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Twisters: A storm of success at the box office
A nostalgic return to the eye of the storm
Moviegoers embraced the storm this weekend, propelling “Twisters” to a blockbuster $81.25 million opening weekend. That’s far above expectations of $50 million to $55 million and enough to score the third-biggest debut of the year behind “Inside Out 2” ($154 million) and “Dune: Part Two” ($82 million).
Of course, “Twisters,” a standalone sequel to the 1996 disaster epic “Twister,” benefitted from nostalgia. The original adventure, starring Helen Hunt, Bill Paxton, Cary Elwes, and Philip Seymour Hoffman, was hugely successful with $496 million globally (which is nearly $1 billion, adjusted for inflation) and remains a touchstone for audiences.
A fresh take on a classic
However, analysts point out that brand familiarity isn’t enough these days to fill seats in multiplexes. This May’s “Furosia: A Mad Max Saga,” a prequel to the acclaimed 2015 action film “Mad Max: Fury Road,” struggled to sell tickets despite great reviews, while last year’s big-budget sequels like “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny” and “Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One” fell cavernously short of expectations — and lost millions in their theatrical runs. With that in mind, “Twisters” hit the mark because the film didn’t rely on recognizable names and characters to generate interest. The sequel, directed by “Minari” filmmaker Lee Isaac Chung, instead introduced an entirely new band of storm chasers, portrayed by Daisy Edgar-Jones, Glen Powell, and Anthony Ramos, who fight for their lives as multiple tornadoes converge over central Oklahoma.
Relatable characters and settings
“Relatable characters, rural settings, a mix of spectacle, fun, and heart are just a few ingredients contributing to the film’s success with people from a wide variety of lifestyles and backgrounds,” says Shawn Robbins, the founder of Box Office Theory.
Universal backed the $155 million-budgeted movie, which has generated $124.7 million globally to date. Audiences embraced “Twisters,” and its A- grade on CinemaScore bodes well for word of mouth. “Twisters” also solidifies the box office bankability of Powell, the “Top Gun: Maverick” actor who propelled last December’s romantic comedy “Anyone But You,” co-starring Sydney Sweeney, to sleeper hit status and $220 million globally. (According to PostTrak, nearly a quarter of moviegoers cited Powell as their reason for buying a ticket). Chung, Edgar-Jones, and Ramos, too, just boosted their asking prices.
A classic summer blockbuster
“It’s a classic, fun summer blockbuster in every sense,” says Mike Barstow, executive VP of the Nebraska-based Main Street Theatres. “Yes, it’s a sequel. But audiences realized that it could stand on its own. It wasn’t trying to push out the same story.”
Barstow and his patrons aren’t strangers to these devastating natural disasters. He believes the film resonated in the middle of the country because it was relatable for people whose lives have been affected by tornados. “It’s just something we live with in the Midwest,” Barstow says. “We can draw on experiences from growing up.”
A regional phenomenon
Midwesterners indeed turned out in force, leading “Twisters” to overperform in the cinemas between the coasts. Traditionally, New York City and Los Angeles have the highest-attended venues in the country. But over the weekend, the top-earning theater for “Twisters” was Regal Warren Moore in Oklahoma City, while the No. 3 spot was Regal Pinnacle in Knoxville, Tenn. Regional chain Santikos Palladium in San Antonio was fourth in terms of grosses, while AMC locations in Nashville and Dallas also ranked high on the list.
“We’ve been at or near capacity for every showtime,” Barstow says. “I think it’ll play through August.”
Other exhibitors in the middle of the country admit they don’t totally understand the rationale behind the disproportionate turnout among patrons for whom the dangers of tornados are all too terrifyingly familiar.
“It’s hard for me to understand the psyche, but maybe it helps people to see a movie where the disaster is even worse than real life,” says Blake Hastings, CEO of Santikos, which operates 27 theaters across the south and Midwest. “Storm chasers are exciting. It’s dangerous. It’s risky. ‘Twisters’ was the first four-quadrant movie we’ve had in a while.”
A heartland hit
Robbins compares “Twisters” to 2022’s billion-dollar blockbuster “Top Gun: Maverick” as proof that Hollywood can “benefit from making tentpole content that organically appeals to America’s heartland.” He adds, “There’s a big audience outside the big cities and they have a meaningful impact on the theatrical landscape.”
“Twisters” was also hugely popular on 4DX screens, which allows for a uniquely immersive presentation. Cinema operators often say the theatrical experience can’t be replicated at home, and in this case, it really can’t be duplicated. In 4DX auditoriums, seats are equipped to shake, vibrate and occasionally shoot out water in sync with the action that’s unfolding on screen. It’s the closest that moviegoers can get to experiencing a tornado without going outside. Inaugural ticket sales for “Twisters” in 4DX were roughly $2.1 million, which is 30% higher than the format’s previous opening weekend record holder, 2023’s “Super Mario Bros. Movie” with $1.57 million.
“There’s no better movie for this format,” says Eduardo Acuna, CEO of Regal Cinemas, whose nationwide locations house around 80 4DX auditoriums. “It’s like being on a theme park ride. You feel so immersed in the movie. You get moved emotionally and physically.”
A promising summer for cinemas
After a terrible start to summer, the disaster movie is the latest June and July offering to beat expectations and get people to theaters after Disney’s Pixar sequel “Inside Out 2,” Universal and Illumination’s “Despicable Me 4,” Paramount’s nearly silent prequel “A Quiet Place: Day One” and Neon’s horror sleeper hit “Longlegs.” Those films helped to shrink the year-to-date deficit from 21% to 17%, according to Comscore. Exhibitors are expecting the good times to continue this weekend as Marvel’s “Deadpool & Wolverine,” starring Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman as their comic book alter egos, lands on the big screen. The superhero sequel is projected to secure one of the top debuts of 2024.
“We’re very hopeful that this will be the biggest weekend of the year,” says Hastings. “It’ll be a balancing act of figuring out how many auditoriums to allocate to ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ and ‘Twisters.’ It’s a good problem to have.”
Reflecting on the storm
As the storm of “Twisters” continues to sweep through theaters, it leaves us pondering the power of nostalgia, the allure of relatable storytelling, and the undeniable draw of immersive cinematic experiences. The success of “Twisters” is a testament to the enduring appeal of disaster films and the magic of the big screen. Whether it’s the thrill of the chase, the heart-pounding action, or the emotional connection to the characters, “Twisters” has captured the hearts of audiences across the country. And as we look to the future, one can only wonder what other cinematic storms lie on the horizon.
