Academy award-winning director Jordan Peele has arguably solidified his position as one of the greatest directors of the last decade. His praise is unique because he has only directed two movies and written three. 

In 2017, Peele directed the hit psychological thriller & horror film “Get Out.” The film shed light on a somewhat abnormal way to produce horror films. The film is not filled with a ton of gory scenes or frightening creatures that would have audiences jumping out of their seats; instead, the film depicted horror more conceptually, highlighting the psychosomatic effects of racism.

The film has over a dozen awards and accolades to its name and ultimately presented Peele with a very welcoming introduction to the world of cinema. 

After the success of his first film, Peele jumped right back into directing. Peele released his sophomore film, “Us,” in 2019. This horror hit illuminates the division of classism within the Black community & how often individuals are their own worst enemies. 

In an interview with MTV News, Peele spoke about his constant pressure to one-up his films.

“When thinking about my movie ‘Us,’ at some point I just wonder how I can follow it up. It worked perfectly. I’m just afraid I’m not going to be able to replicate or beat it,” Peele said. 

Although “Us” did not earn nearly as many awards as “Get Out,” the film did not disappoint, further establishing Peele’s career as a movie director.

His next transformative film, “Nope” is set to release on July 22, giving fans something to anticipate.

https://twitter.com/Nope_Movie/status/1492771789205909506

Junior international business student Moriah Terry shared her thoughts on Peele’s upcoming film.

“I am so excited for it. I think Peele is changing the game. His movies are like nothing else,” Terry said.

The cast for “Nope” seems to be nothing short of prodigious. Most notably, the film will star Oscar-award-winning actor Daniel Kaluuya, who also starred in Peele’s first film, “Get Out.” Additionally, the film will include “The Walking Dead” star Steven Yeun and TV personality Keke Palmer.

The fascinating part about Peele’s films is that the trailers don’t display much of a solid plot. The lack of a storyline in the trailers keeps audiences intrigued about what the film will be about, which is undoubtedly the case for “Nope.” 

Universal Pictures released the trailer on Feb. 13, and fans are more confused than ever about what the movie will entail. After seeing the trailer, Elizabeth Ballah, a sophomore marketing student, shared her thoughts. 

“It was confusing, but there is not much to form a real opinion. I think Peele does this on purpose,” Ballah said. “A lot of his films are left up for interpretation. He likes to see his audiences squirm and come up with theories.”

Based on the trailer, it seems like horses will be a central focus throughout the film. The trailer starts with a motion picture of a Black man riding a horse and ends with a man riding a horse. The rest of the trailer is utter chaos, with screams going off in the background, dark clouds terrorizing the area, and other cinematic choices!

Popular pop culture platform VOX describes Peele’s films as “groundbreaking,” as they tackle social issues such as racism and classism while being different from any other film. Peele’s films are unique because he distinctively tackles these issues, mixing horror and comedy. 

The way Peele can provide comedic relief while also tackling vital social issues is something that he executes throughout his films, which seems to separate Peele from his counterparts.