Long-awaited 'Twilight' prequel 'Midnight Sun' to come out Aug. 4

(L-R) Robert Pattinson, Kristen Stewart and Taylor Lautner attend the premiere of "The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn: Part One" at Westfield Stratford. /VCG

Fifteen years after the first "Twilight" book was released, Author Stephenie Meyer thrilled fans of her best-selling "Twilight" series on Monday by announcing she will release a prequel that explores the characters' love story from the perspective of vampire Edward Cullen.

Called "Midnight Sun," the new book will chronicle Cullen's past and the time he first met Bella Swan, a human high school classmate who later becomes his wife. Earlier installments have been told from Bella's point of view.

The long-awaited prequel "will be in bookstores on August 4," the author announced in a letter to readers and fans on her website, which soon crashed Monday morning.

The long-awaited prequel to "Twilight" series, titled "Midnight Sun," is coming out August 4. /Stepheniemeyer.com

The story "takes on a new and decidedly dark twist" in the upcoming book, publisher Little, Brown and Company said in a description on its website.

The "Twilight" series was immensely popular worldwide with Meyer's original four novels, released annually from 2005 through 2008, sold more than 100 million copies, breaking book sale records previously held by the "Harry Potter" books.

As of the end of 2011, the series had been translated into at least 38 different languages around the globe.

Stephenie Meyer attends a book signing at Waterstone's, Piccadilly, London. /VCG

The novels were adapted into a blockbuster film series "The Twilight Saga" released by Lions Gate Entertainment Corp starting in 2008. Starring Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart, it grossed a total 2.5 billion U.S. dollars between all of the franchise's films, according to Forbes.

"Twilight" soon became a trending topic on Twitter on Monday after Meyer's announcement.

"I'm ready for the hard-hitting teenage heartbreak all over again ... I think," wrote Twitter user @theartsyreader1. "What am I saying, I'm FREAKIN' EXCITED."

(L-R) Robert Pattinson, Kristen Stewart and Taylor Lautner attend "The Twilight Saga" hand and footprint ceremony in front of the Chinese Theatre in Los Angeles. /VCG

The author also sent a video message to fans on ABC's "Good Morning America" show, in which Meyer cited the current global uncertainty due to the coronavirus pandemic as inspiration for announcing the release, saying that she hoped the book would be a welcome distraction from the pandemic.

"It's a crazy time right now and I wasn't sure it was the right time to put this book out, but some of you have been waiting for just so so long it didn't seem right to make you wait any more," Meyer said in the video.

(With input from Reuters)