popular “Twilight” franchise.

The first half of Archie Comics’ “Twilight” parody, “Archie & Friends: Twilite” concludes next week with “Archie & Friends” #147 — and we have an exclusive preview of the issue for Splash Page readers. The issue hits comic shop shelves September 8, and promises a “larger-than-life conclusion” to the tale.

Will Veronica choose Archie over Ivan, the handsome, pale-skinned new guy in school who might be a vampire? Is Jughead Team Ivan or Team Archie? All these questions and more will be answered in the pages of “Archie & Friends” #147!

If you want to see more photos from the preview go here

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Isn’t it nice to know that the Cullen brood supports each other both onscreen and off? When MTV sat down with Nikki Reed to chat about her upcoming film, “Last Day of Summer,” she was quick to talk about how excited she was about all of her costars’ current projects as well.

When asked which of her fellow “Twilight Saga” stars’ work she was most looking forward to, she answered, “I guess all of them… I don’t know! We all root for each other,” before delving into each of their current film projects, surprising herself with her ability to remember everyone’s movie names and costars.

She started off talking about her onscreen enemy and off-screen bff Taylor Lautner, who is currently filming “Abduction.” “I love Taylor so much and I’m so proud of him and what he’s doing,” Nikki said, and then referenced “Abduction” by saying, “He’s making a great movie in Pittsburgh right now.”

It’s hard to mention one “Twilight” hottie without mentioning the other, so Nikki then talked about Robert Pattinson’s upcoming project before breezing over Kristen Stewart’s equally awesome “On The Road.”

“I’m excited for Rob’s movie, ‘Water for Elephants.’ I think he’s going to be phenomenal in that and Kristen is doing something amazing,” Nikki said.

Then came her onscreen mother, Elizabeth Reaser, who apparently just finished filming a movie called “Homework.” Nikki was just as excited about Elizabeth’s involvement as she was with her friend’s costars: Emma Roberts and Kristen Stewart’s ex, Michael Angarano. Nikki referred to him as “a really good friend of mine” and ignored his other connection to the “Twilight” cast.

“By the way,” Nikki added, “Jackson [Rathbone] and I are on the phone every other day because we’re trying to find a movie to do together. I’m sorry I forgot to mention Jackson, and he’s touring right now and his band [100 Monkeys] is just like sky-rocketing. It’s amazing.”

Nikki said she would be more than willing to direct one of 100 Monkeys’ music videos. “Would I ever? Oh my god!” she replied excitedly when MTV suggested it to her. “Yeah, of course. I would be honored! I don’t even want to take the position of saying ‘would I ever.’ If he would ever let me, yeah. I love them.”

After spending night and day together for months at a time, the cast and crew of a big-budget movie series can grow very close. Filming each installment in the franchise is a little like a family reunion—at least that’s how “Twilight” star Nikki Reed sees it.

The “Twilight Saga” actress told MTV News that she’s looking forward to filming “Breaking Dawn” because she’ll get to hang out with her costars again.

“[I’m looking forward to] going back to be with the family, because we really all love each other a lot and I think we’re sad that this is coming to an end,” she said.

The life of every cast member has changed drastically since they made the first “Twilight” movie in Oregon. For one thing, they’re all major movie stars now. But a couple of years ago, they weren’t as busy attending film premieres in front of thousands of screaming fans or starring in indie flicks on their down time.

“After the first [movie], we were all kind of sitting around L.A. going, ‘Hey, aren’t we supposed to work a lot? Isn’t this supposed to open doors?’”

Obviously, those doors were kicked wide open after “Twilight”’s mega success.

“This year seems to have gone by really fast and we’ve all gone off and had other jobs,” Nikki said. “We spent a lot of time together, and in this past year we haven’t really seen one another. I haven’t really seen anybody.”

With “Eclipse” about to leave theaters and a sizable gap between the release dates of “Breaking Dawn – Part 1″ and “Part 2,” the “Twilight” news seems hard to come by these days — at least until the cast starts filming “Dawn” this fall.

Lucky for us, MTV News caught up with Nikki Reed recently to talk about her upcoming indie film “Last Day of Summer” co-starring DJ Qualls, and, naturally, the conversation veered into “Breaking Dawn” territory. As fans and readers of Stephenie Meyer’s final “Twilight” book know, Reed’s character Rosalie and Kristen Stewart’s Bella form an unexpected bond late in the series. We asked her thoughts on how the relationship between the two women changes in the final two films.

“What is that saying: Nothing makes two people bond more than the hate of another?” Reed said. “I kind of feel like that [describes Bella and Rosalie's relationship], but in relation to love in ‘Breaking Dawn,’ because they both love this child so much.”

Speaking of Bella and Edward’s much-discussed baby, Renesmee, Reed explained that a shared love unites the two. “I think it’s finally the one thing that’s strong enough to bring them together — their love for this [child]. It’s bizarre,” Reed said, since in the books and the films Bella and Rosalie don’t exactly get along perfectly. “It’s like they learn to co-exist for the sake of the kid, almost like they’re a divorced couple.”

Reed has also said that her character’s motivations for wanting Bella to have the baby at all costs are all about that love she has for the child, not politics.

“I think that Rosalie just always wanted to be a mom, and that’s how I look at it,” she said. “It has nothing to do with being pro-life or anything. I think it’s about her want, her need to be a mother, and this is the only opportunity she’s ever going to have, so she’s willing to let Bella die so she can have that and fulfill that, and that’s how I look at it. It’s her own personal desires.”

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Being the fans of the fang-ed that we are here at Hollywood Crush, (see: “Twilight,” “True Blood,” “Vampire Diaries,” etc.) nothing delights us more than learning that the actors who portray the vamps in our favorite films and TV shows would love a vampire-on-vampire-type crossover as much as we would.

Case in point: “Twilight” actress Nikki Reed, who’s been filming “Catch .44″ with “True Blood”’s Deborah Ann Woll , is an admitted “True Blood” fanatic.

When Nikki stopped by to chat about her upcoming Indie “Last Day of Summer,” we asked her if she and Woll connected over their blood bonds. (Pun totally intended)

“We’re both equally fascinated by I think the passion behind the admiration for vampires,” Nikki explained. “I really love ‘True Blood’ and I envy her. I would do anything to have a guest spot on the show, hint hint,” she said with a wink.

“That’s what we talked about most,” Nikki added. “She was talking about ‘Twilight,’ and I was commenting on her show, and what we like about each other’s work, and I think that she wins.”

We then suggested that we should get Nikki on the “True Blood” set to do some reconnaissance, but she revealed that she and Deborah have already planned it out:

“I’m going to visit her on the set one day, coincidentally, and be like ‘Hey Alan! Alan Ball, how are ya? … You know it could be funny because I’m in ‘Twilight,’ that could be funny?’ I don’t think they’ll go for it,” Nikki said. “[But] I’m willing to push myself.”

And the kicker, for us (especially since this writer favors the warm-blooded weres over the vamps), would Nikki consider playing against type and tackling the role of a shifter, were or other being?

“I think I would like to try being a werewolf,” she said.

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OK OK, we get it already, many people are sick of vampires. They sit there hoping the fad will pass, just like they hope M. Night Shyamalan will never direct another film and Michael Cera has stopped trying to perfect awkward (Jesse Eisenberg so does it better… yes, they are different people).But did the creators of all those terrible spoof movies really have to make a film called “Vampires Suck,” hot off the heels of last year’s “Transylmania“? At least that one targeted the vampire fan specifically, but “Vampires Suck” takes a genre that should be easy to mock (like there aren’t enough vampires in pop culture?) and muddles it with jabs at “Jersey Shore,” Lady Gaga and “Alice in Wonderland.” Please connect those dots for us more than “they all were popular this year.”

Maybe if they decided to mock some things that deserved to be mocked but aren’t, people might stop sighing as spoof movie trailers pop up in theaters as well. Here are our suggestions.

Reality Television

“American Idol.” “The Real World.” “Keeping Up With The Kardashians.” “Jersey Shore.” Each has managed to take a nobody and turn them into a somebody for nothing than acting stupid and being dramatic (or singing, in some cases) on television. At least “The Hills” poked fun at the very Hollywood nature of reality television in the series finale. There are so many ways someone could take this anachronism and make fun of it on a movie, we’ll let them have the fun.

Mind-Bending Films

Oh hey, so there’s this little movie that came out this year called “Inception,” you might have heard of it? Chances are that Christophe Nolan’s success with it (like he had with “Memento”) will trigger a whole new wave of unoriginal storytelling trying to copy the “Inception” winning formula, so why not get ahead of the times and start making some jokes about plot twists that are mind-blowing but don’t make sense (is he dreaming or isn’t he? Hint: that’s the point!) while they’re still funny. If you need some tips, just check out this Evil Iguana “Number 23″ spoof.

Spoof Movies

That’s right, a spoof movie about a spoof movie because, come on, after “Scary Movie 2″ they kind of jumped the shark. Too meta for you? Then you probably weren’t fit to be spoofing things to begin with.

I have to agree with this one.

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We all were big fans of Nikki Reed’s one-on-one scene with Kristen Stewart in “Eclipse” and, fortunately for us, there are many more to come in “Breaking Dawn: Part 1.” For those who haven’t read the books, though, it might seem a strange shift for Nikki’s Rosalie to quickly become such a staunch supporter of Bella’s cause.

That cause is Bella giving birth to her half-human, half-vampire baby. While everyone surrounding her — including BFF Jacob Black and husband Edward — tell her to give up the baby that is draining her of strength and forcing her to drink animal blood, Rosalie encourages Bella to keep the baby.

While promoting her upcoming indie, “Last Day of Summer,” Nikki discussed Bella’s controversial pregnancy with MTV News.

“Here’s how I look at it: I try not to be super opinionated and vocal, because in Hollywood, that seems to only lead you in the wrong direction,” she said. “I try to relate this particular case to Rosalie and not make it metaphorical or symbolic of anything else.”

She explained that Rosalie’s support of Bella’s birth comes from her own personal bitterness over not being able to have a child and be a mother.

“I think that Rosalie just always wanted to be a mom, and that’s how I look at it,” Nikki said. “It has nothing to do with being pro-life or anything. I think it’s about her want, her need to be a mother, and this is the only opportunity she’s every going to have, so she’s willing to let Bella die so she can have that and fulfill that, and that’s how I look at it. It’s her own personal desires.”

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When a film is successful enough to warrant third, fourth and even fifth(!) chapters, that usually means it’s time to start roasting a franchise a bit. Just like “Star Wars” got “Spaceballs” and the horror genre reaped “Scary Movie” flicks, vampire films now deserve their own roast. And whether self-proclaimed “Twi-hards” like it or not, that time has finally come for “The Twilight Saga.”

“‘Vampires Suck’ is a spoof on ‘Twilight,’” Matt Lanter (best known for “90210”) explained to MTV News at last night’s Teen Choice Awards. “I play the Edward character. It was fun. It was great, man. We pretty much follow ‘The Twilight Saga’ and just poke fun at it and have fun.”

Though Matt’s having fun branching out from his regular zip code, the obvious next question is… will millions of “Twilight” fans worldwide have fun, too? According to Matt, Twilighters just might. If they decide to give “Vampires Suck” a chance when it hits theaters August 18, that is.

“Am I scared [of the Twi-hards]? Everybody’s been asking me that. Yeah, I’m scared!” the actor next seen as Edward Cullen — oh wait, I meant Edward Sullen — confessed. Noticeable differences about Matt’s Edward include a hair poof standing at least six inches above his head.

“You know, what’s actually cool, though, is that I’ve gotten a lot of really good responses, a couple of Twitter [responses], you know, stuff like that,” Matt explained. “A lot of people say they’re really excited for it. It’s adding to the story. I mean, let’s face it. They’re so huge and it’s such a successful franchise that we wouldn’t be doing it if it wasn’t for them.”

So just because you’re in love with the “Twilight” films, don’t rule out “Vampires Suck” completely. Maybe it’s your chance to finally have a few laughs over the ridiculous situations those characters get themselves into. Besides, as Matt reminded us yesterday, “Imitation is the greatest form of flattery!”

I can’t stop giggling at this one

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The critics in the U.S. … I just don’t think they really like M. Night Shyamalan anymore,’ ‘Twilight’ actor says.

“The critics in the U.S. … I just don’t think they really like M. Night Shyamalan anymore,” Rathbone told MTV News while on the blue carpet for the 2010 Teen Choice Awards. “I don’t know why. It’s sad because he’s such an amazing director and an amazing person.”

The film, written and directed by Shyamalan, is a live-action remake of the popular Nickelodeon animated TV series “Avatar: The Last Airbender” and the first installment in a proposed trilogy. It received mixed reviews from critics, many who said the film emphasized style over substance. Nonetheless, Rathbone stands by the film’s box-office performance, adding that Shyamalan’s popularity is stronger than ever in foreign markets.

“It was interesting, the reception with ‘The Last Airbender,’ because they did extremely well with the U.S. domestic box office and even better than expected overseas,” he said. “Overseas, internationally, they still love him and think his work is genius.”

In the end, Rathbone believes it’s just a matter of taste. “It’s just one of those things,” he said. “Art is subjective.”

Shyamalan’s mettle will next be tested with September’s stuck-in-an-elevator horror-thriller “Devil,” a story he conceptualized, while Rathbone will begin work on the two-part “Breaking Dawn” film this fall.

Check out everything we’ve got on “The Last Airbender.”

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Back in June, we brought you the first look at “Twilite,” the upcoming “Archie & Friends” parody of the “Twilight” movie franchise.Sporting a cover that spoofs the popular “Twilight Saga: New Moon” poster image, the first issue of “Twilite” hits shelves August 11 — but you can check out the first 11 pages exclusively here on Splash Page.

It’s love at first bite when two new mysterious students arrive in Riverdale. Betty and Veronica are fascinated by the smoldering-hot Ivan, but Jared is warning everyone who will listen that Ivan is really a bloodsucker!

Read on for an exclusive “Twilite” preview and more details about the comic.

Click on the image below for a preview of “Twilite” #1.

Official plot synopsis:

“TWILITE” AT ARCHIE COMICS

New York, NY (June 17, 2010): Archie Comics—publisher of the must-have “Riverdale Shore” and “Battle of the BFFs”—is giving the world more outstanding shout-outs to today’s teens, and this time it’s something the world can sink its teeth into: “Twilite”! This August in ARCHIE & FRIENDS #146, the latest in a line of great comic book media parodies, Archie Comics is about to enter the thrilling world of vampires, werewolves and the mortal teens who love them!

It’s love at first bite when two new mysterious students arrive in Riverdale. Betty and Veronica are fascinated by the smoldering-hot Ivan, but Jared is warning everyone who will listen that Ivan is really a bloodsucker! Reggie jumps at the chance to help Jared expose Ivan as a vampire, but love… or maybe Ivan… is clouding Betty and Veronica’s vision! Can Archie and the others save the girls from the mysterious Ivan? Is there a greater danger lurking in the darkness?

America’s favorite comic book teens, Archie, Betty, Veronica and the rest of the gang enter the world of fantasy, where supernatural beings must choose between good, evil, and most of all, love! “Twilite: Part One,” the first of a two-issue crusade for truth, love and freedom, begins with ARCHIE & FRIENDS #146 and ends with a larger-than-life conclusion in the following issue, ARCHIE & FRIENDS #147!

“Vampires and the friends and foes of their world surround us every day,” remarks Archie Comics Co-CEO, Jon Goldwater. “It has been a spectacular treat to bring them to the world of Archie, Betty and Veronica in ‘Twilite.’ I can assure you, Riverdale has never seen a romance quite like this!”

Expect more from Archie Comics; visit ArchieComics.com for more of what you love!

ARCHIE & FRIENDS #146, “Twilite: Part One” arrives at comic book stores August 11th!

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While “The Twilight Saga” is undoubtedly beloved its fans, it’s hard to argue that the fanbase will be able to turn it into one of the highest grossing film franchises out there. Sure, Summit said that “Eclipse” got more guys to the cinemas than the previous two films, but we doubt that is going to translate into higher box office revenue for the two “Breaking Dawn” films.

But even though “The Twilight Saga” isn’t the highest grossing film series, TheWrap argues that it is the most financially successful. How can “Twilight” be more successful than “Harry Potter,” “Pirates of the Caribbean” or “The Lord of the Rings,” you might ask? Because they’re so dirt cheap to make.

“Twilight” only cost $37 million to make, back when Summit thought they were backing a small indie film adaptation. The film went on to gross more than $392.5 million worldwide, which meant Summit was willing to give filmmaker Chris Weitz a slightly larger budget to film “New Moon.”

But still, “New Moon,” with all its CGI and gorgeous aerial shots, only cost $50 million to make, and grossed over $709.7 million worldwide. And even though “Eclipse” cost $68 million to make, it earned that back in its opening day, and has grossed more than $275 million in six days.

Compared to that, TheWrap reports that the first film in each of the “LotR,” “Pirates” and “Harry Potter” films cost around $100 million to make ($93 million, $140 million and $125 million respectively), with costs increasing on each of the films to an impressive $300 million for “At World’s End,” which barely made that money back in domestic release, and “Half-Blood Prince,” which cost $250 million to make and earned back just under a billion worldwide.

And even though the two “Breaking Dawn” films are going to cost about $100 million a piece, at the rate the “Twilight” films are making money, they’re still going to make probably seven or eight times as much as they cost to produce. Experts doubt that “Eclipse” will likely beat out “New Moon” by much in the box office, but even so, Summit will have made more than $600 million in box office profits.

TheWrap also references the way “Twilight” has almost single-handedly saved clothing store Hot Topic as well as revived the soundtrack industry. They even mention MTV’s old “Twilight Tuesdays,” which were used to promote “Twilight” back in 2008 by releasing fresh content every Tuesday leading up until the film’s release.

So haters can keep on hating, but “The Twilight Saga” will likely go down in history as the smartest move a film production company ever took, and many other ones will try to emulate its success for years to come.

Are you surprised to find that “The Twilight Saga” is one of the most successful franchises in Hollywood?

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