Where Twister Was Filmed (& Why The Locations Look So Authentic)

The scenic vistas and incredible wide shots of Twister have led many fans to wonder, “Where was Twister filmed?” Twister is a classic of the natural disaster movie genre. Starring Helen Hunt, Bill Paxton, Cary Elwes, Alan Ruck, and Philip Seymour Hoffman, Twister tells the thrilling story of storm chasers going after tornadoes. With its blend of campy action and tons of heart, it’s also one of the consummate ’90s movies.

It was not an easy film to get off the ground, however. Twister was plagued by production problems from the start, with unpredictable weather disrupting shoots and an even more unpredictable director causing at least 20 people to walk off the set (via EW). Through all those woes, Twister came out a huge success, grossing $494,580,615 at the worldwide box office (via Box Office Mojo). Nearly 20 years later, a new Twister is coming out, and it’s clear the excitement of the first film has not worn off. And the original film’s authentic shooting locations added to its authenticity.

Twister Was Mostly Filmed On Location In Wakita, Oklahoma

Iowa And A California Sound Stage Were Also Used

Twister was primarily filmed on location in Oklahoma (via New York Times). The scene of Bill (Paxton) and Jonas (Elwes) fighting outside a desolate diner was filmed in Maysville with the establishment being built especially for the film (via Giggster). When waterspouts nearly overturn Bill’s truck on a bridge, that sequence was filmed near Kaw City and Kaw Lake. The drive-in movie theater scene was filmed at a real drive-in in Guthrie, while the scenes in Wakita were filmed in the actual town, with the old-fashioned houses a perfect backdrop.

Other scenes of Bill and Jo (Hunt) having a heart-to-heart and watching a tornado bare down on them were filmed in various locations in Iowa, but the ending was primarily shot in Eldora, Iowa. The sequence of Bill and Jo inside the tornado was filmed on a soundstage at the Warner Brothers Burbank Studios in California. Filming on site was no easy task, considering Oklahoma is known for its extreme weather, including city-destroying tornadoes. The director, Jan de Bont, told the New York Times,

“It was like nothing that I’ve encountered in my life. We were filming in the middle of nowhere with a crew of 350 people. We had major rainstorms, and we were shooting with tornadoes all around us. We had the worst flooding last year in Oklahoma. We kept getting stuck in mud. The whole thing was like moving a circus around dirt roads.”

That the crew was able to make such a fantastic film, let alone a film at all, is a testament to everyone’s skill and commitment to the production.

Wakita Was Glad To Have The Movie In Their City

Two years before filming began, Wakita was hit by a massive hailstorm carrying grapefruit-sized chunks of ice (via Enid News). Much of the debris had still not been cleaned up when the Twister location scout arrived, but they deemed that perfect, considering the end of their film required the town of Wakita to be leveled anyway. And it wasn’t just the Oklahoma backdrops that helped get Twister made — residents of Wakita were also happy to perform as extras in the film.

It was a perfect marriage of community and filmmaking, and both sides were pleased with the arrangement. Many Wakita residents worked as extras. One resident recalled,

“They had a casting call in Wakita, so we could sign up to be extras and pretty much everybody did. And they called us and they fed us and they paid us (about $100 per day) and we could see the stars. It was a pretty good deal for us.”

Bill Paxton left a note for the residents, thanking them for their hospitality that read,

“To the citizens of Wakita, thanks for helping me feel at home. Best always, Bill Paxton.”

That letter, videos, pictures, and more can all be found in the Twister Museum in Wakita, a symbol of the town’s fondness for the movie putting their little community on the map. Tornado Alley is a very recognizable location and the people who live there are true Mid-Westerners. It would have been hard for de Bont and his crew to fake it. Having a real town with the actual people involved as extras gave a critical authenticity to Twister.

Twister

In Twister, Bill and Jo Harding, advanced storm chasers on the brink of divorce, must join together to create an advanced weather alert system by putting themselves in the cross-hairs of extremely violent tornadoes. Jo’s childhood was stricken by the trauma of losing her father to a deadly F5 tornado, setting her on the path of a storm chaser. Having developed a new technology with her team named “Dorothy,” Jo seeks to make Tornadoes more predictable to give people a chance to make it to safety. Jo’s obsession created a rift between her husband, but new breakthroughs may bring them back together as the two pursue their greatest challenge yet – an incoming system that will produce yet another F5. 

Director

Jan de bont

Release Date

May 10, 1996

Cast

Jami Gertz , Helen Hunt , Cary Elwes , Bill Paxton , Phillip Seymour Hoffman , Alan Ruck , Todd Field , Jeremy Davies

Runtime

113 minutes

Budget

$92 million