When Twister came out in 1996, fans got to know a group of storm chasers that were sent to install a tornado research device amid a severe weather outbreak in the middle of Oklahoma. Starring a plethora of A-list actors (Bill Paxton, Helen Hunt, Cary Elwes, Alan Ruck and Philip Seymour Hoffman), the movie quickly became the second-highest grossing film that year, along with two Academy Awards nominations.
Now, almost three decades after Twister debuted in theaters, we are getting a sequel to the blockbuster with the 2024 film Twisters. With Glen Powell, Daisy Edgar-Jones and Anthony Ramos leading the film, we once again see a group of scientists who are fascinated by the effects twisters have on middle America. Heading to Oklahoma, they find themselves in a major disaster as they attempt to figure out how to calm down the tornado's innate power of destruction.
Given how it's a standalone sequel to Twister, it would make sense if Twisters didn't necessarily include any Easter eggs tying it to its predecessor. But there's one major cameo featured in the 2024 film, and it pays homage to Bill (who died in 2017 at age 61 due to complications from surgery) in a sentimental way.
In an interview with Entertainment Weekly published on July 11, Bill's son James Paxton revealed he makes a cameo. As for the reason behind it, he said it was his way of honoring his late father and the legacy the film left on Bill's career.
"It's really a cameo, so it's an Easter egg for the fans of Dad and the original," he told the outlet. "I did this one for Dad."
James also explained his personal ties to the movie, as he said making an appearance in Twisters left him emotional over the prospect of his dad not seeing it. After some time thinking about the role, he decided he'd do it.
"I wanted to be a conduit for his spirit there and cheer everyone in this production on to success because I know he would be," James added. "I wanted to do something that really honors his presence in this new chapter and really do something for him. And I realized there's a lot of amazing people involved in this that I would love to get to know. And so it ended up feeling like the right thing to do, to be representative of Dad there."
Fans may know this isn't the only time James has honored Bill in roles he originated on-screen. Back in 2020, he starred in the series finale of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., where he portrayed a young version of his dad's season 1 character John Garrett.
As the entertainment and news associate editor for Good Housekeeping, Adrianna (she/her) writes about everything TV, movies, music and pop culture. She graduated from Yeshiva University with a B.A. in journalism and a minor in business management. She covers shows like The Rookie, 9-1-1 and Grey's Anatomy, though when she’s not watching the latest show on Netflix, she’s taking martial arts or drinking way too much coffee.
