Where Was “Twister” Filmed?

Love the epic action movie and are wondering: “where was ‘Twister’ filmed?” If so, then you’re in luck! We’re going to take you on the storm chase of a lifetime as we travel to all of the movie’s memorable filming locations. We even share which ones you can visit for yourself!

While you’re here, be sure to stay until the end when we divulge how you can find your own “Twister”-inspired filming location to rent on Peerspace. Now, let’s hop in our storm chaser van and trek down to Oklahoma for a look back at a truly epic disaster movie.

What is “Twister”?

The first thing that comes to mind when you think of tornado movies is none other than “Twister.”

Revered for its amazing special effects and accurate depiction of storm chasing, the movie also had an all-star cast of Hollywood legends such as Helen Hunt, Bill Paxton, and Phillip Seymour Hoffman. Directed by Jan de Bont, who also made the action movie classic “Speed,” the movie was the second highest-grossing film of 1996 and was nominated for two Academy Awards.

Besides the cast and special effects, the film showcases Oklahoma and the dangerous effects of tornadoes. When you aren’t glued to the edge of your seat watching it, you might have time to catch your breath and ask: where was “Twister” filmed?

Love 90s disaster movies? Then you also need to see “Titanic’s” filming locations!

Did they actually film “Twister” in Oklahoma?

You may have thought they filmed “Twister” in some Hollywood studio bcause of the movie’s destruction and mayhem. This is one of those times when a movie breaks the mold and is actually filmed in the place where it was set. The movie’s IMDB shows that it was mostly shot in Oklahoma, except for a couple of scenes that were shot in nearby Iowa.

The script of the movie doesn’t do anything to hide the fact that the story takes place in Oklahoma. In fact, you may remember that Helen Hunt’s character Jo is from the town of Wakita. You may also remember that town was destroyed by the massive tornado in the third act of the movie!

The real-life town of Wakita has a similar history, albeit not as extreme as portrayed in the movie. According to Oklahoma Today, the town was in desperate need of repair after a vicious hailstorm in 1993. The damaged state that the town was in ironically made it a perfect shooting location for some of “Twister.”

Filmmakers used parts of the damaged town in the film and tore them down completely in the process. All of the work and tourism that the movie brought with it was able to revive the town and turn it into a thriving community once again.

Today, Wakita is home to a “Twister” museum that people all over the world visit. In fact, you can see the location of Meg’s house nearby.

Where did they film the drive-in scene?

One of the most memorable disaster scenes from the movie is where the F-4 tornado tears through a drive-in movie theater showing “The Shining.”

This is a tougher location to find since they built a temporary drive-in set. But with the way this movie sticks with you you’re sure to be asking the question: where was “Twister” filmed?

You can still see the area where the drive-in met its end along with the brick house from the movie in the area of Guthrie, Oklahomam according to Camping and Trekking.

Where did they film the waterspout scene in “Twister”?

One of the most iconic scenes from the movie is when Bill and Joe encounter waterspouts while crossing a bridge. It’s where we see cows being pulled into the tornado.

According to The Cinemaholic, the location for this scene is near Kaw Lake. The man-made reservoir is in both Kay and Osage County and offers plenty to do on its water. You probably won’t see any flying cows if you check this one out for yourself, but the view will make it all worth it!

Where did they film Aunt Meg’s house?

The end of the movie culminates with the characters taking shelter from the F-5 while the tornado tears apart Aunt Meg’s house. The intense scene and gorgeous house are sure to make you ask the question: where was “Twister” filmed?

According to a local Iowa radio station, the home is in Eldora, Iowa. They also mention that the home is private property and the current owners would prefer to have their privacy respected.

If you’re looking for more information about the movie we refer you back to the “Twister Museum” back in Oklahoma. They have tons of props from the movie and even have a “Twister” pinball machine Bill Paxton donated himself.

Next, see what filming locations “Twister” and “Ghostbusters: Afterlife” have in common!

Find your own “Twister”-inspired filming location

Now you know all about the history of “Twister” and the places they filmed it. Hopefully, you’re feeling ready to go out there and create your own disaster epic. Whatever kind of project you’re working on, if you need to find filming locations or production studios, check out Peerspace. The platform is the internet’s biggest digital marketplace for all of your filming needs, with thousands of great spaces brought to you by industry-professional hosts.

Take, for example, this large Victorian home with a gorgeous wrap-around porch in El Reno, Oklahoma. This massive property is very reminiscent of some of the Victorian homes that you see in the movie–check out some of the high-quality images posted by the host.

This is just the beginning of what you can find when you use Peerspace to do your location scouting! Thousands of filming locations are available, including wide open swaths of land if you need to capture the action. Whatever kind of project you’re working on, you’ll be as equipped as a professional storm chaser when you use Peerspace.

Find unique filming locations on Peerspace