The Twisters cast had some really big shoes to fill.
Twisters isn’t any kind of direct sequel to Twister, but as far as being a “spiritual successor” goes, the film could not have done a better job. So much of the Twister DNA is baked into Lee Isaac Chung’s summer blockbuster, something that is most evident when it comes to the dueling tornado-chasing crews at the heart of the story. The no-nonsense capitalists against the zany, ragtag group of pals who just love storms. In Twisters, the latter comes in the form of the Tornado Wranglers, who clearly took a lot of inspiration from the group of chasers in Twister that were led by Phillip Seymour Hoffman, Alan Ruck, and Todd Field.
The Tornado Wranglers are wild, loud, and a ton of fun, creating many memorable moments throughout the film. Sasha Lane plays LIly in Twisters, the Tornado Wrangler in charge of chasing storms with a drone, as well as dropping some timely truths when someone needs to hear them. Lane spent some time chatting with ComicBook following the film’s home digital release, and she opened up about how the original chasers inspired her and her co-stars.
“I think just the relaxedness about [the crew],” Lane said. “We know our purpose and we are very much serious about what we’re doing, but it’s kind of like the scene when Kate comes in and doesn’t realize we’re there to help and we’re not selling t-shirts just because we like money. But it’s even Boone looking for the dog. He’s the craziest and most outward, but just as easily he’s like, ‘I’m gonna go find the dog.’
“When you go back and watch the original Twister, they were all about it,” she continued. “But at the same time we also like beer and can crack a smile. If you’re going to risk your life for something you might as well have fun doing it. So it think that made it all relaxed a little bit.”
In Twisters, after surviving a devastating encounter with a tornado, former storm chaser Kate Cooper monitors extreme weather from behind a computer screen. When an opportunity arises to test cutting-edge equipment, Kate heads to the Midwest to track twisters, putting her on a collision course not only with the deadly phenomena, but also with social-media star Tyler Owens. As the storms in Oklahoma intensify, the pair must unite and combine their unique skills to survive the most extreme weather imaginable.
Twisters stars Daisy Edgar-Jones, Glen Powell, Anthony Ramos, Brandon Perea, Sasha Lane, Daryl McCormack, Kiernan Shipka, Nik Dodani, Katy O’Brian, and Maura Tierney. Lee Isaac Chung directed the sequel from a script by Mark L. Smith. Twisters is still playing in theaters and is now available to buy and rent on digital VOD platforms.
