Twister sequel in the works at Universal 26 years after original

Is there anything scarier than a tornado? Oh, right; multiple tornadoes.

It's been 26 years since film fans were introduced to Twister and Helen Hunt and Bill Paxton in character as Dr. Jo Harding and Bill Harding; meteorologists who set out in pursuit of an F5 tornado while their marriage teetered on the edge of collapse.

The film saw the two scientists risking their lives in a bid to create an advanced weather alert system, and following their efforts it looks we now have some more violent twisters to prepare for.

According to Deadline, a 'big-scale' sequel to Twister is in the works at Universal Pictures, with Universal and Amblin Entertainment both meeting with directors to discuss the follow-up with the hopes of kicking things off in spring.

Universal and Warner Bros are said to be co-financing project, though Universal is reportedly set to take the creative lead.

But what should a sequel to such an intense, weather-related movie be called? Two-ister? 2wister? Twister 2: Electric Boogaloo?

Unfortunately, it's not any of those - though Universal is free to take my suggestions on board. Instead, we look to be stepping things up a notch in the sequel with the current reported title, Twisters.

While no cast or director has yet been confirmed, The Revenant's Mark L. Smith has signed on to write the screenplay for the sequel, while Jurassic World Dominion's Frank Marshall is attached to produce through his Kennedy/Marshall Company.

Deadline claims some of the directors under consideration include the Oscar-winning Free Solo duo of Jimmy Chin and Elizabeth Chai Vaserhelyi, as well as Prey and 10 Cloverfield Lane director Dan Trachtenberg, and Travis Knight, whose most recent animated films include Missing Link and Kubo and the Two Strings.

Universal PIctures

Original Twister star Paxton passed away in 2017, but sources cited by the publication have described hopes that Hunt might return to the franchise, with the storyline potentially focusing on a daughter her character shares with her husband.

Twister went on to become the second-highest grossing movie of 1996 following its release in July of that year, earning more than $494 million (£437m) at the worldwide box office.

The film's special effects proved ground-breaking at the time and resulted in Twister being nominated for Academy Awards for Best Visual Effects and Best Sound.

During the creation of the film, Paxton told Entertainment Tonight he thought Twister was 'going to do for tornadoes... what Jaws did for sharks'.

"It's going to make people a little intrepid when they see wall clouds," he added.

Twisters will have some big boots to fill, so we'll have to wait and see whether it can whip up a good storm.

UNILAD has contacted Universal for comment.

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