Universal Pictures and Amblin Entertainment have chosen Oscar-nominated Lee Isaac Chung to direct Twisters, the sequel to the 1990s blockbuster Twister.
The original film, released in 1996 by Warner Bros., follows a group of storm chasers across the lower Midwest attempting to study the scientific conditions that create deadly tornadoes. It starred the late Bill Paxton and Helen Hunt as an estranged husband and wife struggling to put their professional work over their personal issues. Discussions of a sequel have been afoot for years, with many directors vying to be chosen for the Universal project, which was fast-tracked by producer Steven Spielberg after approving a script by Mark L. Smith (The Revenant). The Twister sequel script will bring back Helen Hunt as the mother of her storm-chasing daughter, who is at the center of the film.
According to Deadline, Chung's deal is still in negotiations. With no stars yet to join the project, including Hunt, details on Twisters are still fuzzy, but the choice marks Chung's first big-budget endeavor after being known for his Oscar-nominated work on A24's Minari. Chung, who grew up in rural Arkansas amid Tornado Alley, seems a natural choice to helm what could be a major hit for Amblin.
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The original Twister, directed by Jan de Bont and written by Michael Crichton, was a typical 1990s summer blockbuster, earning $494 million worldwide. The film was especially praised for its dramatic performances by Hunt and Paxton and its impressive special effects, which were state-of-the-art. The film also capitalized on the popularity of a slew of other natural disaster movies coming out in the mid to late '90s, including Deep Impact, Armageddon, and Dante's Peak.
Because Spielberg has gone on record criticizing the impact of streaming service releases on directors seeking theatrical releases (especially Warner Bros.' HBO Max strategy in 2021), Twisters is no doubt set to be (or at least try to be) a summertime blockbuster. With Chung's award-worthy skill at the helm and new tricks in the special effects arena, Twisters stands as good a chance as ever at matching the first film's success.
Twisters is eyeing a Spring 2023 production start.
Source: Deadline