A blockbuster from a bygone era is getting the reboot treatment. Universal has decided to reboot disaster film Twister, and has hired Top Gun: Maverick director Joseph Kosinski to helm the film.
1996’s Twister is glorious fun, and is the kind of pre-9/11 blockbuster barely seen anymore. It exists within a fun era during the 90s where disaster movies tore up the box office. Independence Day, Armageddon, Deep Impact, Dante’s Peak, and Volcano are others that come to mind.
Perhaps it’s better to simply explain the genre’s dominance like this: in 1996, the two highest grossing films of the year were Independence Day and Twister. Yes, original, bid-budget movies. They did exist, really!
The original Twister was directed by Jan de Bont (Speed), with Helen Hunt and Bill Paxton as an on-the-rocks married pair of storm chasers on the trail of a record-setting tornado season. Michael Crichton penned the script, and the film made almost $500 million worldwide.
However, where does something like Twister fit into modern Hollywood? It seems unlikely that Universal would sink big money into a disaster movie when they haven’t proven to be box office draws in years. And while Twister is existing IP with a potentially built-in audience, it doesn’t feel like anyone’s clamouring for a reboot.
With Kosinski on board, you almost wonder whether Tom Cruise is interested in starring. Kosinski directed him in Oblivion and the upcoming Top Gun: Maverick, and while a Twister reboot doesn’t sound up his alley at first glance, it would potentially allow him to engage in some crazy stunts (although he’d probably insist on an actual tornado or something).
We’ll see. More news regarding this reboot will probably arrive soon as Hollywood begins to open back up, and maybe we’ll get a better idea on what exactly Universal is attempting here.
#Peace.Love.Twister
