I may not be a tornado wrangler like Glen Powell’s character in the 2024 movie Twisters, but when it comes to premium format movie experiences, I love to feel and chase special variants. I did just that when it came to the amazing Twisters 4DX experience, and trust me I didn’t regret it.
Those of you who missed it the first time shouldn’t be too bummed out though, as it looks like the viral phenomenon has assured that 4DX screenings will be coming back. Which means I need everyone to try this at once, and help make the format popular enough for future experiences.
Twisters’ 4DX Experience Is Back By Popular Demand!
Apparently the good folks at Regal Cinemas have been awash with demands on social media to bring back Twisters in this unique premium format offering. That message has been heard loud and clear, as seen in the company’s social media announcement to commemorate the return of this 4DX thrill ride.
While there’s no specific date given as to when this will be happening, you can celebrate the good news, thanks to the post included below:
This ain’t our first tornadeo. Twisters will return to 4DX soon.#Twisters4DX pic.twitter.com/adi5AyU81jJuly 30, 2024
I can’t undersell how awesome this news happens to be! Asking for a premium format revival is harder than just a garden variety bringback, thanks to the premium put on those already limited screens being available. I mean, I crafted a whole list of IMAX movies that should return to theaters, and I still haven’t gotten an answer to my fruit basket, carrier pigeon, and singing telegram.
Of course, the big difference in this case happens to be the fact that Twisters’ mindblowing opening weekend left a huge number of fans wanting more. So I can kind of see why this would take priority, especially when the experience I described in my traditional format Twisters review maps up so well to something as dynamic as 4DX. Looking a bit deeper into those numbers, you see some promising stats for studios and filmmakers alike to consider this format as a priority for future would-be blockbusters.
The Numbers Behind Twisters Becoming 4DX’s First Smash Hit
When researching the 4DX releases I’d missed out on in the past couple of years, I was amazed to learn that this flavor of moviegoing has existed for a little over a decade. What’s more, CJ 4DPlex, the company behind the format’s inception, reported that Twisters’ opening weekend actually broke the record for the format’s best haul. $2.3 million was brought in through the first weekend alone, and those who experienced this event weren’t shy to share it on social media.
To put that into perspective, Variety noted in their reporting of this statistic that the previous record holder was another premium Universal Pictures experience, as The Super Mario Bros. Movie racked up $1.57 million upon opening. Of course, now that the secret is supposedly out, there’s a chance that we may see some more records broken in the near and dear future. Which could also put the 4DX format on similar footing to competitors like IMAX and 3D.
The future could be very rosy for 4DX, and Twisters is the movie that seems poised to make it happen. Again, there’s no specific date for the return of the premium version to director Lee Isaac Chung’s summer blockbuster. But if I was willing to venture a guess, I’d say that Labor Day weekend is the window in mind; as that’s been a traditional bring back slot in the modern era of moviegoing.
For now though, you can probably find Deadpool & Wolverine at a 4DX auditorium near you; while Twisters is still playing on traditional screens at your local movie house. So if you’re feelin’ 4DX after reading what I've just put down, you need to chase it when it comes back.
