Genre: Action.
Studio:
Warner Brothers.
Production Company:
Unknown.
Project Phase: Script Stage.
Who's In It:
Unknown.
Who's Making It:
Darren Lemke (Screenwriter).
Premise: Unknown.
Release Date: Unknown.
Comments: Well, when the original takes in nearly half a billion dollars worldwide, what d'you expect? There's always a new storm on the horizon!
Rumors: Unknown.
Scoop Feedback:
August 24, 1997... Warner Brothers announced that screenwriter Jonathan Lemkin has been hired to write a follow-up to the 1996 summer hit Twister. Nothing else was included about the storyline, or if Twister stars Helen Hunt or Bill Paxton would reprise their roles. [Scoop sent in by 'rgrimm', 'jfbegin1', 'grubenst', Todd Dupler and ZENtertainment.]
August 26, 1997... No sooner than WB announce its intentions on developing a stormy sequel than this scoop blows into our mailbox:
"I thought it was a weird rumour, before i found your page mentioning it that Twister 2 is really on the horizon.
"Last month i was in LA on a party and there was this guy who claimed to be *in the business* ... he tried to impress the girls with being kinda producer or what, but i think he was more a tech person...
"He told that there are plans for a Twister sequel, and, main scoop, like Lost World did it and Godzilla is going to do it : send the CGI's into big cities!!! So, what we most likely will see is one or several twisters occuring in a big city, causing lots a damage. (i wonder how this it meteorological possible... but.. what the heck)"
(Good point to make. Since when has reality had anything to do with neato scenes of destruction?)
"The plot, so far, is very near to the usual catastrophe flicks like the 70 i.e. Earthquake (this guy also said that they are doing a new version of that...) so, no characters mentioned yet.
"Oh, and one idea, but he said this is not going to happen: a *bad* twister ... somehow artificially created, or accidently man-made (kinda weather experiment : say hello to doc emmet brown :)
"Personally, i like the idea of a city (he he, new york too ?? poor city) being struck very much." As much as we hate to say it, we do too. Ok, so it's about as likely to happen in real life as good 'ol Bill Paxton and Helen Hunt not being sandblasted to death inside an F5...but did you really care about that when you saw that immense black funnel bearing down on them? C'mon...were you really that irritated to mention to the person beside you that their CB unit had to have one helluva pickup range for Jami Gertz's character to hear the two lovebirds kiss and make up?? (Ok....but we're different. And $280 million dollars in loose change can kill us, so we're gonna shut up right now.) [Scoop submitted by 'caipirina'.]
There have been some science fiction novels from recent years that may serve as inspiration for this possible storyline. One is John Barnes' Mother of Storms book, where a massive hurricane threatens to destroy the entire planet. Another is Heavy Weather by Bruce Sterling, where an F6 actually manifests and levels parts of the United States... (Geez, now we feel like the digital version of 'Oprah's Book-of-the-Month Club'...)
September 2, 1997... In an interview with Excite's website, Twister producer Laurie MacDonald said that at the present time only Helen Hunt's character, Jo, will be the only one back for the sequel. However it is still very early in the creative process and Hunt's involvement (or co-star Bill Paxton's involvement) may change. [Thanks to 'MacPsychic' for the tidbit.]
"Not a scoop, but the idea of a twister or two setting down in a city? Been there. Done that. 'Black Friday', Edmonton, Alberta, Canada July 31st, 1987. A tornado in Canada? And people thought we have perpetual winter up here." [Sent by 'lucifer-sam'.]
September 17, 1997... "I spent Labor Day weekend with my friend who is a technical director at ILM and we got into a conversation about how appalled I was that there was even a remote chance that Twister 2 would hit the screens.
"My friend (who was one of the key players in creating the original Twister effects) had some interesting tidbits to add.
"1. Warner isn't making Twister 2... Universal Studios is picking it up... I'm not sure if I'm confusing this comment with another conversation, but I'm pretty sure this is correct. However, it seems odd to me that Warner would dump a project that could potentially generate $$s.
"2. Jan Du Bont has no interest in helming the sequel
"and...
"3. ILM will NOT be doing the effects since they'll be too busy with the Star Wars prequels to take on such an FX heavy show. My friend speculated that Digital Domain was probably a good bet to take up the slack. (if DD doesn't fold)
"He didn't know the particulars of the script. When I mentioned the scooper concept of a city being plagued by tornadoes, we both cringed." [Submitted by an fearful anonymous scooper.]
November 18, 1997... .We're told that the story's premise will feature the technology developed by the Hunt and Paxton characters in predicting tornadoes, but not much else. Digital Domain has been contacted ("not contracted, mind you," the scooper is fast to point out) to do the effects. A Spring 1999 release date is hoped for. [F3 scoop submitted by 'cpfuhr'.]
And you don't think twisters can land in cities, do you? Well...we did, and we're wrong. Trust the fellas at the U of A to sort us out:
"Just thought us meteorologists at the University of Arkansas would drop you a line to let your fans know that tornadoes can and do happen in metropolitan areas, it is the the likelihood of a tornado hitting ANYWHERE is pretty much random chance. Remeber tornadoes, even f6's are really small compared to the geography of the United States. Just this past spring the city of Miami, Florida had a small, relatively weak tornado very near the downtown area. Also in 1976, a tornado hit in the city of Tulsa, Oklahoma. It is rare, but it does happen. It is just a matter of time until a large tornado hits a major city. That is reality!" Whoa. Mr. Lemkin, if you're reading this page and are still thinking up an idea, contact us. We'll do lunch. [Fun weather info courtesy of Metrologist 'jdubbs'.]
Although it's not really about the new film it's a scoop nevertheless. Word is that a Twister amusement ride is being developed and designed for Universal Studios Florida, and that the ride will emulate the film's climactic 'drive' sequence with Paxton and Hunt. Apparently the Ghostbusters ride is scheduled to be demolished to make way for the new tour-de-force... [Scoop handed in by 'Liquid Aggression'.]
April 11, 1998... This scooper writes to us that the majority of the scoop information we've posted about this project isn't accurate. They've sent us the latest news concerning the project, but readers should keep in mind that we don't know who this scooper is. If they would come forward and allow us to verify their position (keeping them anonymous, of course), we could back the material up.
But they did have interesting things to say... "Under the original deal, both Universal and Warner Bros. will produce the picture. At first, Michael Crichton declined to write the script for the sequel, so WB went out and hired another writer. Then, in February 1998, Crichton turned in a completed first draft for the sequel. The script has to do with leaving probes inside buildings that will be hit by tornadoes, so that the scientists can get more data and hopefully assist in developing building materials that will withstand the force of the tornado (and thereby save lives). The two heroes are the same Jo and Bill that appeared in the first movie. Now WB and Universal are deciding if they want to use the Crichton script, or if they want to go with the writer they already hired." [Anonymous.]
October 20, 1998... Somebody who wants some credit says: "Just when you thought it was safe to come out of the root cellar, another tornado movie is starting to swirl. Warner Bros. has hired Darren Lemke to write a sequel to Twister, the 1996 hit that earned almost $500 million around the world. Variety says neither Helen Hunt nor Bill Paxton, the stars of the original, or Jan De Bont, the director, are onboard yet but sources say the sequel is being written with Hunt and Paxton in mind. The Twister 2 script will be based on a story by Michael Crichton, who co-wrote the original film." [Originally appeared in Variety; reported by 'givemesomecreditforonce...' Sure thing, buddy.]