The Real Life Relief Efforts “Twisters” is Supporting

Director Lee Isaac Chung’s Twisters blew into theaters this past weekend and dazzled audiences, spinning up a big box office along with rave critical reviews and audience scores. Filming entirely on location in Oklahoma, Twisters is centered on storm chasers Kate Carter (Daisy Edgar-Jones), Tyler Owens (Glen Powell), Javi (Anthony Ramos), and more who track a series of increasingly dangerous tornadoes across the state. The production was a boon for local businesses—Chung, a native Arkansasan whose last film, the Oscar-nominated Minari, compassionately depicted farm life in his home state, knew it was crucial to ground Twisters in the state where the original was set and where devastating storms like the ones depicted in the film are a real-life occurrence.

To that end, Twisters didn’t just film in Oklahoma and craft a winning sequel to the beloved 1996 original; it also partnered with the American Red Cross to increase awareness of the need for blood donors after a sharp decrease in donations since late Spring. That included this past weekend’s premiere, where guests were able to round up their box office concessions and purchases at Regal theaters, which went to support American Red Cross Disaster Relief. 

While Chung and his talented team were able to whip up massive storefronts and terrifying tornadoes without actually bending a blade of grass, the threat of tornadoes and the damage they do in communities across states like Oklahoma are very real. The Red Cross’s crucial mission is to help prevent and alleviate suffering from a range of destructive disasters, including hurricanes, wildfires, floods, and more. Unfortunately, these disasters are becoming more common as the effects of global warming intensify them. In recent months, swarms of tornadoes and extreme flooding have taken lives and destroyed entire communities. We have also endured one of the longest-lasting and strongest heat waves in years, which has included large portions of the Midwest. We’ve also recently endured the second most active tornado season on record.

As for the kinds of superstorms that Twisters depict, the Red Cross responded to 20 tornado-related disasters across 13 states in just the first five months of 2024. Meteorologists don’t see this letting up; they expect more powerful and destructive storms to continue in the months to come as the effects of the climate crisis continue. This continues a trend of more frequent and intense climate disasters in recent years, so keeping the Red Cross’s work in the public spotlight is key.

“The Red Cross is grateful to have partners like Universal Pictures who are not only lending this support to encourage blood donations during this critical time of year but have also generously donated to help support disaster relief,” said Jennifer Pipa, vice president of Disaster Programs for the Red Cross, in a statement. “Because of the climate crisis, the Red Cross is now launching twice as many relief operations for major disasters than we did a decade ago. And disasters are straining not only our relief operations but also our ability to collect lifesaving blood donations. So far this year, we have collected 20,000 fewer blood donations due to severe weather.”

This is precisely why it’s so important for a beloved film franchise to lend its reach and star power toward helping the American Red Cross make up that gap. If you want to help keep lifesaving blood products stocked on hospital shelves and book a time to give blood or platelets, you can do that via RedCrossBlood.org, calling 1-800-RED CROSS, or using the Red Cross Blood Donor App. Anyone who gives blood or platelets through July 31 will get a Fandango Movie Ticket by email.

For more on Twisters, check out these stories:

“Twisters” Editor Terilyn A. Shropshire on Whipping Up a Winning Cut

Following Its Predecessor’s Successful Path, “Twisters” Touches Down in Oklahoma

Riding the Storm of the Century in the New “Twisters” Trailer

Featured image: Brandon Perea as Boone in Twisters, directed by Lee Isaac Chung.