Moviegoers ran toward the tornadoes this weekend, propelling Twisters to a blockbuster opening. The standalone sequel to the 1996 hit rang up $80.5 million in ticket sales from 4,151 theaters in North America, according to studio estimates Sunday. That's about $30 million more than analysts expected initially and makes for the biggest opening of a live-action movie yet this summer, the AP reports. Its overperformance recalled the debut of Oppenheimer last year on the same weekend; similarities include the studio, Universal, and the numbers. But there are important differences: Oppenheimer was 3 hours long, rated R—Twisters is PG-13—and historical. And it shared in the collective enthusiasm around its release date companion, Barbie.
Twisters is a franchise; it may not be a direct sequel to "Twister" but it is benefiting from brand recognition. The original Jan de Bont-directed film starring Helen Hunt and Bill Paxton was a financial hit and has only become more popular over the years. Twisters, directed by Lee Isaac Chung, does not include any of that film's characters. The Universal, Warner Bros., and Amblin production cost an estimated $200 million to produce. Critics were mostly positive, with audiences giving the film an A- CinemaScore and 4.5 stars on PostTrak. And Twisters has whipped up spirited online debate, some about the film not explicitly referencing climate change and some about the lack of a kiss between Glen Powell and Daisy Edgar-Jones. A video showing the kiss that was left on the cutting room floor has made the rounds on social media.
Below are estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at US and Canadian theaters, according to Comscore. Final domestic figures will be released Monday.
- Twisters, $80.5 million.
- Despicable Me 4, $23.8 million.
- Inside Out 2, $12.8 million.
- Longlegs, $11.7 million.
- A Quiet Place: Day One, $6.1 million.
- Fly Me to the Moon, $3.4 million.
- Bad Boys: Ride or Die, $2.7 million.
- Bad Newz, $1.1 million.
- MaXXXine, $819,242.
- The Bikeriders, $700,000.
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