I just can't imagine that many people are gonna get excited about CGI tornados with a cast of randoms.

I entirely agree. But I think the current and average Hollywood exec has no real passion for movies or pop culture. For comparison what makes movies like dramas financial successes requires actual interest in storytelling, acting, and directing. The execs have no interest in something that's much-loved. They want money. For example - the profit upside for stuff like dramas tends to be very low.

"CGI tornados" is the kind of thing that for them smells like money. CGI-based movies are often ideal for them because the tricky part and heart of the movies - storytelling - plays second fiddle to the spectacle, massive CGI overkill, and the cartoon physics. The execs think CGI + Big Stars = a potential huge hit.

That mindset can create very expensive movies and the risk is high that they don't even break even. But a big budget CGI-extravaganza might make 100s of millions of dollars. And - of course - a hit movie will have the usual possible tie-ins. Sequel(s)? Prequel(s)? Become a full-fledged franchise? Spinoffs like a TV series? Other marketing crap (a Twisters Burger?), etc.

And - of course - ~20 dramas don't get made because because a movie like Twisters sucks up all the money and resources.