Ahead of 'Twisters' hitting theaters, 1990s hit 'Twister' is making a mark on streaming

Ahead of the eagerly awaited July 19 theatrical release of the made-in-Oklahoma movie “Twisters,” the original 1990s blockbuster is making its mark on streaming.

The 1996 blockbuster "Twister" was among more than 75 cinematic titles added July 1 to the Max streaming service.

It's one of at least two movies filmed in the Sooner State that was added Monday to the vast list of films and television series now playing on the Warner Bros. Discovery streamer, along with 2012's "To the Wonder," starring Ben Affleck, Rachel McAdams and Javier Bardem. The romantic drama was directed and written by three-time Oscar nominee Terrence Malick (“Badlands, “The Tree of Life”), who grew up in Bartlesville and filmed the movie in and around his hometown, Pawhuska and Tulsa, as well as in France, starting in 2010.

Filmed throughout Oklahoma in 1995, "Twister" had jumped into the list of top 10 movies streaming on Max by Tuesday morning.

Who starred in the 1996 blockbuster 'Twister?'

"Twister" stars Academy Award winner and four-time Emmy Award winner Helen Hunt ("As Good as It Gets," “Mad About You”) as Dr. Jo Thornton-Harding, who as a girl watched from her family’s storm cellar as her father was killed by a massive tornado.

She grows up into a storm chaser and scientist who risks her life to study the dark side of nature by taking her data-transmitting instruments directly into the path of a deadly storm. As Jo chases the largest tornado ever to strike in Oklahoma, her marriage implodes, and rival scientists will stop at nothing to steal her breakthrough.

The movie also stars the late Bill Paxton ("Apollo 13"), Cary Elwes ("The Princess Bride"), Jami Gertz ("The Lost Boys"), Lois Smith ("Minority Report"), Alan Ruck (“Succession”), Todd Field ("Eyes Wide Shut"), Jeremy Davies ("Saving Private Ryan") and the late Philip Seymour Hoffman ("Boogie Nights").

Where did 'Twister' film in Oklahoma?

Directed by Jan de Bont (“Speed”) from a screenplay by Michael Crichton ("Jurassic Park") and Anne-Marie Martin, 1996's "Twister" was a commercial smash. It became the second highest grossing film of the year, earning more than $494 million at the global box office, which makes it the most commercially successful made-in-Oklahoma movie to be released to date.

The film was produced by Crichton, Kathleen Kennedy and Ian Bryce. Cinema icon Steven Spielberg, Walter Parkes, Laurie MacDonald and Gerald R. Molen served as executive producers.

The blockbuster filmed across the state, including in Guthrie, Maysville, Norman, Fairfax and Wakita. The latter is where the Twister Movie Museum continues to preserve and display memorabilia from the first movie.

Before recent powerhouse productions like Martin Scorsese's "Killers of the Flower Moon" and the inaugural season of "Tulsa King" came to the Sooner State, "Twister" was one of the biggest projects to ever film in Oklahoma.

It also was nominated for two Academy Awards, for best sound, as well as for its groundbreaking visual effects.

When is 'Twister' coming to 4K Ultra HD and digital?

On March 25, 1997, "Twister" was the first theatrical feature film to be released in the DVD format.

In May, Warner Bros. Discovery Home Entertainment announced that "Twister" will be released this summer for the first time on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray disc and digital.

It will be available to buy starting July 9 on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray disc online and in-store at major retailers. It will be available to buy digitally from Amazon Prime Video, AppleTV, Google Play, Fandango at Home and more.

"Twister" will be available on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray for the estimated retail price of $33.99 and includes an Ultra HD Blu-ray disc with the theatrical version of the feature film in 4K with HDR (or high-dynamic range), plus a digital download of the film.

Fans also can own "Twister" in 4K Ultra HD via purchase from select digital retailers beginning on July 9.

How is 'Twisters' a 'new chapter' of 'Twister?'

"Twisters" has been described as a "new chapter" for, rather than a true sequel to, the 1996 hit "Twister."

Directed by Lee Isaac Chung, who filmed his Academy Award-winning semi-autobiographical immigrant drama "Minari" in the Tulsa area in 2019, "Twisters" stars Golden Globe nominees Daisy Edgar-Jones ("Where the Crawdads Sing," "Normal People") and Glen Powell ("Anyone But You," "Top Gun: Maverick") as opposing forces who come together to try to predict — and possibly tame — the immense power of tornadoes.

Edgar-Jones stars as Kate Cooper, a former storm chaser haunted by a devastating encounter with a tornado during her college years who now studies storm patterns on screens safely in New York City. She is lured back to the open plains by her friend, Javi (Golden Globe nominee Anthony Ramos, "In the Heights") to test a groundbreaking new tracking system.

There, she crosses paths with Tyler Owens (Powell, leaning into his Texas roots), a charming and reckless social media superstar who thrives on posting his storm-chasing adventures with his raucous crew — the more dangerous the better.

As storm season intensifies, terrifying phenomena never seen before are unleashed, and Kate, Tyler and their competing teams find themselves squarely in the paths of multiple storm systems converging over central Oklahoma.

The "Twisters" cast also includes Brandon Perea ("Nope") as Boone, Sasha Lane ("American Honey") as Lily, Daryl McCormack ("Peaky Blinders") as Jeb, Kiernan Shipka ("Chilling Adventures of Sabrina") as Addy, Nik Dodani ("Atypical") as Praveen and Golden Globe winner Maura Tierney ("Beautiful Boy") as Cathy.

Where in Oklahoma was the new movie 'Twisters' filmed?

Mark L. Smith, whose credits include the Oscar-winning 2015 film "The Revenant," starring Leonardo DiCaprio, wrote the script for "Twisters."

Oscar nominee Frank Marshall, known for famed franchises like the "Jurassic Park/World," "Indiana Jones" and "Bourne" movies, is producing "Twisters" via his banner, Kennedy/Marshall Co. Marshall’s wife, Kathleen Kennedy, who is now president of Lucasfilm, was a lead producer on the original "Twister." Marshall has ties to Oklahoma through the charity work he has done for many years in the Sooner State.

"Twisters" also is produced by Patrick Crowley of the "Jurassic" and "Bourne" franchises.

With an estimated budget of $200 million, principal photography on "Twisters" got underway in Oklahoma City on May 8, 2023.

Throughout 60 days of principal photography, "Twisters" engaged with multiple communities statewide, including El Reno, Chickasha, Midwest City, Spencer, Kingfisher, Calumet, Hinton, Fairview, Okarche, Kremlin, Burbank and Pawhuska.

The action-packed disaster epic will be distributed by Universal Pictures domestically and by Warner Bros. Pictures internationally.

Deadline reported last week that "Twisters" is tracking for a $45 million to $50 million opening weekend when it debuts in theaters July 19.

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Hit 1990s movie 'Twister' streaming ahead of 'Twisters' theatrical debut