According to Variety, rising star Brandon Perea has officially been tapped to join the Twisters cast for Universal Pictures’ follow-up to their 1996 hit, Twister. Further details about his character are still being kept under wraps. He will be joining previously confirmed cast members Daisy Edgar-Jones, Glen Powell, and Anthony Ramos. Production is expected to begin this coming spring, with the movie scheduled to hit theaters on July 19, 2024.
Perea gained recognition for his breakout role as Angel in Jordan Peele’s most recent horror film Nope starring opposite Daniel Kaluuya and Keke Palmer. He also served as a series regular on Netflix‘s fan-favorite mystery drama The OA, which lasted for two seasons.
What to Expect in Twisters?
Twisters will be directed by Minari filmmaker Lee Isaac Chung from a screenplay written by Mark L. Smith. It is reportedly not being developed as a direct sequel to the 1996 film, but rather as a “new chapter” in the franchise. Edgar-Jones will take the role of “a former storm chaser who works a desk job after surviving a terrifying tornado. However, she will be forced back out onto the field.”
Steven Spielberg is currently attached to executive produce through Amblin Entertainment. It is being produced by Frank Marshall and Pat Crowley. Universal’s Sara Scott and Jacqueline Garell are overseeing the project, along with Kennedy/Marshall’s Ashley Jay Sandberg.
Directed by Jan de Bont, the first installment follows storm chasers Bill Harding and Dr. Joanne Harding in the midst of finalizing their divorce. The pair reunites during a severe tornado outbreak in Oklahoma, where they test their weather-tracking device that would improve lead times on tornado warnings.
Twister was both a critical and commercial success, with a worldwide gross of over $495 million at the box office. It also starred Cary Elwes, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Alan Ruck, Todd Field, and more.
