Glen Powell and Daisy Edgar-Jones’ latest collaboration in Lee Isaac Chung’s disaster-thriller, Twisters, has stormed the North American box office, surpassing Godzilla vs. Kong with a spectacular $80.5 million opening weekend. Distributed domestically by Universal Pictures, the film debuted in 4,151 theaters to enthusiastic audiences, as reported by Variety.
Initially projected to earn between $50 million and $55 million over the weekend, Twisters exceeded expectations to secure the third-highest opening of the year, trailing only Inside Out 2 ($154 million) and Dune: Part Two ($82 million). Despite its success, the film faced stiff competition from the record-breaking box office of last year’s Barbenheimer fever.
Directed by Lee Isaac Chung, known for his Oscar-nominated drama Minari, Twisters serves as a standalone sequel to the 1996 disaster epic of the same name. The plot follows storm chasers portrayed by Glen Powell, Daisy Edgar-Jones, and Anthony Ramos, navigating a perilous encounter with multiple tornadoes converging over central Oklahoma. The ensemble cast also includes Brandon Perea, Maura Tierney, and Sasha Lane in pivotal roles.
With production costs totaling $155 million, excluding substantial marketing expenses, Twisters has underscored its box office prowess under Universal Pictures’ distribution, while Warner Bros. manages international releases.
The film’s successful debut marks a significant rebound for the summer box office, reducing the year-to-date deficit from 21% to 17% over the past month, according to Comscore’s latest report.
Twisters premiered worldwide on July 19, promising thrilling cinematic experiences for audiences globally.
