TWISTERS movie mentions Blackwell Library; features local storm chaser

This weekend saw the release of the highly anticipated feature film “Twisters” from Universal Studios and Warner Bros Discovery which opened to a staggering $80 million dollars, well beyond even the most lofty industry projections.

The film acts as a “stand-alone” sequel to the 1996 film “Twister” which, famously, was shot in and around northern Oklahoma and in Kay County.

“Twisters” featured a reference to the Blackwell Public Library and included a local storm chaser in several scenes in the film, living a life-long dream.

At roughly the halfway mark in the film, a news broadcast in the background of a scene states that the Blackwell Public Library suffered heavy damage during one of the film’s tornado outbreaks.

While there were no visuals of the library or any scenes shot in Blackwell, the inclusion was a surreal moment for the Blackwell Public Library staff, according to Head Librarian Tina Cavin and Director of Operations Talyn Spence.

“It was awesome to have our library mentioned in the movie,” said Cavin, “I was excited to hear that the director and writers of the film included a touch of Blackwell, what an incredible honor for them to pay homage to the history of Blackwell’s 1955 tornado by including us in such a small yet iconic way.”

“The Blackwell Public Library plays such a big role in our community, and it was so cool to have that recognized in the film, I am so proud of our library,” said Spence.

Matthew Ropp, Director of the independent storm-chasing group Razorback Storm Chasing and Blackwell High School Graduate, had his Crown Victoria car nicknamed “Primo” featured in a prominent scene in the movie.

“I saw the casting call for storm chasers pop up on my TikTok feed,” Ropp recalled, “then I saw it on the Twister Museum’s Facebook page. I thought I’d send in my application and didn’t think anything of it after the fact.”

Then, two months later, he got word back asking for a video of him describing his chasing career and views of the interior and exterior of his car.

“At the time it was just an ‘undisclosed disaster film set in Oklahoma’,” He explained, “which could only mean it was the sequel to Twister. Two weeks after that I got an e-mail to be in Kremlin, Oklahoma.”

Ropp was on-hand for several scenes of the film which were shot in Kremlin, Fairview, and Shidler.

Kremlin, a little under an hour from Blackwell and just north of Enid, was the hub for several scenes in the movie including the gas station scene where the storm spotters meet which introduces the audience to the dynamic of Glen Powell’s Tyler Owens and Daisy Edgar-Jones’ Kate.

“We were told to drive our cars from Kremlin to a truck stop on Highway 81,” Ropp explained, “If you look, my car is seen twice in that scene. I had my hood up. The production paid for parts so I could fix my car- in scene and in real life, as they were shooting, to create motion in the background.”

Fairview was the site of a Motel where the storm chasers stay the night, leading to a scene of Edgar-Jones’ Kate and Anthony Ramos’ Javi where Ropp’s Primo can be spotted in the background, directly between the two actors.

The motel scene at Fairview’s Heritage Inn was supposed to be set during summertime in temperatures “in the mid-80s”.

“What you don’t see is the fact it was 42 degrees and we were all freezing,” Ropp said, “I clearly remember Kate and Javi standing in front of my car talking and thinking "that's going to be in the movie…and I ended up being right, which I was overjoyed about.”

Another scene Ropp was present for was during the wind farm sequence, which was north of Highway 60 near Shidler.

Ropp explained that the cast and crew, specifically the two leads, were incessant on getting input from the storm chasing community during filming.

“Daisy and Glen would ask what they’re looking for, ask how the chasers react, and ask for storm stories. I’ve never seen two actors so interested in getting into character that they would stay in character during scenes- they insisted that people call them by their character names, Kate and Tyler.”

Ropp also got to exchange words with the new Superman, David Corenswet who plays the closest thing the film has to an “antagonist” in the form of Scott, a profit-hungry storm chaser calling back to the similar role that Cary Elwes occupied in the 1996 film.

Corenswet was cast as Clark Kent / Superman in the new Superman reboot which is currently shooting in Cleaveland, directed by James Gunn (The Suicide Squad, Guardians of the Galaxy Trilogy).

“We shared a few passing words at the food tables!” Ropp recalled.

As for what it was like seeing his car make it to a big Hollywood production, Ropp said:

“I honestly cannot describe it to you. People have seen themselves on camera, people spend their whole lives trying to put a lasting impact and make their mark on this planet. You know... Something future generations will look at and say 'thats Matt' I did that, albeit by a pure stroke of luck, but I did it. And I honestly hope others can feel the same sense of accomplishment I feel doing that. Because I cannot describe it.”

Ropp is a huge fan of the original film, and went into detail on what the sequel, and it’s impact, means to him:

“Well, I love Twister, and as everyone probably knows, this movie will never stack to the original based solely on the nostalgia of the original alone. But I didn't do it for me. I did it for my mother. Her favorite movie was Twister. Loved it. And I clearly remember her being very proud of me wanting to become a chaser like Bill Harding. She may not be here anymore, and my heart knows that hurts, but I can't stop thinking that she'd be unbelievably proud of her son for putting in the work and effort to be in the sequel.”

He added: “And I know she's probably be ecstatic to see my car in the movie.”

“I also did it for Blackwell,” said Ropp, “I made sure Blackwell was mentioned because I care about my town, I care about the people in it, and I care that, even though we are a small town, we are remembered. So there's a little nod to Blackwell because of me.”

Ropp said that working with the film’s director, Lee Isaac Chung, was awesome as well.

Chung, nominated for two Oscars from his 2020 Oklahoma-set film “Minari” (also shot in Oklahoma) was “adamant on getting shots right”, according to Ropp.

“He would not stop asking questions, and he kept telling the cast to ‘follow the chasers’. Because we were looking at clear blue sky and apparently has some idea on what to do when looking at a tornado. Even though one wasn't there.But isn't that what makes the movie? Magical imagination coming from people who've experienced what the director is trying to depict?”

Ropp, his car, and the Blackwell Public Library are only the latest Blackwell locals to be featured in a major Hollywood film as last year saw several individuals involved in the production of the Apple / Paramount feature “Killers of the Flower Moon”.

Blackwell also was the setting of the short film “Redemption, Oklahoma” which was shot in the Summer of 2022.

“Twisters” is now playing everywhere.