Is The Twister: Caught in the Storm based on a true story? Explained

The Twister: Caught in the Storm is a Netflix documentary that will be released on March 19, 2025, and will explore the events that happened on May 22, 2011, when an EF-5 tornado hit Joplin, Missouri.

The documentary follows survivors from the tornado, including a group of recent graduates from high school commemorating their graduation at the time of the storm's arrival. The documentary is based on the true events of the 2011 Joplin tornado that devastated the city, and took the lives of 161 people.

The Twister: Caught in the Storm centers on the horrific transforming encounter of people caught in one of the worst tornadoes in American history. The survivors will tell their stories, proving the great resiliency of the human spirit.

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The true story of The Twister: Caught in the Storm

The documentary is centered around the catastrophic tornado that struck Joplin, Missouri, on May 22, 2011, as aforementioned. The documentary shows survivors imprisoned in their homes, vehicles, or at graduation celebrations. They describe the sudden shift from celebration to terror.

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A deadly tornado hits Graduation Day

The 2011 Joplin tornado is among the deadliest storms in American history. The unannounced tornado tore across the city and caught the graduates off guard. It quickly devastated homes, businesses, and educational buildings in its path, with winds as high as 200 mph.

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Real-life footage captures the storm’s fury

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The Twister: Caught in the Storm is especially engaging because it features never-before-seen footage shot by Joplin residents. These clips offer a real, first-hand view of the turmoil and damage that the day produced. Presenting a feeling of being there with the survivors, viewers get a different perspective of what it was like to be in the middle of such a catastrophic storm.

The survivors were terrified, with little time to react as the tornado approached. In the documentary, they describe how they survived using inner strength and quick thinking. The documentary will also show how the community helped rebuild Joplin after the storm's violence.

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The trailer of The Twister: Caught in the Storm

The trailer for The Twister: Caught in the Storm sets the stage for the harrowing journey that the survivors went through. It opens in a festive manner, highlighting the celebrations around high school graduation, before things spirals out of control.

As the tornado gets close, the change from a moment of delight to total fear is caught. Students and others at the ceremony realize they are in the straight path of the storm, causing the tension to rise.

The survivors in the teaser remember the times before the tornado struck. One person muses over how they were celebrating life just 24 hours before the catastrophe started.

This part of the trailer emphasizes the sharp contrast between the happiness of graduation day and the horror that was about to unfold. The survivors’ recollections show the shock and disbelief they felt as the storm grew closer.

As the tornado nears, the trailer becomes increasingly intense. It features chilling descriptions of the tornado’s roar, likened to that of a monster. The survivors' accounts show how they tried to escape or find shelter, with some accepting their fate as the storm overwhelmed them.

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The Twister: Caught in the Storm will be available to stream exclusively on Netflix.