If you feel it, chase it — that little pearl of wisdom applies to obsessive storm-chasers and humble movie fans, alike. Despite its somewhat ham-fisted attempt to connect itself to a preexisting franchise (if the original 1996 movie can even be called that), “Twisters” felt like a breath of fresh air upon release this past July. In my review for /Film, I called it a “satisfying, crowd-pleasing effort [that] somehow rides the fine line between its IP obligations and a refreshingly self-contained experience” and I stand by every word. Sure, its impressive box-office performance was fueled by a number of factors (not least of all the Glen Powell Effect), but deep down I believe audiences responded to its throwback charms as the kind of Amblin-esque movie that we simply don’t get enough of anymore.
Although it was practically made to be experienced on the biggest screen possible, that likely won’t stop anyone from wanting to relive director Lee Isaac Chung’s earnest and down-to-earth homage to his Midwestern roots. Universal Pictures has given its summer blockbuster an extended run in theaters, but now viewers will soon be able to catch all that wind-blown destruction and unbearably-charged romance (even sans that widely-debated kiss) for themselves without ever needing to leave their living room. The studio has announced that “Twisters” will be made available to rent or purchase on digital platforms as soon as August 13, 2024. But that’s not all! Fans will also receive access to a few behind-the-scenes extras, too.
Twisters touches down on digital PVOD
I have some good news and I have some even better news. For those who still haven’t managed to catch “Twisters” in theaters just yet, well, you can still do exactly that! Starring Glen Powell and Daisy Edgar-Jones, the disaster flick follows a group of storm-chasers across the Oklahoma plains as they attempt to do the impossible and acquire enough research data to (get this) stop tornadoes from ever forming in the first place and causing so much destruction. Much like the original movie starring Bill Paxton and Helen Hunt, however, they quickly realize that they’re utterly at the mercy of one of nature’s most terrifying forces. And, similar to “Twister,” the hints of romance between Powell’s reckless cowboy Tyler and Edgar-Jones’ more buttoned-up Kate causes even more sparks to fly than the actual tornadoes do (even if, again, we’re still bitter about that cut kiss from the ending). But for those eager to catch all the action again from home, “Twisters” will soon come to digital platforms such as Apple TV, Fandango at Home (formerly Vudu), Comcast Xfinity, Cox, and Microsoft Movies & TV.
To sweeten the deal even more, viewers who purchase digital copies of the film will also receive access to a number of behind-the-scenes extras. These include a gag reel (another lost art that we don’t see nearly enough of these days) and even a batch of deleted scenes — though, conspicuously, the press release includes no additional details about exactly which scenes this might include. Also absent are any specifics on the upcoming Blu-ray, 4K, and DVD release for “Twisters.” Going by traditional release scheduling for Universal Pictures Home Entertainment, however, we can safely expect this to happen within a few short months.
