The disaster movie "Twisters" hits Chinese cinemas on July 19, promising audiences a thrilling and terrifying tornado experience this summer.

An installation mimicking a tornado-ravaged scene from "Twisters" at the film's premiere in Beijing, July 16, 2024. [Photo courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures]

Produced by Steven Spielberg and Frank Marshall, the film is directed by Lee Isaac Chung from a screenplay by Mark L. Smith based on a story by Joseph Kosinski. It's based on characters created by Michael Crichton and Anne-Marie Martin. Daisy Edgar-Jones stars as Kate Cooper and Glen Powell as Tyler Owens, who join forces to predict and possibly tame tornadoes.

Kate, a meteorologist haunted by a devastating tornado encounter during her college years, now studies storm patterns safely from screens in New York City. Her friend Javi lures her back to the open plains to test a groundbreaking new tracking system. There, she meets Tyler, a daring social-media star who chases storms for his followers. As the storm season intensifies, terrifying and unprecedented phenomena are unleashed. Kate, Tyler, and their competing teams find themselves squarely in the paths of multiple storm systems converging over central Oklahoma in the fight of their lives.

"Twisters," a standalone sequel to the 1996 blockbuster "Twister," comes from the producers of the "Jurassic Park," "Bourne," and "Indiana Jones" franchises. It offers an adrenaline-pumping, seat-gripping cinematic experience that brings audiences face-to-face with one of nature's most wondrous yet destructive forces. Recently, the devastating impact of tornadoes was starkly felt in China as well. On July 5, a tornado in Shandong province resulted in five deaths and 83 injuries, capturing widespread attention with viral images and videos. The film's timing is pertinent, having received positive feedback at its China premiere on July 16. It is set for simultaneous release in China and North America on July 19.

For Chung, known for low-budget films, directing "Twisters" marks a major shift. Growing up in northwest Arkansas near tornado-prone Oklahoma, he was influenced by the original film. Approached for this new chapter, Chung felt both honored and daunted by the move to big-budget films. "The film embodies what inspired me to take on the challenge; I wanted to run toward my fears and not away from them," he said.

He mentioned that the cast and crew collaborated closely with a dedicated team of climate scientists. "I hope we've crafted an immersive experience that brings viewers up close and personal to things that are bigger than us, things that are meant to scare us and take us into the heart of the storm," Chung noted. "This film aims to offer an exhilarating experience that transcends the confines of the screen, and my hope is to ignite in audiences the same sense of wonder and awe that I felt as a kid witnessing the power of nature firsthand."

Producer Steven Spielberg, author Michael Crichton and director Jan de Bont elevated the art of disaster films with "Twister." It made tornadoes terrifying spectacles and meteorologists action heroes. The script was also based on real science. "One of the reasons that 'Twister' was so compelling was that Michael Crichton was writing about things that were science fact, not science fiction," said Frank Marshall.

"People are fascinated by things they can relate to," Marshall continued. "And unfortunately, the things Michael was writing about in the 1990s have now become more frequent and severe." Crichton, who died in 2008, wrote "Jurassic Park" and "The Andromeda Strain." "While we wanted the tornado-mitigation science in 'Twisters' to be aspirational, we also wanted to make sure that the movie remained rooted in what was possible," Marshall added.

The first film had a profound impact on meteorology, inspiring interest in tornado research and raising awareness about increasing extreme weather events. To create a credible and realistic script, writer Mark L. Smith conducted extensive research, interviewing meteorologists and joining storm chasers. The production team also re-engaged Kevin Kelleher, a former analyst at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Nearly three decades later, Kelleher returned as the technical advisor on "Twisters." He appreciated the film's focus on contemporary research issues and commended its balanced approach to science, entertainment and empathy.

The "Twisters" team also addressed climate change's role in extreme weather. "Our movie emphasizes the need to increase scientific knowledge to help extend warning lead times and raises the question of whether technological innovations may, in the future, be able to help mitigate the effects of climate change," said producer Patrick Crowley.

A still image from "Twisters." [Photo courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures]

While climate change's exact impact on tornadoes is unclear, studies show the U.S. tornado season now lasts longer. Additionally, "tornado alley" appears to be shifting eastward into more populated areas.

"We've done everything we could to dramatize that in this movie," Crowley said. "We would have been irresponsible if we didn't pay attention to that and if we didn't use the movie as an opportunity to help sound the alarm."

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