How Is Twisters Connected to the 1996 Original?

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  • How Does Twisters Connect to Twister?
  • Previous Attempts to Continue & Remake Twister

The original “Twister” movie from the 1990s featured Bill Paxton as Dr. Bill Harding. Paxton expressed interest in directing a sequel focusing on the Tri-State Tornado of 1925, which killed around 700 people across Missouri, Illinois, and Indiana. However, this idea did not come to pass.

On July 19, 2024, Twisters will make its entrance into cinemas, bringing with it an adrenaline-pumping experience in the genre of action-adventure disaster films. This captivating production has been garnering praise for its heart-stopping depiction of tornado chasing. The narrative revolves around Kate Cooper, portrayed by Daisy Edgar-Jones, a storm chaser who’s been left scarred by a past encounter with a tornado. In an attempt to aid her friend in testing a novel storm-tracking gadget, Kate is compelled to confront her haunting past and collaborate with the charismatic media sensation Tyler Owens, played by Glen Powell, as they prepare for the approach of an impending monstrous tornado.

Two prior attempts have been made to create a follow-up to the 1996 film “Twister,” featuring at least one original cast member. However, “Twisters” offers a novel storyline and introduces new characters in the familiar Oklahoma environment. A more detailed exploration of the similarities and differences between “Twisters” and “Twister,” including storylines, settings, characters, creative influences, and other narrative connections, will be provided in further analysis.

Is Twisters a Reboot, Remake, Prequel, or Sequel?

A movie titled “Twisters,” directed by Lee Isaac Chung and written by Mark L. Smith, is an American disaster production. Set in the Midwestern region of the US, this film follows Kate Cooper (played by Emma Jones), who has been traumatized by past encounters with tornadoes, leading to severe PTSD. Kate is called back to her old town by friend Javi (Anthony Ramos) for trials of a new storm-tracking innovation. However, their visit coincides with the arrival of a deadly superstorm.

As a powerful storm approaches Oklahoma City, Kate and Javi encounter Tyler Owens, also known as Powell, a fearless thrill-seeker who gained fame for recording and sharing his daring tornado chases on social media. Despite his cocky demeanor and disregard for personal safety, Tyler manages to win over Kate’s trust. Together, they collaborate to evade the storm and minimize harm to innocent bystanders.

In the film “Twisters,” several secondary characters are introduced, such as Tyler’s girlfriend Lilly (Sasha Lane), who is also a drone pilot; Tyler’s videographer Boone (Brandon Perea); British reporter Ben (Harry Hadon-Paton); Javi’s business partner Scott (David Corenswet); mechanic Dani (Katy O’Brian); and scientist Dexter (Tunde Adebimpe). It is essential to note that none of the original characters from “Twister” are present in this production, making “Twisters” a separate movie telling an entirely new story.

How Does Twisters Connect to Twister?

Although a separate installment with fresh faces, “Twisters” was shot in the same fundamental location as its 1996 precursor. The initial movie, helmed by Jan de Bont from a script by Michael Crichton and Anne-Marie Martin, predominantly captured on film in Oklahoma, famously known for its destructive twisters. When the “Twister” team intended to shoot elsewhere, de Bont insisted on Oklahoma and warned he would leave if the production company refused.

Likewise, Lee Isaac Chung, the director of “Twisters,” firmly believed in shooting the film in Oklahoma to preserve its authenticity. Originally planned for production in and around Los Angeles, Chung persuasively argued for a location change to the Midwest. Having grown up in Arkansas, where he based his acclaimed film “Minari” about Korean immigrants, Chung felt deeply connected to the region and believed it was the ideal setting for “Twisters.” Triggered by his first-hand experience with tornados at age four in Arkansas and Powell’s personal encounter with an F5 tornado during his upbringing, both events mirrored in the original “Twister,” Chung felt strongly compelled to bring this story to life.

Despite Twisters being a separate film with no returning characters from the first installment, the fact that it’s set in Oklahoma, as demanded by directors de Bont and Chung, creates a subtle link between the two productions. Earlier plans to create a direct sequel to Twister involved bringing back Bill Paxton as TV meteorologist Bill Harding and Helen Hunt as his wife and fellow meteorologist Jo Harding, who were pivotal characters in the original film.

Previous Attempts to Continue & Remake Twister

Two prior efforts have been made to create a follow-up for the iconic film “Twister.” The initial attempt came from the late Bill Paxton, who gained fame as Dr. Bill Harding in the original disaster movie from the ’90s. Following his successful directorial debut with the horror film “Frailty,” Paxton shared his intentions to helm a Twister sequel. In 2012, he spoke to The AV Club about his ambition to develop a modern adaptation of the Tri-State Tornado – a devastating storm that claimed around 700 lives across three states in 1925.

As a dedicated gamer and movie enthusiast, I’d express it this way: In an exclusive interview with AV Club, Paxton shared his vision for pushing the boundaries of cinematic storytelling. He plans to bring a new level of immersion to the R-rated disaster genre by integrating advanced 3D technology. This innovative approach aims to heighten the intensity and realism of the original experience, making viewers feel like they’re right in the midst of the chaos.

The Tri-State tornado, the largest ever documented, touched down on March 18, 1925, in Missouri. It persisted for an astonishing three hours and thirty minutes, breaking records. Known as the Tri-State tornado due to its origin in Missouri, crossing the Mississippi River, and leaving a trail of devastation through southern Illinois and southwest Indiana, it took countless lives in its wake.

From a narrative perspective, the follow-up could have brought back Bill and Jo Harding, introducing their adolescent daughter as a new character, along with a fresh group of storm trackers. Regrettably, this plan didn’t materialize; however, Paxton delivered a grave cautionary statement despite this.

The weather follows a pattern, but with the inclusion of climate change, we’re facing an intricate mix. It’s possible that we may witness extreme tornados never before documented in our generation. In other words, we could experience something similar to the devastating Tri-State Tornado of the past.

After Paxton’s unfortunate passing in 2017, Helen Hunt came up with a concept for a new “Twister” film, aiming to take the director’s chair. In contrast, Variety announced in 2020 that Joseph Kosinski was set to direct a “Twister” reboot for Universal Pictures, keeping only the story credit. The production transformed into “Twisters” with Lee Isaac Chung at the helm. Yet, during her 2021 appearance on “Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen,” Hunt presented her idea for an inclusive continuation of “Twister.”

In 2021, Hunt revealed intentions to pen and helm a new installment of the blockbuster film “Twister,” with Daveed Diggs, star of “Blindspotting,” signed on to feature in this disaster sequel. Set in Tennessee close to a Historically Black College or University (HBCU), production was expected to begin with Hunt co-writing the script alongside Diggs and Rafael Casal. In an exclusive interview with Business Insider, Hunt shared their proposed narrative concepts:

“Despite our efforts, which included Daveed Diggs, Rafael Casal, and myself writing the script, and featuring an entire cast of Black and brown storm chasers, we were unable to secure production for this project in June of 2020 – a time when prioritizing diversity was at the forefront. The story took place at a historically black college with a rocket science club where they launched rockets into tornadoes, making it an incredibly unique and exciting concept. Unfortunately, we couldn’t even get a meeting to discuss it.”

In the same piece, Diggs labeled the studio’s move as “suspicious” but held back from revealing much detail. Although it would have been intriguing to witness Hunt and Paxton’s plans for a sequel and reintroduce Bill and Jo Harding, the new movie titled “Twisters” only shares the original film’s basis in a tornado-themed story and its Oklahoma backdrop.

Twisters opens theatrically on July 19, 2024.

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2024-07-13 20:02