Aman Goyal
The big-budget tentpole ‘Twisters’ is a disaster thriller about storm chasers who risk their lives to test an experimental weather alert system. Daisy Edgar-Jones steps into the shoes of Kate Cooper, a meteorologist haunted by a devastating past encounter involving nature, and is now researching similar patterns to prevent more catastrophes. She decides to test a groundbreaking new tracking system in a region affected by hurricane season, accompanied by her friend, Javi (Anthony Ramos). The duo cross paths with Tyler Owens (Glen Powell), a social media influencer and self-proclaimed tornado wrangler, surrounded by loud fans.
Directed by Lee Isaac Chung, the sequel to the iconic 1996 blockbuster ‘Twister’ doubles the original’s challenges with the superimposition of twin tornadoes. With strong commentary on climate change, the critically acclaimed movie manages to pull off astonishing stormy adventures with breathtaking visuals that are as attractive as they are deadly. Capturing tornadoes on camera, understandably a tricky task, converted ‘Twisters’ into a spectacular piece of art with plenty of popcorn entertainment.
Twisters Filming Locations
The production team behind ‘Twisters’ once again took the franchise to Oklahoma, where the original ‘Twister’ movie was shot nearly three decades ago. With the story once again taking place in the Sooner State, the decision made all the more sense, considering Oklahoma is well acquainted with extreme weather, unforeseen tornadoes, and floods. After years of rewrites and other creative changes, filming began in May 2023. Following a brief schedule in Los Angeles, California, the South Central route ensued, and production continued there for nearly two months.
The Oklahoma schedule was short-lived, as starting in July, the four-month SAG-AFTRA strike significantly delayed the resumption. Multiple other reasons, including this setback, caused the budget to balloon up to $200 million. Nonetheless, the remainder of the film was completed in November and December, completing the process within 2023. In addition to Oklahoma City, the counties of Grady, Canadian, and Kiowa were also visited for further shooting.
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
‘Twisters’ was primarily filmed in the Oklahoma City metropolitan area. Located within Oklahoma County, the renowned film production complex Prairie Surf Studios at 1 Myriad Gardens hosted the production for 40 days. This allowed the team to utilize greenscreens and appropriately finish filming the otherwise impractical tasks. ‘Twisters’ was the second consecutive major feature film for the studio, which had recently been turned into the 1920s for Martin Scorsese’s ‘Killers of the Flower Moon.’
Several sequences captured the skyline of downtown Oklahoma City in early May 2023, with public closures of West Park Place and North Harvey Avenue all the way to North Broadway Avenue. More downtown shots were captured between North Robinson Avenue from West Main Street and Robert S. Kerr Avenue, surrounded by massive security. The metro areas of Oklahoma served as backdrops for authentic scenes and the exchanges between the characters.
To recreate some interior sequences involving Kate Cooper’s research center, the production transformed the downtown city into New York City. Filming here continued for 50 days. The team built a large rodeo arena along Northeast 23rd and Douglas Boulevard in Midwest City. The local community was even asked to sign non-disclosure agreements since the shooting details could not be hidden from them. Other filming locations within Oklahoma County include the small town of Cashion and the city of Spencer.
Canadian County, Oklahoma
While a portion of Oklahoma City already falls under Canadian County, the county was further explored in the production of ‘Twisters.’ Within this area, other locations featured in the movie include the cities of El Reno and Yukon. In El Reno, the local rail-based trolley El Reno Heritage Express makes appearances, edited by special effects, as if it was thrown at Glen Powell and Daisy Edgar-Jones amidst the mist.
In the town of Okarche, the overpass at Northwest Expressway, which directly connects to Oklahoma City, was utilized for a major action sequence in which the tornado chases the main characters as they drive away. This temporarily blocked the bridge, and drivers were advised to use Old 81 Access instead to head south.
Other Filming Locations in Oklahoma
Outside the metropolitan area, ‘Twisters’ was filmed in several other cities and villages in Oklahoma, including the city of Chickasha in Grady County. Throughout June 2023, locals witnessed road closures near the old Wan Dora Tavern at 502 South 17th Street. Iowa Avenue and Dakota Avenue also hosted the production team in the middle of the month. At the same time, Minnesota Avenue saw areas between 16th Street and 18th Street closed to the public until early July.
In the city of Hobart in Kiowa County, the second unit recorded B-roll footage of empty streets and windy surroundings. The special effects team enhanced these shots, along with others, to depict tornadoes. Similar filming occurred in Pond Creek in Grant County. Orienta, an unincorporated community in Major County, was visited for its natural landscapes, such as the backdrops of the Glass Mountains and Cimarron River. State Highway 15 between the region and Cleo Springs is extensively featured.
North of the city of Fairview, a nearby gas station doubled for the fictional Lone Ranger Inn, where Glen Powell first appears. Particularly active in agricultural practices, the farmlands and barn storages of the town were captured, including a crucial scene involving a grain elevator. The ranches added authenticity and made agriculture the only viable option to stand against climate change, thus delivering a subtle metaphorical message through ‘Twisters.’
Los Angele County, California
Before heading to Oklahoma, the production team of ‘Twisters’ had a brief stop in Los Angeles County in California. While the specific portions taped in the city are not known, the movie supposedly used the Warner Bros. Studios at 4000 Warner Boulevard in Burbank in the San Fernando Valley. The enormous lot previously hosted the filming of the original ‘Twister,’ particularly the sequences involving characters trapped inside a tornado.
With relatively less time to prepare setpieces in Oklahoma, the Universal-Warner Bros. production likely preferred kicking off the schedule nearby. The century-old studio has encountered many otherworldly tasks, including the rotating gravity in ‘Inception‘ and the breaking of tidewater glaciers in ‘Interstellar,’ as well as the aliens and dinosaurs living on Earth in ‘War of the Worlds’ and ‘Jurassic Park,’ respectively. The alignment of ‘Twisters’ with this legendary set of convention-defying spectacles brought more value to its visuals.
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