Twisters: A Sequel With Heart, Paying Homage to the Original

The highly anticipated sequel to the 1996 classic "Twister" is set to hit theaters this summer, and stars Glen Powell and Daisy Edgar-Jones are well aware of the expectations placed upon them.

Both actors have a deep appreciation for the original film, which holds a special place in their hearts. "It's a movie that obviously we all care about," Powell shared, acknowledging the legacy of the film, particularly its connection to late actor Bill Paxton. Powell, who co-starred with Paxton in the 2013 film "Red Wing," spoke about the emotional impact of his relationship with the late actor.

"I think that's made this thing even more meaningful," Powell reflected. "It's a movie that really meant a lot to me as a kid, you know, growing up in Texas, it's a movie that felt very ... just very much a story of kind of the community I grew up around and the people I grew up around."

The experience of working alongside Paxton's son, James, who makes a cameo appearance in "Twisters," has further enriched the filming process for Powell. "Just knowing Bill and knowing how much this movie meant to him, and how he saw the world differently afterward, and then having his son James Paxton in this movie and shooting that sequence with him and hearing stories about Bill — it all grounds it in a way that's hard to describe," he shared.

In the new film, Powell plays Tyler, a charismatic storm chaser and social media influencer. He teams up with Edgar-Jones' character, Kate, a meteorologist and former storm chaser. Kate's role in the film can be seen as a blend of the characters played by Paxton and Helen Hunt in the original "Twister."

While Edgar-Jones didn't have the opportunity to speak with Hunt about the film, she drew inspiration from the original characters, particularly their shared passion for storm chasing. "First of all, I'm from London, I needed all the storm chaser research I could get, and watching the original, they capture the essence of just the joy of [storm] chasing and also the kind of camaraderie and community behind it," she said. "Watching [<em>Twister</em>] was so helpful."

Having watched the original film countless times, Edgar-Jones recognizes its brilliance. "I definitely think Kate as a character, when you first meet her, she has all that joy that the original cast has when they chase. But she's marked by something quite extreme," she explained. "And so her journey's a little more introspective and through her relationship with Tyler, she comes back to that joy of chasing. It was so fun to track that arc. But yeah, there's a lot of love for the original in our film."

For Powell, the emotional impact of the film transcends entertainment. "It's really the wish fulfillment of this business when you can make entertainment emotionally meaningful to yourself and to everyone. It's a beautiful thing when it happens," he concluded.

"Twisters" will be making its debut in theaters on July 19th, bringing with it a renewed energy and a heartfelt homage to the original.