Twister 2 is in talks with Minari's Lee Isaac Chung to direct. A sequel to the classic 1996 disaster film has been in development since 2020 originally with Joseph Kosinski in early negotiations to direct, who eventually stepped down due to scheduling conflicts with Top Gun: Maverick. The sequel, which is officially titled Twisters and written by The Revenant's Mark L. Smith, has been searching for a replacement ever since with the shortlist reportedly including some top-tier talent. Now, it appears a front-runner for the highly-coveted job has finally emerged.
After an exhaustive search, Lee Isaac Chung is now in early talks to direct Twister 2, according to Deadline. While the Minari helmer hasn't officially joined the project quite yet, there is confidence a deal will be closed considering the filmmaker's personal connection to the subject matter. Currently, no one is in talks to star as the focus is closing Chung's deal.
Why Lee Isaac Chung Is A Great Choice For Twister 2
Minari director Lee Isaac Chung grew up on a small farm in rural Arkansas and all throughout his childhood would have to take cover in a storm cellar whenever a tornado would make landfall nearby. This personal connection to the subject matter has reportedly convinced executives at Universal Pictures and Amblin Entertainment that he is the right director for the job. Chung emerged as the front-runner among a shortlist that reportedly includes Jimmy Chin and Elizabeth Chai Vaserhelyi (Free Solo), Travis Knight (Kubo and the Two Strings), and Dan Trachtenberg. However, the Prey director debunked that he was interested in the job.
Chung is best known for writing and directing the semi-autobiographical drama Minari, which stars Steven Yuen as the patriarch of a Korean-American family who starts a farm in Arkansas during the 1980s. The A24 film garnered critical acclaim for its intimate and heart-wrenching portrayal of family and assimilation, resulting in a total of six Academy Award nominations, including Best Director and Best Screenplay for Chung. Though he has never helmed a big-budget tentpole before, Chung should have no problem making the leap with Twisters. In fact, the Marvel Cinematic Universe has had success hiring acclaimed indie filmmakers like Black Panther's Ryan Coogler, Thor's Taika Waititi, Shang-Chi’s Destin Daniel Cretton, and Eternals' Chloé Zhao. The same could become true for the Twister franchise.
The Twisters script is said to follow the daughter of Jo (Helen Hunt) and Bill (played by the late Bill Paxton) who also became a storm-chaser. Steven Spielberg, who produced the first Twister movie, reportedly loves the sequel's script and is interested in fast-tracking production. With Chung in serious talks to direct, the Minari director could be one of the final pieces of the puzzle, along with Hunt, for Twister 2 to finally start production.
Source: Deadline