NOPE has movie-goers buzzing like crazy

7-26-22

Daniel Kaluuya looks comfortable and at home on a horse in the big western setting that is NOPE. The broad vistas, mountains and huge skies make for great filming when it comes to the action sequences.

Two siblings who run a California horse ranch discover something bizzare in the skies above, while the owner of an adjacent theme park tries to profit from the mysterious, otherworldly phenomenon. Nope is one of the more original and unusual films we've seen in a long time. It works. The brother and sister duo presents a challege in the story as they must work together for the first time against a formidable foe.

Jordan Peele makes history every time he drops a new film. He's the first African American to win this award for his movie Get Out. We hope that Peele wins more in the future for his writing and producing as well as inspiring young people from diverse backgrounds to pursue entertainment. He's insightful, clever and bold.

The cast of Nope is dazzling and intriguiging. Each having their own story and focus. When brought together as a result of the strange aerial phenomina, their true nature comes to light. Daniel Kaluuya portrays OJ Haywood, Keke Palmer as the charismatic Emerald "Em" Haywood, Steven Yeun as the showman-Ricky "Jupe" Park, Brandon Perea as Angel Torres, Keith David as Otis Haywood Sr, and Michael Wincott in a scene stealing performance as Antlers Holst.

Nope is the second top R-rated opening during Covid, after Halloween Kills ($49.4M). Nope was more guy-leaning than previous Uni horror pics at 57%, vs. Candyman (53%), Us (50%), and Get Out (48%) and older, meaning more over 25 at 63%, vs. Candyman (58%), Us (61%) and Get Out (59%). The 18-34 through yesterday turned out at 68%. The robust turnout of Black audiences at 33% for Nope is in line with these three other horror pics, as well with Caucasians at 35%, Hispanic and Latino at 20%, and Asian at 8%.

Said Universal Domestic Distribution Boss Jim Orr (pictured at left), “Jordan Peele is a master storyteller and with Nope, another example of his unique voice.

According to Variety's Rebbeca Rubin, “Nope” may not have cemented a new box office record for Peele, but it demonstrates the director’s popularity at the movies and marks a strong start for an original, R-rated horror film. In fact, it stands as the highest opening weekend tally for an original film since “Us” debuted more than three years ago. Yes, that includes Quentin Tarantino’s star-studded “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood,” which started with $41 million in July 2019.

After the ramped-up marketing and Peele's signature air of mystery, audiences were clearly curious as to what this so-called spectacle was all about. With a domestic opening across 3,785 theaters, early projections for Peele's third feature predicted somewhere in the $45 to $60 million range. Before Sunday's totals, Nope is sitting just a fraction below at the projected net of $44.5 million.

Top markets were L.A., NY, Dallas, San Francisco, Chicago, Atlanta, Washington D.C., Houston, Philadelphia, and Phoenix.