Twilight parents guide: what parents should know

• ✓Official rating above age 7
  MPA: PG-13; BBFC: 12A; FSK: 12
• ✓Violence in rating descriptors
  MPA: some violence; BBFC: fantasy violence
• ✓Scary content in rating descriptors
  BBFC: horror
• –Bad language in rating descriptors
  None in MPA or BBFC advice
• ✓Sexual content, drugs, or alcohol in rating descriptors
  MPA: a scene of sensuality
• ✓Rated 12 or higher in the UK or Germany
  BBFC: 12A; FSK: 12

Each flag is a yes-or-no fact from the sources on this page. The number is a count of flags, not a safety score. How we count. Rating reasons marked mild, very mild, or brief don't count.

Checked October 2026. Ratings and settings change; check the official source before you decide. What do these ratings mean?

Facts for parents, not medical or legal advice. If you're worried about your child, talk to your pediatrician.

What Twilight is about

Bella Swan moves to Forks and meets Edward Cullen, a boy with a secret, per the BBFC. Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson star; Catherine Hardwicke directed. Common Sense Media notes it's based on Stephenie Meyer's book series and centers on a romance between a vampire and a human.

Twilight parents guide: what's in it

Short answer: PG-13 in the US, 12A in the UK, 12 in Germany.

• US (MPA): PG-13, some violence, a scene of sensuality.
• UK (BBFC): 12A, moderate fantasy violence and horror.
• Germany (FSK): 12.

The BBFC describes occasional moderate violence between vampires, including a broken neck and a stamp on a woman's leg, and a scene in which Bella is followed and harassed by men in a dark alley. Common Sense Media lists kisses and one make-out scene that's stopped abruptly.

What are the Twilight sequels rated?

Short answer: All four sequels are PG-13 in the US.

The MPA lists New Moon (2009), Eclipse (2010), Breaking Dawn – Part 1 (2011) and Part 2 (2012) as PG-13, mostly for violence; Eclipse also for some sensuality, Breaking Dawn – Part 1 for sexuality/partial nudity, and Part 2 for some sensuality and partial nudity. The BBFC rated all four 12 on home video.

The habit kids may copy: the secret

Edward keeps a big secret, and Bella keeps it too.

Try tonight: secret or surprise

Explain the difference with a game: "A surprise is fun and gets told soon. A secret that makes you feel bad, you tell a grown-up." Name a few examples and sort them together. In our program, this is the lesson "My Fort": the rules I keep.

What is Twilight rated?

PG-13 in the US for some violence and a scene of sensuality. It's 12A in the UK, 12 in Germany.

What age is Twilight for?

The MPA rates it PG-13, and Common Sense Media lists it for 13+.

Is Twilight scary?

The BBFC lists moderate fantasy violence and horror, such as vampire fights and a threatening scene in an alley.

Are all the Twilight movies PG-13?

Yes. The MPA rated all five Twilight Saga films PG-13.

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