Universal Pictures aims to stir up a Category 5 sensation at the box office this weekend as Twisters makes its grand debut, nearly thirty years after the original Twister captivated audiences, raking in nearly $500 million worldwide in ticket sales, unadjusted for inflation.
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| 'Twisters' MELINDA SUE GORDON/UNIVERSAL PICTURES/WARNER BROS. PICTURES/AMBLIN ENTERTAINMENT |
The studio has avoided promoting Twisters as a direct sequel to the first film, instead presenting it as a fresh chapter in the saga of passionate storm chasers determined to use science to comprehend these natural forces better. The disaster action-adventure features the popular Glen Powell alongside Daisy Edgar-Rogers and Anthony Ramos.
Minari's Lee Isaac Chung helmed the $155 million film, which tracking services suggest could debut domestically anywhere between $40 million to $50 million, with some exhibitors anticipating even higher figures based on advance ticket sales.
Edgar-Jones takes on the role of Kate Carter, a former storm chaser haunted by a traumatic tornado encounter during her college years. Now based in New York City, she studies storm patterns from the safety of screens until a friend (Ramos) persuades her to return to the open plains to test a revolutionary new tracking system.
There, she encounters a charismatic yet reckless social media sensation (Powell) who thrills in documenting his storm-chasing escapades with his spirited crew.
Twisters, a collaboration among Universal Pictures, Warner Bros. Pictures, and Amblin Entertainment, sees Universal handling domestic distribution while Warner Bros. manages international markets. The film debuted in select foreign territories last weekend, earning $11 million.
The studio partners orchestrated a robust campaign that featured spots during the Super Bowl, NBA Finals, the Euro Cup, and the finales of high-profile shows like Saturday Night Live, The Voice, and The Masked Singer.
Aiming to resonate with America’s heartland, particularly tornado-affected regions, Universal strategically placed ads during NASCAR, UFC, the Olympic Trials, and All Elite Wrestling. A special “weather” category was presented on Jeopardy! by Powell and Edgar-Jones. Additionally, the cast embarked on a nationwide promotional tour with stops in Dallas, Chicago, and Miami, while special screenings were held in Oklahoma and dedicated military showings took place nationwide.
Tied to the launch of the second trailer, singer-songwriter Luke Combs announced his next single, “Ain’t No Love in Oklahoma,” set for release on May 16 as the lead single from Twisters The Album.
Tracking for Twisters shows widespread interest across all age, gender, and ethnic groups, with a notable appeal among females aged 25 and older.
Elsewhere at the weekend box office, Neon's eerie thriller Longlegs, starring Maika Monroe and Nicolas Cage, aims to maintain its momentum in its second week after a record-breaking $22.4 million debut last weekend. This marks the best R-rated opening of the year and the first indie film in two decades to launch with over $20 million.
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| Nicolas Cage in Neon’s ‘Longlegs,’ which enters its second weekend of play at the box office. NEON/COURTESY EVERETT COLLECTION |
It's also the best wide opening ever for the Oscar-winning Neon, known for Best Picture Parasite. Directed by Oz Perkins, Longlegs is projected to earn between $12 million and $13 million this weekend. Illumination and Universal’s Despicable Me 4 and Pixar’s billion-dollar hit Inside Out 2 are expected to remain high on the charts.
Inside Out 2 is on track to become the highest-grossing animated film of all time at the global box office, having surpassed The Super Mario Bros. ($1.362 billion) on Tuesday with $1.371 billion in worldwide ticket sales, not adjusted for inflation. It now ranks No. 16 among the top-grossing films of all time.
Twisters has one week to dominate new releases before Marvel’s Deadpool & Wolverine debuts next weekend.
