'Minari' Filmmaker Will Direct Sequel To Classic Disaster Blockbuster 'Twister'

Oscar-nominated filmmaker Lee Isaac Chung is reviving a classic Hollywood disaster film, "Twister," for Universal Pictures and Amblin Entertainment. Deadline reports that the "Minari" filmmaker is set to helm "Twisters" for the studio, which will be a legacy sequel to the classic 1996 blockbuster.

According to the report, Chung is in early talks to direct the sequel. Warner Bros., who distributed the 1996 film, is attached to co-finance the feature. Chung will likely direct from a script by writer Mark L. Smith ("The Revenant").

Veteran producer Frank Marshall is producing the film under his Kennedy/Marshall banner. Executives and producers, including producer Steven Spielberg, were reportedly high on the script Smith wrote, and the film was fast-tracked to start filming in the spring. At the time, the hope was that the original film's star, Helen Hunt, might return for the sequel, with the story following the daughter Hunt's character shared with the first film's costar, the late Bill Paxton.

The sequel would involve the daughter of Dr. Jo Harding (Hunt) and Bill Harding (Paxton) getting the storm-chasing bug similar to her parents. Deadline notes that no actors are currently in talks to star in the film yet, as the studio is focusing on signing Chung to helm the film, and the deal has not yet closed.

This would be a major shift for Chung's career coming off the A24 drama, "Minari." It would be his first foray into big-budget studio tentpoles. However, he would likely be a good fit for the material having grown up on a farm in rural Arkansas and taking shelter during tornado incidents. Chung's personal connection reportedly hit well with studio executives, and he became the top choice for the project after an in-person meeting that took place last week.

EVP of Production Sara Scott and creative executive Jacqueline Garell are overseeing the sequel for Universal. Ashley Jay  Sandberg is overseeing the project for Kennedy/Marshall.

Writer Smith also recently wrote the upcoming drama, "Boys in the Boat," which is directed by George Clooney. He also handled writing duties for the Netflix film, "Midnight Sky," which Clooney also directed and starred in.

The original 1996 film was a massive success, grossing $241 million at the domestic box office and over $494 million worldwide. The film was highly acclaimed for its groundbreaking effects and action scenes.

"Twister" was the second film of filmmaker Jan de Bont. It also starred Cary Elwes, the late Philip Seymour Hoffman, Jami Gertz, Alan Ruck, and Lois Smith.

A sequel to "Twister" sounds like a nostalgic blast from the past. The 1996 original was a fun film that defined disaster movies of the 1990s that started pushing the envelope with computer-generated visual effects. Sadly, the great Bill Paxton passed away in 2017. Also, Seymour Hoffman died in 2014.

It will be interesting to see what Chung comes up with for "Twisters" and if it can live up to the memory of the original.