Blockbuster Opening for “Twisters” Surprises Analysts, Exceeding Expectations by $30 Million

Moviegoers were swept up in a whirlwind of excitement this weekend as “Twisters” blew into theaters with a blockbuster opening. The standalone sequel to the 1996 hit made an impressive $80.5 million in ticket sales from 4,151 theaters in North America, exceeding analysts’ expectations and marking the biggest opening of a live-action movie this summer.

Directed by Lee Isaac Chung, “Twisters” is a franchise film that capitalizes on the brand recognition of the original film, “Twister,” which starred Helen Hunt and Bill Paxton. Despite not featuring any characters from the original, the new film introduces a new generation of storm chasers and delivers a thrilling and immersive experience that resonated with audiences.

Critics may have had mixed reviews, but audiences gave “Twisters” an enthusiastic A- CinemaScore and 4.5 stars on PostTrak. The film’s success was also fueled by its country music-heavy soundtrack, which included a new Luke Combs single and garnered millions of streams.

The film’s performance at the box office is a promising sign for the movie industry, which has been recovering from a difficult start to the summer movie season. With another highly anticipated film, “Deadpool & Wolverine,” set to storm theaters next weekend, the competition is heating up. It remains to be seen how “Twisters” will fare in its second weekend against this new contender, but the excitement and positive buzz around the film suggest that it will continue to draw audiences in.

Overall, “Twisters” has proven to be a force of nature at the box office, setting the stage for a thrilling and competitive summer movie season.