Twisters, the latest installment in the Amblin-produced franchise, has made a significant impact at the U.S. and Canadian box office. With an impressive $50M weekend debut, it has already surpassed the original 1996 movie’s opening numbers of $41M. Additionally, the film has garnered $12.5M from 38 international markets in just one day.
Universal is handling the domestic release of Twisters, while Warner Bros. is in charge of the international distribution. This is a reversal from the original film, where Warner Bros. released the movie in the U.S. and Canada, while Universal handled international markets. The film is set to debut in 38 more markets this week, including France, Germany, Italy, Spain, UK, and China. It is projected to reach an offshore cumulative total of $45M-$50M by the end of the weekend, with a worldwide total exceeding $100M.
Upcoming Releases
Despite its initial success, Twisters still has key markets like Japan and Korea yet to be released. The film is set to face stiff competition from upcoming releases like Deadpool & Wolverine, which is anticipated to have the biggest opening for an R-rated movie on July 26. However, early screenings of Twisters, including one at the Taormina Film Festival, have generated buzz and positive reactions.
Theatrical Run
Twisters is being screened in 4,000 theaters across the U.S., with formats like Imax, PLFS, and ScreenX enhancing the viewing experience. Universal has shown confidence in the film by organizing fan screenings and previews leading up to the official release. Pre-sales for the movie are on par with successful releases like Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes from earlier in the summer.
The original Twister film was a box office hit, earning $241.8M domestically and $494.5M worldwide (unadjusted for inflation). While the new installment may not reach those heights, it is still expected to have a solid run at the box office. Other films like Despicable Me 4 and Longlegs have also seen success at the box office, with impressive earnings and strong audience reception.
Twisters has set a strong foundation for its box office run, with a successful debut in both domestic and international markets. With upcoming releases and fierce competition on the horizon, it will be interesting to see how the film performs in the coming weeks.