“Twisters” the long- awaited sequel to the 1996 blockbuster “Twister,” tornadoes its way to theaters this weekend.

From the producers of the Jurassic Park, Bourne, and Indiana Jones series, the film looks to be a seat-gripping, big-screen thrill ride.

The film is directed by Lee Isaac Chung, the Oscar nominated writer-director of “Minari.” It stars Golden Globe nominee Daisy Edgar-Jones (“Where the Crawdads Sing,” “Normal People”), Glen Powell (“Anyone But You,” “Top Gun: Maverick”), and the Primetime Emmy Award nominee Anthony Ramos (“In The Heights,” “Transformers: Rise of the Beasts”). It’s penned by Mark L. Smith (“The Revenant”) from a story by Joseph Kosinski (director of “Top Gun: Maverick”).

Click this link for dates, times, and locations for Fresno area showings.

Related Story: Local Film ‘Camp Terror’ Hits the Streaming Services

The Story

The official synopsis: “Edgar-Jones stars as Kate Carter, a former storm chaser haunted by a devastating encounter with a tornado during her college years who now studies storm patterns on screens safely in New York City. She is lured back to the open plains by her friend, Javi (Ramos) to test a groundbreaking new tracking system. There, she crosses paths with Tyler Owens (Powell), the charming and reckless social-media superstar who thrives on posting his storm-chasing adventures with his raucous crew, the more dangerous the better. As storm season intensifies, terrifying phenomena never seen before are unleashed, and Kate, Tyler, and their competing teams find themselves squarely in the paths of multiple storm systems converging over central Oklahoma in the fight of their lives.”

The Original Was a Blockbuster Hit

The original film starred Helen Hunt (“As Good As It Gets”) and the late Bill Paxton (“Titanic”). It was directed by Jan de Bont (“Speed) and written by Michael Crichton (“Jurassic Park”) and Anne-Marie Martin. It was one of the most popular blockbusters of the decade, a major contributor to the disaster film genre of the 1990s, and it had groundbreaking special effects. The film grossed $495 million.

The sequel was announced in 2020 and principal photography took place in Oklahoma in 2023. The film is being released on the heels of the growing popularity of its leading man, Glen Powell. He most recently starred in the dark comedy “Hit Man” on Netflix that he co-wrote and produced.

Brandon Perea, Maura Tierney, and Sasha Lane round out the cast.

The film is being released Friday. It was produced by Universal Pictures, Warner Bros. Pictures, and Amblin Entertainment.

Related Story: Fresno Offers Free Movie Tickets for Seniors to Beat the Heat