“Twisters” breaks from the standard “legaquel” mold by keeping its connections to the 1996 film to an absolute minimum. There are no forced, phoned-in cameos from the 1996 film’s cast (led by Helen Hunt and the late Bill Paxton); only a few minor tributes. Wisely, the producers seem to have realized that the strength of “Twister” was its main hook — the daredevil antics of storm chasers and the love of extreme weather that drives them — rather than the lore of the Twister Cinematic Universe. Chung says he was told, “Make ‘Twisters’ like it’s your movie and don’t worry too much about the original,” and he found that “very liberating” (according to Variety).

That approach also allowed “Twisters” to let its new stars shine. This isn’t Daisy Edgar-Jones’ first bad-boy rodeo, as she previously starred in the acclaimed romantic drama “Normal People” and the gleefully dark cannibal horror “Fresh.” She’s a master of flirtatious banter and a natural fit for “Twisters” lead Glen Powell.

Powell has gone from strength to strength, from the smash hit “Top Gun: Maverick” to the surprise rom-com success “Anyone But You,” and now he’s continuing his box office run with “Twisters.” The film’s marketing certainly knew how to get the best out of Powell (shots of him getting soaked in a sudden downpour while wearing a white T-shirt, for instance). The actor’s million-dollar laugh was likely as much of a draw as the twisters themselves; the audience demographics show a roughly even split between men and women, and couples made up 41% of opening-day ticket buyers.

(If you’re a recent convert to Powelligan and want to see him with an ’80s mustache, definitely check out Richard Linklater’s “Everybody Wants Some!!”)