How Twisters Connects To The Original Movie Explained By Director: "That's What I Found Invigorating" (2024)

Twisters director Lee Isaac Chung explains how the sequel connects to the original movie, which made $495 million at the box office, calling it a "new chapter." Directed by Chung, the Oscar-nominated writer and director behind Minari, the standalone sequel to the 1996 film was written by The Revenant's Mark L. Smith with a story by Top Gun: Maverick's Joseph Kosinski. The upcoming film follows an all-new group of storm chasers as multiple systems converge over central Oklahoma, with the Twisters cast including Daisy Edgar-Jones, Glen Powell, Anthony Ramos, Brandon Perea, Maura Tierney, and Sasha Lane.

During an appearance on the Inside Total Film podcast, Chung explained how Twisters connects to the original movie. The director confirms the sequel is set in the same world, though there are no major connections to the original movie, and it is instead "a new science experiment" and "a whole new story." Read his full explanation below:

I studied science in university, so this is probably a nerdy answer. I see it as a new science experiment. [It’s the] same world. We don’t have the same characters but it’s a new experiment. There are a lot of nods to the original. But I hope I’ve made it its own thing as well. That’s what I found invigorating about making this movie – the chance to do something new with that first story that I really loved, to do a new chapter, if you will. That decision was kind of made before I got on board. The studios and everybody involved really wanted to run with this script that Joe Kosinski and Mark L. Smith – Mark L. Smith being the primary writer – had developed. I think they liked this idea of a direction where it’s a whole new story. So I kind of came into it during that process, and I’ve kind of generally hoped to share it with the past cast, if they’re interested, and also [Twister director] Jan de Bont, who I haven’t been able to chat with. I hope that we’ve honored the work that they’ve done.

How Twisters Connects To The Original Movie

Story, Cast & More

Early on in the sequel's development, there were plans for Helen Hunt to reprise her role as meteorologist and storm chaser Jo, along with a story also following her daughter with Bill, the other lead storm chaser played by the late Bill Paxton in the original movie. However, those early plans were scrapped in favor of turning Twisters into a standalone sequel. As Chung explains, the sequel is "a new chapter," and does not feature any of the characters from the original movie.

The sequel follows a new, albeit similar story as the originalTwister. Traumatized by a harrowing experience with a tornado, similar to Hunt's Jo, meteorologist Kate Cooper (Edgar-Jones) is persuaded by her friend Javi (Ramos) to continue storm chasing and test a revolutionary new tracking system, similar to Dorothy from the original Twister. On the open plains, Kate crosses paths with Tyler Owens (Powell), a storm-chasing social media superstar. The relationship between Kate and Tyler is expected to be similar to Jo and Bill from the original movie.

Though Twisters will follow entirely new characters, there will be some connections to the original movie. The sequel includes a cameo from James Paxton, the son of Bill Paxton, intended to honor the late Twister star. Chung also confirms that Dorothy, the tornado-measuring technology from the first film, will be name-dropped in the sequel. Overall, as Chung explains, Twisters is "a new science experiment" set within the same world as the original, indicating the sequel will attempt to set itself apart while still referencing and paying homage to the first film.

Twisters releases in theaters on July 19. Twister is streaming on Max.

Source: Inside Total Film

Twisters

PG-13

Action

Adventure

Thriller

A follow-up to the 1996 original film Twister, Twisters is a sequel set years after the original, said to be fast-tracked by Steven Spielberg and Mark L. Smith, with Frank Marshal as producer. Little details exist about the film, but Helen Hunt is expected to reprise her role as Jo, with the film likely to pay homage to the late Bill Paxton.

Director

Lee Isaac Chung

Release Date

July 19, 2024

Studio(s)

Universal Pictures , Warner Bros. Pictures , Amblin Entertainment , The Kennedy/Marshall Company

Distributor(s)

Universal Pictures , Warner Bros. Pictures

Writers

Mark L. Smith , Joseph Kosinski , Michael Crichton , Anne-Marie Martin

Cast

Daisy Edgar-Jones , Glen Powell , Anthony Ramos , Brandon Perea , Daryl McCormack

Runtime

117 Minutes

prequel(s)

Twister

Main Genre

Thriller