Glen Powell’s leading role in the upcoming disaster movie Twisters is making up for a mistake from 2022’s Top Gun: Maverick. The long-awaited Tom Cruise sequel grossed nearly $1.5 billion at the box office, making it one of the highest-grossing movies ever and introducing the masses to Glen Powell. The 35-year-old actor had been appearing in films for years, including a minor role in The Dark Knight Rises, but it wasn’t until he played Hangman in the Top Gun sequel that he truly made waves, launching him into the spotlight as one of Hollywood’s most exciting young stars.

Glen Powell recently starred opposite Sydney Sweeny in the romantic comedy Anyone But You, which became a massive hit on a medium budget, grossing over $200 million. 2024 will be Powell’s biggest year yet, as roles he earned from his heightened Top Gun popularity are finally beginning to be released. Summer 2024 will be enormous for the young star, as Glen Powell has an exciting new action movie releasing on Netflix in June, then a big-budget blockbuster releasing in theaters on July 19.

Twisters Makes Glen Powell The Lead Of A Thriller Sequel Movie After Being Sidelined In Top Gun 2

After Playing A Supporting Role In Top Gun, Glen Powell Is The Star Of Twisters

Initially, Glen Powell wasn’t sure about playing Hangman in Top Gun: Maverick after he’d auditioned for the part of Rooster, which went to Miles Teller. After missing out on the part he thought he deserved, it took some convincing from Tom Cruise for Powell to warm up to playing Hangman. Despite his initial apprehension, Powell was rewarded for the role, playing an outstanding and unforgettable character. Still, Hangman is a minor character and is used primarily to reflect off Rooster, which is why Twisters is so exciting.

Glen Powell leads the Twisters cast, headlining an ensemble with Daisy Edgar-Jones, Anthony Ramos, and more. Powell may have been underutilized in Top Gun, but Twisters will make the most out of him, demonstrating his capabilities as an action movie lead. The films have similar premises, with Twisters being another long-delayed action/thriller movie, this time focused on a riveting disaster narrative. Unlike with Top Gun, original cast members like Helen Hunt won’t return for the sequel, leaving all the more room for the young stars to flourish.

Tyler’s “Old Ways” Focus In Twisters Calls Back To Powell’s Top Gun 2 Story

Glen Powell’s Twisters Character Has A Lot In Common With Top Gun: Maverick’s Narrative

In Twisters, Glen Powell will play the character Tyler Owens, who bears a lot of similarity to Hangman. The Twisters trailer portrays Owens as a thrill-seeking cowboy-like hero who’s sort of an old-fashioned, one-with-nature tornado wrangler. Powell is going to continue getting typecast as the over-confident protagonist types because he’s terrific at playing them, and Tyler Owens could be the most perfectly suited role yet, with an improvement over Cary Elwes’s role in the original Twister.

Tyler Owens, being an old-fashioned tornado wrangler, likely creates a dichotomy with Daisy Edgar-Jones’ character, who will be a more modern, scientific storm chaser. This creates even more similarities to Top Gun: Maverick, where Tom Cruise’s character had to utilize the riskier ways of the past, rather than playing things by the book, to save the day. Powell’s character seems like he’ll fit a similar archetype to Maverick, where he’ll be the guy who refuses to work within the system, and ultimately, the two strategies balance to solve the crisis.

Twisters’ Future Is More Promising For Glen Powell Than Top Gun 3

Top Gun 3 Could Happen, But Glen Powell Has A Better Opportunity With Twisters Sequels

Glen Powell is an incredibly exciting young movie star who can bring swagger and charisma to any role he takes on. The next few years will be fascinating to see play out as he navigates the post-Top Gun spotlight in a slew of top-quality roles. The possibility of Top Gun 3 has been discussed frequently since the movie’s release, as Paramount would obviously love to capitalize on the title while the excitement is still there. It’d be wonderful to see Powell return as Hangman in a bigger role, but the Top Gun franchise will still prioritize Cruise or Miles Teller.

Miles Teller was fantastic in Top Gun: Maverick, and it would be great to see him carry on with the franchise. However, Glen Powell’s talents may be better suited for Twisters, which could quickly expand into more sequels if the 2024 movie is better received. In his own action franchise, Powell has the chance to be the leading man opposite Daisy Edgar-Jones and cultivate his own environment where he can flourish as a movie star. Twisters is an exciting movie for Glen Powell, allowing him to fully prove himself as one of the 2020s most prolific stars.

Twisters

A follow-up to the 1996 original film Twister, Twisters is a sequel set years after the original, said to be fast-tracked by Steven Spielberg and Mark L. Smith, with Frank Marshal as producer. Little details exist about the film, but Helen Hunt is expected to reprise her role as Jo, with the film likely to pay homage to the late Bill Paxton. 

Director

Lee Isaac Chung

Release Date

July 19, 2024

Studio(s)

Universal Pictures , Warner Bros. Pictures , Amblin Entertainment , The Kennedy/Marshall Company

Cast

Daisy Edgar-Jones , Glen Powell , Anthony Ramos , Brandon Perea , Daryl McCormack