“Twisters,” a sequel to the 1996 blockbuster “Twister,” is in development at Universal Pictures and Amblin Entertainment and is gathering strength after the studio has attached “The Revenant” screenwriter Mark L. Smith to write the script, an individual with knowledge of the project told TheWrap.
News of a sequel to “Twister” first broke in 2020 when “Top Gun: Maverick” filmmaker Joseph Kosinski was in talks to direct, but he has since exited the project, and the individual adds that the studio is currently meeting with other directors in the hopes the film can begin shooting by this spring.
Deadline in a report on Monday listed candidates such as “Free Solo” directors Jimmy Chin & Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi as well as Laika’s Travis Knight, though one of the names floated in the report, “10 Cloverfield Lane” filmmaker Dan Trachtenberg, on Twitter denied being involved in making a sequel.
Frank Marshall (“Jurassic World Dominion”) is producing “Twisters” through his Kennedy/Marshall Company production banner.
The film will be co-financed by Warner Bros.
The original “Twister” starred the late Bill Paxton and Helen Hunt as two advanced storm chasers in Oklahoma who are on the brink of divorce but must work together to create a weather alert system and can only do so by putting themselves in the way of violent and deadly tornadoes. Plot details for the sequel were not disclosed.
Jan De Bont directed the 1996 film that $494 million worldwide at the box office and was nominated for two Oscars, including for Best Visual Effects for its ahead-of-its-time special effect work.
Executive vice president of production Sara Scott will oversee for Universal Pictures, and Ashley Jay Sandberg will oversee for Kennedy/Marshall.
Some of Smith’s other recent credits include George Clooney’s “The Midnight Sky” and the upcoming “The Marsh King’s Daughter” from director Neil Burger and starring Daisy Ridley.
Smith is represented by CAA, Syndicate Entertainment and the Law Offices of Mark Temple.
Deadline first reported the news about Smith’s involvement.
