With Twisters landing in cinemas next week, it’s the perfect time to give the original 1996 movie a re-watch — and you can do it on TV tonight.
Twister is airing on ITV4 at 8pm ahead of the release of the long-awaited sequel, which hits cinemas on July 17. If you already had plans for this evening, though, you can rent it or buy it on Amazon and iTunes at any time.
Starring Helen Hunt, Bill Paxton, Philip Seymour Hoffman and Cary Elwes, the movie became a box-office hit in the ’90s, and it’s still as exciting and visually stunning as it was when it was first released.
The movie follows university professor Dr. Jo Harding (Hunt) as she leads a team of students in the chase of a massive storm. The plan is to get close enough to use the prototype of a groundbreaking tornado data-gathering device called Dorothy.
Jo’s estranged husband, Bill (Paxton), conceived this device before he left the team and found himself a new danger-free life away from the storm chasers. However, when he visits them to pressure Jo to sign their divorce papers, Bill feels once again the pull towards this life.
After all, he wants to see his invention take flight. And he’s not going to leave when their wealthy rival Dr. Jonas Miller (Elwes) has stolen the idea of his prototype and threatens everything the team has worked for.
Directed by Jan de Bont and written by Anne-Marie Martin and bestselling author Michael Crichton, Twister received Oscar nominations for Best Visual Effects and Best Sound in 1997.
Almost three decades after its initial release, a sequel is making its way to the cinemas, starring Glen Powell, Daisy Edgar-Jones and Brandon Perea.
Twisters is not a direct sequel of Twister, as co-writer Mark L Smith explained to Collider last year.
“It’s a separate story. It’s not a continuation of the original. But it’s just a real wild ride with some good, fun characters,” the screenwriter confirmed.
“Hopefully, we can tap into what the original had because that thing is just iconic. But it’s so cool to have a director like Isaac taking on something like this. It’s just so out of his norm, and I think he’s having fun. I was texting with him a couple days ago, and it’s just all craziness of it.”
Twister is airing on ITV4 at 8pm tonight (July 13). The movie is also available to rent or buy on Amazon, iTunes and other digital retailers.
Deputy Movies Editor, Digital Spy
Mireia (she/her) has been working as a movie and TV journalist for over seven years, mostly for the Spanish magazine Fotogramas.
Her work has been published in other outlets such as Esquire and Elle in Spain, and WeLoveCinema in the UK.
She is also a published author, having written the essay Biblioteca Studio Ghibli: Nicky, la aprendiz de bruja about Hayao Miyazaki’s Kiki’s Delivery Service.
During her years as a freelance journalist and film critic, Mireia has covered festivals around the world, and has interviewed high-profile talents such as Kristen Stewart, Ryan Gosling, Jake Gyllenhaal and many more. She’s also taken part in juries such as the FIPRESCI jury at Venice Film Festival and the short film jury at Kingston International Film Festival in London.
Now based in the UK, Mireia joined Digital Spy in June 2023 as Deputy Movies Editor.
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