‘Twisters’ Cast and Director Reveal New Footage, Talk About Filming in Oklahoma

All of Oklahoma is eagerly awaiting the premiere of "Twisters" this summer. The movie is said to be a sequel (or a prequel? neither?) to the iconic 1996 film "Twister" starring Helen Hunt and Bill Paxton. Both movies were filmed in Oklahoma, so rightfully so, Oklahomans take great pride in the films.

When will 'Twisters' premiere?

Oklahomans finally got a glimpse of "Twisters" during this year's Super Bowl when the trailer dropped. And by then, the Sooner State had gotten a bit impatient since rumors of the film started stirring a few years ago and filming officially began in Oklahoma in 2023.

@bentley_w_22 #twister #twister2 #filminglocation ♬ Twister - Royal Symphony Orchestra

But with the actors and writers strike, Oklahomans were worried that since production ceased that the movie would be delayed, or worse, shelved. Luckily, neither were the case. When the trailer dropped earlier this year, Oklahomans were beyond excited. Especially because, compared to the 1996 film, the actual tornadoes (yes, tornadoes!) look like the real thing.

"WE'VE GOT TWINS!"

Stars of 'Twisters' revealed what it was like filming in Oklahoma.

Recently, the director and stars of "Twisters" talked about the film and showed a new trailer and film footage at CinemaCon and reportedly blew people away.

Daisy Edgar-Jones and Glen Powell, the leads of "Twisters," and co-star  Anthony Ramos, attended CinemaCon and spoke about the upcoming film. According to an article from Variety, the actors revealed that while filming in Oklahoma, they experienced intense filming conditions, "saying they shot in 120-degree heat, got hit with a jet engine, smothered with hay, had a water tank dumped on them, got pelted by ice, were covered in trash and dragged by wires."

'Twisters' director gives glimpse into filming.

Deadline reported that at CinemaCon, the director Lee Isaac Chung debuted a new trailer for "Twisters," which showcased not only tornadoes but "a good banter romance" between the characters played by Edgar-Jones and Powell. This trope was also central to the 1996 film between the characters played by Hunt and Paxton.

Chung has an indie film background and had success with his Academy Award nominated film "Minari," which was also filmed in Oklahoma. Having grown up in Arkansas, Chung understands that tornadoes are a part of the lives of people in this part of America, which is partly why he took on "Twisters." He also praised the 1996 film and its director during his talk, stating that director Jan de Bont is "underappreciated. … He did what movie theaters are supposed to do - bring audiences up close to things that are bigger than us, that bring us fear, awe and reverence. I was really scared and wanted to run directly into my fear than away from it.”

Stephen Spielberg is the executive producer of the film - he also produced the 1996 film - and according to Chung is "an absolute tornado fanatic." And like with the 1996 film and paying homage to tornado fanatics everywhere, Chung said they tried to make "Twisters" "as immersive and real as possible," stating that they actually used real storm chasers to get footage for the film.

@fandango ⚠️ITS TIME TO BE ENTERTAINED⚠️ You already know the Universal Pictures and Focus Features presentation at #CinemaCon was an all-around hit today. See for yourself! #universalpictures #focusfeatures #movietok #filmtok #wicked #wickedmovie ♬ original sound - Fandango

So is 'Twisters' a sequel or a prequel?

Since filming began for "Twisters," the film has often been described as a sequel, a follow-up and even a prequel.

But in December of last year, leading man Powell told Vogue that they're not trying to recreate the story, that "Twisters" is "a completely original story. There are no characters from the original movie back, so it’s not really a continuation. It’s just its own stand-alone story in the modern day.”

According to an article from The Hollywood Reporter, Universal has described the film as "a current-day chapter of the 1996 blockbuster." And according to Collider, this is the film's official synopsis:

Edgar-Jones stars as Kate Cooper, a former storm chaser haunted by a devastating encounter with a tornado during her college years who now studies storm patterns on screens safely in New York City. She is lured back to the open plains by her friend, Javi (Golden Globe nominee Anthony Ramos, In the Heights) to test a groundbreaking new tracking system. There, she crosses paths with Tyler Owens (Powell), the charming and reckless social-media superstar who thrives on posting his storm-chasing adventures with his raucous crew, the more dangerous the better. As storm season intensifies, terrifying phenomena never seen before are unleashed, and Kate, Tyler and their competing teams find themselves squarely in the paths of multiple storm systems converging over central Oklahoma in the fight of their lives.

At CinemaCon, Chung also debuted some footage from "Twisters" that supports the above synopsis, according to The Hollywood Reporter, and showed Kate at a rodeo when a severe storm tragically disrupts the event. She's then shown back in New York, giving Javi a week with a new system. They soon set off on a mission chasing massive tornadoes. The article described Chung's footage is " visceral and immersive."

It's not known if another trailer for "Twisters" will drop before the movie's premiere on July 19.

via GIPHY