After watching “Hit Man” on Netflix, I was immediately excited for “Twisters.” Glen Powell gave a great performance as a fake hitman, continuing his path to A-list celebrity status. While some of my friends watched this new Richard Linklater film, more people were talking about “Bad Boys: Ride or Die,” which came out the same weekend. That was much different when “Twisters” was released July 19, though. It seemed like everyone I knew headed to the theaters during the movie’s opening weekend, a rarity in the summer of 2024. The movie soared past the tracking numbers and grossed $80.5 million at the domestic box office in its opening weekend. It quickly became one of the most discussed movies of the summer throughout the following weeks.
The film is a stand-alone sequel with an entirely new cast to the 1996 disaster film, “Twister.” The new film is not a direct remake of the original, but it uses many of the same elements such as competing crews, similar technology and frequent tornado appearances. While many enjoyed the original film in the 1990s, it did not launch sequels like other action movies. This is why it is so fascinating to see the popularity of the remake today.
The sequel business for nostalgic movies is very tricky. While recent movies like “Roadhouse” and “Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F” were modestly successful, “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny” struggled to find similar results. It’s important to note what works about the original “Twister” film. First, what stands out about this movie is the cast. Bill Paxton and Helen Hunt are great, but it also features Philip Seymour Hoffman, Alan Ruck and Jami Gertz, all of whom have played larger roles in memorable ‘80s and ‘90s movies. Additionally, the nonstop action captures the audience’s attention throughout the film. The constant threat of tornadoes and the feeling of impending disaster moves the plot forward. Oh, and Steven Spielberg was an executive producer on the film. That never hurts.
The new “Twisters” movie has a few things that drove its success at the box office as well. First, the remake captures Powell as he becomes one of Hollywood’s premier stars. Second, it relied on an action-packed plot similar to the original. Finally, it did a great job marketing the movie by prominently featuring the original on Max, the popular streaming service, weeks before its release date. Audiences could watch or rewatch the original which built excitement about the remake.
After “Twisters” headlined the summer movie releases by relying on ‘90s nostalgia and a marketable star, what’s next? What other popular ‘80s and ‘90s movies should be remade? For the record, I’m generally opposed to sequels/remakes from this time because I still find these movies endlessly rewatchable. However, if movie studios want to do it, they should focus on (1) using marketable stars, (2) strong supporting casts, (3) frequent action sequences and (4) ‘80s and ‘90s intellectual property (IP).
I believe the three movies listed below would have great success at the box office amongst a wider moviegoing audience. People might not have heard of these films before, but I doubt younger audiences knew “Twister” before July either. Several ‘80s and ‘90s movies are widely considered untouchable and it’s hard to envision a sequel with their strong fanbase (“Back to the Future” comes to mind). All I’m saying is before dismissing these ideas completely, at least hear them out.
1. “The Goonies” (1985)
Directed by Richard Donner and produced by Steven Spielberg, this movie is the most recognizable one on the list. It follows a group of middle school and high school kids who go on a treasure hunt to save their neighborhood from turning into a golf course. The cast is headlined by Sean Astin, Josh Brolin, Ke Huy Quan and other recognizable faces from the 1980s. The group faces the evil Fratelli family who also hunts for the treasure.
In my opinion, a “Goonies” sequel makes more sense than a remake because many people still watch the original today. Similar to “Twisters,” it could feature a recognizable cast of young actors who find the treasure. The “Stranger Things” TV show provides a blueprint as well. It would also feature nonstop action between booby traps and run-ins with the criminals. The actors in this new movie could be the children of the previous Goonie generation who discover a new treasure of One-Eyed Willy.
It would be interesting to see which young actors would be part of this remade gang. Gabriel LaBelle and Nick Robinson from “Snack Shack” seem like great fits for the Mouth and Brand characters respectively. I also like Geraldine Viswanathan from “Drive-Away Dolls” for her energetic presence in the gang.
2. “Days of Thunder” (1990)
Some people might see this suggestion and say, “That’s the Tom Cruise movie that’s available on every airline!”. Just me? Cruise stars as Cole Trickle (basically Maverick from “Top Gun”) alongside Robert Duvall and Nicole Kidman. He is seriously injured before recovering with the help of Kidman, his doctor in the film (and wife in real life shortly after), to race the Daytona 500.
This movie could be successful because it ties IP from a fairly successful 1990s movie with a movie star role and nonstop action. Cruise’s star power was why many went to see the original and a remake with a young star could have a similar result. I’d like to see Tom Holland in this role, but stars like Austin Butler or Paul Mescal could be fun too. Or, it could just be a Tom Cruise sequel. That still sells movie tickets.
3. “Cliffhanger” (1993)
This is arguably my favorite one, but I doubt a younger generation has heard of it. If you have, you must really like Sylvester Stallone's action movies. In this movie, Stallone loses his nerve after failing to rescue one of his friends. He is forced back into action to rescue a group whose plane crashed on a mountain but soon realizes that they are criminals who lost $100 million on the mountaintop. John Lithgow and Michael Rooker play supporting roles in this disaster movie.
To me, this movie makes more sense as a remake than a sequel because it’s been largely forgotten in movie history. This movie feels primed for an action star remake because its plot features frequent shootouts and massive climbing stunts. Jake Gyllenhaal, who already made a climbing movie with “Everest” in 2015, seems like a natural fit for the Stallone role, but Chris Pratt, Miles Teller and Idris Elba make sense too. Similar to “Twisters,” it's fun, action-packed plot centered around a famous star would draw a large following.
For those who love ‘80s and ‘90s movies, the remakes/sequels are not stopping any time soon. Miles Teller has agreed to remake “An Officer and a Gentleman” and Glen Powell starts shooting “Running Man” in November. The big takeaway from “Twisters” is to make a remake/sequel work, studios must combine a marketable star, a strong supporting cast, frequent action sequences and ‘80s and ‘90s IP. That sounds like a lot, but it’s well worth the swing. Some remakes/sequels will bomb at the box office while others receive high praise, but many more will be produced in the coming years. It’ll be exciting to see what comes next.
