Twisters, the latest installment in the popular franchise produced by Amblin and co-written by Michael Crichton, has made a significant impact in the U.S. and Canada with a weekend box office collection of $50M. This number easily surpasses the opening weekend performance of the original movie back in 1996, which generated $41M. Additionally, the film has already raked in $12.5M from international markets within just one day.
Universal is handling the domestic distribution of Twisters, while Warner Bros is taking care of the overseas release. This is a reversal from the original film, where Warner Bros had the U.S./Canada release and Universal was responsible for the international distribution. Twisters is set to open in 38 more markets this week, including major countries like France, Germany, Italy, Spain, UK, and China. It is expected that by the end of the weekend, the total international box office earnings will reach $45M-$50M, pushing the global total past the $100M mark.
As audiences eagerly anticipate the release of Twisters, there is also the looming competition from the upcoming blockbuster Deadpool & Wolverine, set to have the biggest R-rated movie opening ever on July 26. Despite this, Twisters has successfully generated buzz, with a recent screening at the Taormina Film Festival coinciding with an active volcano, Mount Etna, erupting in the background.
In the U.S., Twisters will be shown in 4,000 theaters equipped with premium formats like Imax, PLFS, and ScreenX. Universal’s confidence in the film is evident from the extensive marketing campaign and early screenings that have been organized for weeks leading up to the release. Fan screenings in Imax and PLF are scheduled for Wednesday, followed by previews on Thursday for the PG-13 rated movie.
The original Twister film was a huge success, grossing $241.8M domestically and $494.5M globally. With the strong opening weekend performance of the new installment, Universal is poised for another box office hit. Twisters is expected to perform well in its second weekend despite competition, with the potential to maintain its momentum and surpass expectations. The success of Twisters also indicates a promising trend for the summer movie season, with other films like Despicable Me 4 and Longlegs also making significant box office gains.