Jordan Peele Explains Why He Wanted ‘Nope’ to Be Different Than Other ‘Black Horror’ Films
Jordan Peele is a horror director who is known for subverting expectations. Both of Peele’s movies so far have been suspenseful thrill rides that were also filled with shocking twists and meaningful social commentary. For his latest film, Nope, Jordan Peele says he wanted to try something different than just making another “black horror” movie.
‘Nope’ is the latest horror movie from Jordan Peele
Peele gained recognition for his comedic talents on the sketch comedy series Key & Peele. He surprised the world with Get Out, his directorial debut that cemented him as one of the most interesting voices in horror. He then followed it up with Us. Us is not as praised as Get Out, but it still managed to continue his hot streak with a unique and creepy film.
Nope is his first movie since 2019 and many are looking forward to what Jordan Peele is going to deliver next. Nope stars Daniel Kaluuya, Keke Palmer, and Steven Yeun. The movie tells the story of two siblings who run a California horse ranch. After encountering a UFO, the two try to capture it on film and use it for success. However, there is clearly something else going on that Peele and the cast are keeping secret.
Peele explains why he wanted ‘Nope’ to be different
Essence magazine recently shared an interview between Peele and Kaluuya. Kaluuya also starred as the leading man in Get Out. During the interview, Jordan Peele talked about how he wanted Nope to be something different. He knew it would have the “black horror” elements, but he also wanted to implement “black joy” into the movie because he felt it was something the characters needed in the midst of the horror.
“It’s so tricky being considered in the vanguard of Black horror, because obviously Black horror is so very real, and it’s hard to do it in a way that’s not retraumatizing and sad,” Peele said. “I was going into my third horror film starring Black leads, and somewhere in the process I realized that the movie had to be about Black joy as well, in order to fit what the world needs at this moment. So that is part of why there’s sort of a spectrum of tonality of genre in here, because I wanted to give the horror, but I also wanted to give our characters agency and adventure and hope and joy and fun that they deserve.”
The director believes this movie transcends the horror genre
Jordan Peele also explains how Nope transcends the horror genre because it provides an experience no one has ever seen with a blend of horror and sci-fi. It also manages to “celebrate” the fact that black actors can be leads in more than just horror but also i sci-fi, action, etc.
“I came to you and I said I want to make a great American UFO horror movie that I haven’t seen,” Peele said to Kaluuya. “And I think one of the things we have with this film is a movie that transcends the horror genre, in a way. The first film clip [Eadweard Muybridge’s Animal Locomotion] was essentially a Black man on a horse who has been forgotten and erased. Part of this film, to me, is a celebration and a response to that. We can be the leads not only of a horror movie but also action, adventure, comedy, etcetera.”
Nope arrives in theaters on July 22.
