Going from awards darling Minari to a full-scale blockbuster like Twisters might have seemed like an unexpected career path, but director Lee Isaac Chung pulled it off with aplomb, bringing heart and character to super-sized summer spectacle.
But it wasn’t as if Chung had no franchise experience on his CV before Twisters. He previously directed an episode of The Mandalorian, and will be helming an upcoming instalment of new Star Wars TV show Skeleton Crew.
That new series - which is expected to drop on Disney+ in late 2024 - is created by Jon Watts (director of the Tom Holland Spider-Man movies) alongside Christopher Ford, and is said to be an Amblin-style coming-of-age adventure that follows a group of young children on a journey through the galaxy far, far away. Jude Law will also appear as a Jedi.
On the Inside Total Film podcast and speaking with 12DOVE, Chung teased what we can expect from the show. "I can’t wait for people to see this thing,” he says during our interview for Twisters. “It’s got a lot of Jon Watts in it, and anyone who’s a fan of what Jon Watts does – he’s very childlike in a beautiful way, in the way that he tells stories, and how he captures a childlike perspective in things. He brings that beautiful perspective to this story of young people in the Star Wars universe."
Chung emphasizes that it promises something very different for the Star Wars universe. “I felt like I hadn’t seen this. When I read all of the scripts, and when I was looking at the design of what he was designing – he asked if I would be on board. It was a no-brainer for me once I saw what he was working on. And then, also, working with him on that show, and with Jude and all the incredible actors who we have – it was a lot of fun. We were just having fun all the time. The kids were incredible and great.
“What I hope is that it’s really going to touch families, and families are going to want to spend a lot of time with the show.”
Twisters opens in UK cinemas on July 17, before opening in the US on July 19. Skeleton Crew is expected to arrive in late 2024. For more from Chung, check out the latest episode of the Inside Total Film podcast.
