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Only Jordan Peele could release a project teaser that leaves fans both confused and excited for a premiere. Amidst the backdrop of a power-packed Super Bowl Sunday, writer, director and producer Jordan Peele released the much anticipated trailer for his upcoming film “Nope.”
Marketed as a “new terror,” the action-packed, suspense-riddled trailer takes viewers to a world where Black excellence is under attack.
Starring Daniel Kaluuya (Get Out), Keke Palmer (Akeelah and the Bee), and Steven Yeun (The Walking Dead), the trailer opens with Palmer’s character explaining that her family’s rich heritage descends from a Black man who famously rode the first horse captured in an early version of photography.
Supported by upbeat music, Palmer’s character reveals the family remains tied to their legacy as “the only Black-owned horse trainers in Hollywood.”
Yet, juxtaposed between scenes of dancing and star-gazing, the trailer takes a sinister turn. All the lights in the town go out. A skittish horse breaks away from Kaluuya’s character, running for its life. Things only get weirder from there.
Trailer sparks more questions than answers, fans excited
With everyone staring up into the ominous sky, the entire town becomes engulfed by a dark cloud. Some movies are ridiculed for their ditsy characters who like to ask “who’s there.”
Meanwhile, Keke Palmer’s character says “nah, nah, run!” Her words set off a montage of quick, creepy images. The cloud begins chasing people, blowing through buildings like a tornado.
The trailer ends with Keke Palmer’s character getting sucked up into the sky before the word “NOPE” appears in bold.
Creating more questions than answers, the confusion from fans on Twitter was overshadowed by their excitement.
Some have speculated that the cloud represents an alien invasion taking over the town. Yet, if Nope is anything like Get Out or Us, it’s sure to include metaphors for race and identity, while raking in millions at the box office.
For instance, Jordan Peele’s breakout hit Get Out in 2017 earned him an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay. He proved to the world that not only can horror films with a mostly Black cast be scary, they can also be profitable.
Jordan Peele leaves a trail of success
Get Out earned $255.4 million globally on a $5 million budget, according to The Hollywood Reporter, which means the film earned 50 times more revenue than it took to make it. Peele also made history, becoming the first Black person to win an Oscar for original screenplay.
As if changing the horror genre and making it more appealing to a wider audience wasn’t enough, he followed up his debut success with Us in 2019, a film that forced us to recognize the terror within ourselves. He secured another $255.1 million bag for that hit at the global box office as part of a five-year deal between his film company Monkeypaw Productions and Universal Studios.
With the recently released Nope trailer, it’s refreshing to watch a movie teaser in 2022 that doesn’t give away the film. Fans will likely have to wait until its release to understand its meaning. Or, you can continue watching the trailer dozens of times for some potential, hidden clue.
Nope, produced by Jordan Peele’s MonkeyPaw Productions, airs in theaters on July 22, 2022.
The Horse as a spirit animal is usually an Omen. When the Horse trots into your life, sometimes it’s there to urge you to figure out what you need to put down to lighten the load in your soul. This film will be interesting to watch.