Bill Paxton has done a lot of work with James Cameron (The Terminator, Aliens, True Lies, Titanic), and because of this past, he’s very happy to see Cameron’s Avatar doing so well at the box office. The movie that had people nervous with its rumored record-breaking budget has made $380 million domestically and $757 million overseas, and was custom built for the new 3D technology that has swarmed theaters as of late. This three-dimensional revolution has caught the eye of Paxton, and it has his brain churning about the prospect of actually doing a sequel to his hit 1996 disaster film Twister using the format.
While doing an interview for his HBO show Big Love, Paxton was asked about his upcoming projects. Paxton went on to reveal his new found desire to revisit the world of storm chasing, and that he had already met with mega producer Kathleen Kennedy about the idea. He explained that he had recently gone on a trip to the Ozarks with friend and Twister colleague Scott Thomson, and that they followed the trail of one of the biggest tornadoes ever to touch down. The 1925 beast was estimated to measure one mile in width, and it traveled 219 miles while taking the lives of 700 people with it. It was in this historically devastating storm that Paxton found himself pondering the thought of a sequel and using the technology that is doing so well in Avatar.
That would need Steven Spielberg’s blessing, ultimately, and they probably won’t take it to him ‘til there’s real studio interest, but I think the 3D applications of that could obviously be pretty amazing.
The only reason I’d like to revisit that ground is because I realize we’re living in a time where big movies cost so much to make that the town is looking for built-in audiences. Of course, I’m so glad to see that the success of ‘Avatar’ is disproving that theory, but…I always thought the first ‘Twister’ was an exciting ride, but I thought a sequel could explore it in a more enthralling way, getting into more of the history and the lore, more of a darker version of the first one.
I’m not someone who likes the ridiculous over-usage of 3D going on today, but I’m also someone who doesn’t think a sequel to Twister is the worst idea. I was but a young pup when the first one came out, but let’s face it: that was a really fun movie, and much like Avatar, in a giant IMAX 3D setting, a sequel could be a great theme park ride-like experience.
Would you be interested in a little more cinematic storm chasing in 3D? Keep in mind that, as Paxton said, this is all strictly just an idea, and that a lot still needs to happen for this to go anywhere, but it does sound like a realistic possibility. And let us not forget: Twister did launch the career of a one Philip Seymour Hoffman, back when some thought that he could be the next Chris Farley. Apparently he had other plans.
[Source: AICN via Premium Hollywood]
