It looks like the upcoming star of the upcoming sequel to the iconic 1996 disaster movie, “Twister,” has found its star. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Daisy Edgar-Jones is currently in talks to star in the upcoming sequel, “Twisters,” for Universal Pictures and Amblin Entertainment.
Daisy Edgar-Jones To Chase Storms In ‘Twisters’
The film will be a sequel to the 1996 film, which starred Helen Hunt and Bill Paxton. Oscar-nominated filmmaker Lee Isaac Chung (“Minari”) will direct the project, which has a script written by Mark L. Smith (“The Revenant”). Producer Frank Marshall (“Jurassic Park,” “Jurassic World,” “The Bourne Identity”) is producing the film for his Kennedy/Marshall Company banner. Marshall’s wife, Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy, produced the original film.
As reported by The Blast, the sequel was previously expected to feature the daughter of Hunt and Paxton’s character from the original movie, Dr. Jo Harding and Bill Harding, getting the storm-chasing bug like her parents. It’s still currently unknown if any of the original actors will appear in the sequel. Two of the original film’s stars, Paxton and Philip Seymour Hoffman, passed away. Paxton passed in 2017. Hoffman died earlier in 2014.
It appears the new movie might have shifted directions. THR notes that Universal is describing “Twisters” as a “new chapter” that is not expected to bring back the original movie’s characters. THR’s report also said the new film is “not a sequel.” It remains to be seen if that pans out, but it sounds like the new film could be more of a franchise reboot or remake than a sequel. But if that’s the case, why call it “Twisters” instead of “Twister”?
The original film saw Jo and Bill fasting a group of devastating tornados while facing rival storm chasers and their feelings for one another. It was directed Jan de Bont, grossing $241 million at the domestic box office and nearly $500 million globally. Steven Spielberg executive produced the film, which featured a script by “Jurassic Park” author Michael Crichton.
In “Twisters,” Edgar-Jones will reportedly portray an ex-storm chaser who moves into a desk job after a disastrous tornado encounter. However, circumstances eventually have her going storm-chasing once again.
Edgar-Jones was recently nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Limited Series, Anthology Series, or Motion Picture Made for Television for “Under the Banner of Heaven.” She received her first Golden Globe nomination in 2021 for “Normal People.”
She also recently starred in last year’s “Where the Crawdads Sing,” which was a hit for Sony Pictures, grossing $90 million domestic and $140 million worldwide off of a $24 million budget. Another starring role for Edgar-Jones was in 2022’s horror-thriller fresh, where she starred opposite Marvel Cinematic Universe star, Sebastian Stan. Her next film is “On Swift Horses,” from filmmaker Daniel Minahan. She stars opposite Jacob Elordi, Will Poulter, and Diego Calva.
Warner Bros. Pictures will co-finance the upcoming “Twisters” feature. The upcoming film is still in the works and does not yet have an official release date.
