‘Twisters’ Box Office: How 4DX Screenings and Midwestern Moviegoers Propelled the Sequel to Blockbuster Status (2024)

Moviegoers embraced the storm this weekend, propelling “Twisters” to a blockbuster $81.25 million opening weekend. That’s far above expectations of $50 million to $55 million and enough to score the third-biggest debut of the year behind “Inside Out 2” ($154 million) and “Dune: Part Two” ($82 million).

Of course, “Twisters,” a standalone sequel to the 1996 disaster epic “Twister,” benefitted from nostalgia. The original adventure, starring Helen Hunt, Bill Paxton, Cary Elwes andPhilip Seymour Hoffman, was hugely successful with $496 million globally (which is nearly $1 billion, adjusted for inflation) and remains a touchstone for audiences.

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However, analysts point out that brand familiarity isn’t enough these days to fill seats in multiplexes. This May’s “Furosia: A Mad Max Saga,” a prequel to the acclaimed 2015 action film “Mad Max: Fury Road,” struggled to sell tickets despite great reviews, while last year’s big-budget sequels like “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny” and “Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One” fell cavernously short of expectations — and lost millions in their theatrical runs. With that in mind, “Twisters” hit the mark because the film didn’t rely on recognizable names and characters to generate interest. The sequel, directed by “Minari” filmmaker Lee Isaac Chung, instead introduced an entirely new band of storm chasers, portrayed by Daisy Edgar-Jones, Glen Powell and Anthony Ramos, who fight for their lives as multiple tornadoes converge over central Oklahoma.

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“Relatable characters, rural settings, a mix of spectacle, fun, and heart are just a few ingredients contributing to the film’s success with people from a wide variety of lifestyles and backgrounds,” says Shawn Robbins, the founder of Box Office Theory.

Universal backed the $155 million-budgeted movie, which has generated $124.7 million globally to date. Audiences embraced “Twisters,” and its A- grade on CinemaScore bodes well for word of mouth. “Twisters” also solidifies the box office bankability of Powell, the “Top Gun: Maverick” actor who propelled last December’s romantic comedy “Anyone But You,” co-starring Sydney Sweeney, to sleeper hit status and $220 million globally. (According to PostTrak, nearly a quarter of moviegoers cited Powell as their reason for buying a ticket). Chung, Edgar-Jones and Ramos, too, just boosted their asking prices.

“It’s a classic, fun summer blockbuster in every sense,” says Mike Barstow, executive VP of the Nebraska-based Main Street Theatres. “Yes, it’s a sequel. But audiences realized that it could stand on its own. It wasn’t trying to push out the same story.”

Barstow and his patrons aren’t strangers to these devastating natural disasters. He believes the film resonated in the middle of the country because it was relatable for people whose lives have been affected by tornados. “It’s just something we live with in the Midwest,” Barstow says. “We can draw on experiences from growing up.”

Midwesterners indeed turned out in force, leading “Twisters” to overperform in the cinemas between the coasts. Traditionally, New York City and Los Angeles have the highest-attended venues in the country. But over the weekend, the top-earning theater for “Twisters” was Regal Warren Moore in Oklahoma City, while the No. 3 spot was Regal Pinnacle in Knoxville, Tenn. Regional chain Santikos Palladium in San Antonio was fourth in terms of grosses, while AMC locations in Nashville and Dallas also ranked high on the list.

“We’ve been at or near capacity for every showtime,” Barstow says. “I think it’ll play through August.”

Other exhibitors in the middle of the country admit they don’t totally understand the rationale behind the disproportionate turnout among patrons for whom the dangers of tornados are all too terrifyingly familiar.

“It’s hard for me to understand the psyche, but maybe it helps people to see a movie where the disaster is even worse than real life,” says Blake Hastings, CEO of Santikos, which operates 27 theaters across the south and Midwest. “Storm chasers are exciting. It’s dangerous. It’s risky. ‘Twisters’ was the first four-quadrant movie we’ve had in a while.”

Robbins compares “Twisters” to 2022’s billion-dollar smash “Top Gun: Maverick” as proof that Hollywood can “benefit from making tentpole content that organically appeals to America’s heartland.” He adds, “There’s a big audience outside the big cities and they have a meaningful impact on the theatrical landscape.”

“Twisters” was also hugely popular on 4DX screens, which allows for a uniquely immersive presentation. Cinema operators often say the theatrical experience can’t be replicated at home, and in this case, it really can’t be duplicated. In 4DX auditoriums, seats are equipped to shake, vibrate and occasionally shoot out water in sync with the action that’s unfolding on screen. It’s the closest that moviegoers can get to experiencing a tornado without going outside. Inaugural ticket sales for “Twisters” in 4DX were roughly $2.1 million, which is 30% higher than the format’s previous opening weekend record holder, 2023’s “Super Mario Bros. Movie” with $1.57 million.

“There’s no better movie for this format,” says Eduardo Acuna, CEO of Regal Cinemas, whose nationwide locations house around 50 4DX auditoriums. “It’s like being on a theme park ride. You feel so immersed in the movie. You get moved emotionally and physically.”

After a terrible start to summer, the disaster movie is the latest June and July offering to beat expectations and get people to theaters after Disney’s Pixar sequel “Inside Out 2,” Universal and Illumination’s “Despicable Me 4,” Paramount’s nearly silent prequel “A Quiet Place: Day One” and Neon’s horror sleeper hit “Longlegs.” Those films helped to shrink the year-to-date deficit from 21% to 17%, according to Comscore.Exhibitors are expecting the good times to continue this weekend asMarvel’s “Deadpool & Wolverine,” starring Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman as their comic book alter egos, lands on the big screen. The superhero sequel is projected to secure one of the top debuts of 2024.

“We’re very hopeful that this will be the biggest weekend of the year,” says Hastings. “It’ll be a balancing act of figuring out how many auditoriums to allocate to ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ and ‘Twisters.’ It’s a good problem to have.”

‘Twisters’ Box Office: How 4DX Screenings and Midwestern Moviegoers Propelled the Sequel to Blockbuster Status (2024)

FAQs

Will Twisters be in 4DX? ›

Both Twister and Twisters comes alive in 4DX with mind-blowing special effects. The 4DX experience will have you in the middle of the action, so you can feel the power of an F5 tornado right from your seat, and leave you feeling like a storm chaser.

How does movie box office work? ›

Usually, a portion of theater ticket sales goes to theater owners, with the studio and distributor getting the remaining money. Traditionally, a larger chunk went to the studio during the opening weekend of a film. As the weeks went on, the theater operator's percentage rose.

What is the box office for movies? ›

When people talk about the box office, they are referring to the degree of success of a film or play in terms of the number of people who go to watch it or the amount of money it makes.

Can you turn off 4DX seats? ›

Can the 4DX effects be turned off? There is a button on the arm rest, which can be used to turn the water effects off. No other effects can be turned on/off. All chairs will move together, and no individual chairs can be stopped.

Do you get wet in a 4DX movie? ›

Water: The spray water used during the 4DX show is purified and should not cause physical injury, but it can wet clothing, damage moisture-sensitive clothing, cause slight odors, and affect makeup. In addition, such water can cause discomfort when using 3D glasses.

Do actors get paid after box office? ›

Some actors will also receive bonuses for their work if they are nominated for awards or achieve certain box office milestones. A portion of the revenue from international distribution, streaming rights and syndication can also be negotiated as payment through backend deals.

Which movie is the #1 watched box office movie ever? ›

On this chart, films are ranked by the revenues from theatrical exhibition at their nominal value, along with the highest positions they attained. Six films in total have grossed in excess of $2 billion worldwide, with Avatar ranked in the top position.

Did Disney lose 900 million? ›

Disney owns the MCU, Star Wars, Avatar, and a massive backlog of iconic classics. Despite this, Disney has struggled to keep its momentum throughout the summer of 2023, with several big box office failures causing the company to lose an estimated $900 million across several underperforming movies.

What is the #1 best movie ever? ›

Citizen Kane (1941) stood at number 1 for five consecutive polls, with 22 votes in 1962, 32 votes in 1972, 45 votes in 1982, 43 votes in 1992, and 46 votes in 2002.

What is the #1 movie in the world in 2024? ›

Top Grossing Movies of 2024
RankMovieGenre
1Inside Out 2Adventure
2Despicable Me 4Adventure
3Dune: Part TwoAction
4Deadpool & WolverineAction
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Who is 4DX not suitable for? ›

“If you are pregnant, elderly, physically or mentally sensitive or have any of the following health conditions, you should not use a 4DX auditorium: high blood pressure, heart conditions, allergies, neck or back conditions or epilepsy.” You can read the full list of safety guidelines here.

Does Dallas have a 4DX theater? ›

Along with being the first 4DX auditorium in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, Red Oak's 4DX theater is also B&B Theatres' first-ever 4DX auditorium.

Which is better, IMAX or 4DX? ›

How does 4DX work? 4DX is often mistaken for or compared to IMAX 3D. However, both are vastly different standards. IMAX screens have more to do with the picture quality and the sound, whereas 4DX is more about the seats and practical effects.

Do we get 3D glasses in 4DX? ›

4DX films will not necessarily be presented in 3D. If the particular film is also presented with 3D, glasses will be required. 3D glasses are available to purchase in cinema for an additional $1.00, and are yours to keep and reuse on future visits.

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