What we know about Scary Movie 6 s that it is officially hitting the 2026 movie release calendar on June 5, 2026, and the long-running parody franchise is gearing up to take aim at a whole generation of upcoming horror movies. And based on what Marlon Wayans is saying, one of the genre’s biggest modern filmmakers might already be part of that conversation. According to the longtime funny man, Jordan Peele reached out about the upcoming parody flick, and it's for the exact reason I'd hoped.

Wayans recently revealed in a TikTok video that Jordan Peele actually reached out to him about potentially spoofing his movies in the upcoming sequel. And honestly, that is amazing. The franchise star explained that he hears from alot of directors and the reason why is hilarious. Wayans explained:

The Scary Movie franchise is returning after more than a decade away, and this time it’s diving straight into the modern horror boom. Based on the first trailer, the long-awaited sequel is taking shots at everything from newer hits to long-running tropes, with nothing off-limits. That includes so-called “elevated horror,” a space Peele has helped define over the past several years.

What makes this even better is how Wayans describes the approach behind the humor. In that same TikTok, he explained that the goal isn’t to tear down the films being parodied, but to have fun with them in a way audiences and creators can both enjoy. The comedian and actor continued:

That idea has always been part of what made the best of the Scary Movie films work. They were chaotic and over-the-top, but they also came from a place of familiarity. The jokes land because the audience knows the source material. And clearly, filmmakers know it too.

Now, the fact that directors are actually suggesting their own movies for parody says a lot. It shows how the franchise has evolved, but also how open filmmakers are to being the butt of the joke. And honestly, that’s kind of a badge of honor. Getting parodied by South Park or Saturday Night Live is already a cultural milestone, and now, with Scary Movie back, that list just got even better.

At this point, nothing’s officially confirmed about which films will make it into Scary Movie 6, beyond what’s already been teased (and sadly, left out) in the trailer. But Jordan Peele might already be getting his wish. The footage includes a clear Get Out reference, with Wayans’ character Shorty being pulled into the sunken place. So yeah, it looks like Peele is officially getting the parody treatment.

Scary Movie 6 lands in theaters on June 5, 2026. While you wait, you can revisit the first two in the franchise, which feature the Wayans family, streaming with an Amazon Prime subscription.

Jordan Peele has come a long way from his sketch comedy days, shifting primarily to a director in high demand. Since forming his own production company, Monkeypaw Productions, Peele has made a splash directing critically acclaimed horror and thriller films that provide commentary on race and class through Black stories. However, his company dabbled in everything from comedy to action to animation, and now Peele might be looking to add the MCU to his resume.

A while back, rumors floated around the internet that Marvel might bring on Jordan Peele to direct a future X-Men movie. It was never confirmed by Peele, but things may be changing. Over the weekend, @cosmic_marvel on X, a popular account for Marvel and Disney breaking news, posted that Marvel Studios was looking to have the Get Out director helm an upcoming MCU film, and this time Peele’s production company responded:

I know it’s just an emoji, but that’s not nothing. To me this says, 'Hey, it’s probably going to happen, so keep an eye out for an announcement.' That's just my optimistic interpretation, of course. Still, whether it’s an X-Men movie or not, it looks like we shouldn't rule out seeing Jordan Peele join the coveted list of MCU directors.

It’s not shocking that Marvel might be looking to recruit Peele. His debut film Get Out received nominations in four of the major Oscar categories, including Best Picture. I’d bet there are plenty of people across genres in Hollywood who would want to work with the Nope director. As far as critics and fans are concerned, he’s never made a bad film.

Let’s be real: Marvel's appeal hasn't been the same since Phase 3 ended. If this play to bring back Chris Evans’ Steve Rogers and Robert Downey Jr. as Doctor Doom in Avengers: Doomsday doesn’t reignite the fandom, Kevin Feige might want to take some new approaches. A name with sustained hype like Jordan Peele would certainly pique interest and excitement.

Clearly this could be a good move for Marvel, but what would it do Peele? Back in 2019 he said it’s every filmmaker’s dream to be involved in a legendary franchise like Marvel, but the timing wasn’t right for him. Perhaps things have changed? What I’m trying to figure out is what he might direct. @InsideFandom on X posted some ideas in response to the news:

These four seem right up Peele’s alley for sure. With the Us director’s specialty being horror, I have to assume he’d be interested in directing a more intense, perhaps darker project than the MCU usually delivers. Marvel comics stretch so far and wide there is nearly endless content to pull from, so I like toI think Feige and Marvel could make it work.

Even if we do get an official Jordan Peele/MCU announcement soon, we most likely won’t see the result for a couple years. Marvel already has 2026 and most of 2027 mapped out, and Peele is already directing an upcoming untitled project with Monkeypaw. Be sure to keep an eye out for further confirmation from Monkeypaw.

October is quickly approaching, which means we can expect plenty of spooky offerings to hit the 2025 movie calendar. We’ve already feasted this year on films like Sinners, The Monkey and Weapons, and next on the list of upcoming horror movies is HIM. Coming from Jordan Peele’s Monkeypaw Productions, this falls into the too-rare-for-my-liking subgenre of sports horror, and the critics are here to share their thoughts ahead of its release.

The story is centered around up-and-coming football player Cam Cade (Tyriq Withers, who also starred in this year’s I Know What You Did Last Summer), who goes to train at the isolated compound of football legend Isaiah White (Marlon Wayans). In CinemaBlend’s review of HIM, Eric Eisenberg says there are a lot of great ideas, and the style is fascinating, but it lacks substance overall. He rates it 2.5 out of 5 stars, writing:

David Ehrlich of IndieWire gives it a C-, calling HIM one fumble after another. The critic says writer/director Justin Tipping wants “all of the glory of a championship season without so much as breaking a sweat.” Ehrlich continues:

William Bibbiani of The Wrap agrees, saying that Marlon Wayans’ performance could have saved this movie if the screenplay were half as clever as it thinks it is. Instead, what we get is boring and predictable, the critic says, writing:

Siddhant Adlakha of IGN also praises Marlon Wayans but writes that ultimately, HIM is a “disappointingly scattered attempt at social horror.” Adlahka rates this one a “Bad” 4 out of 10 and says:

Kristy Puchko of Mashable says HIM is a mixed bag that fumbles its finish with an “infuriatingly anti-climactic” final showdown. However, it does offer rich performances, unnerving scares and some food for thought in terms of sports, race, religion, and masculinity. Also, Marlon Wayans and Tyriq Withers are a “sensational team,” Puchko says. In her words:

While HIM leaves many critics wanting, the fault seems to lie with the script, rather than the performances. The Jordan Peele-produced flick may have garnered lower scores — 32% so far from 34 critics on Rotten Tomatoes — but it sounds like there’s still plenty to like, if more sports horror is what the team doctor ordered.

If you want to check this one out, HIM hits theaters on Friday, September 19.

Jordan Peele made a great alien movie in 2022 with Nope, but what if it wasn't an alien movie at all? What if it was actually about an angel?

Peele himself acknowledged on Josh Horowitz's Happy Sad Confused podcast that he modeled the final form of Jean Jacket on the angels from Neon Genesis Evangelion. But, he also mentioned how he didn't envision it to be a “literal” angel. However, as somebody who likes to wonder, yeah, but what if…I'm going to do the same for Nope.

As in, yeah, but what if Jean Jacket was a literal angel and not an alien? We've already covered what the ending of Nope might mean, and why Nope is a special kind of horror movie, but now, I want to speculate on how Nope would be different if it were about an angel, and not an alien.

First Of All, A Seraphim Is Literally Terrifying

Now, when I say an angel, I don't mean the kind that plays the harp and looks all-human-like. No. I actually mean Seraphims, which are found in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. They are often described as being some of the highest angels, and constantly singing God's praises.

That's cool, but wait until I describe them to you. They typically have six wings and might be entirely covered with eyes. Just try to picture that, and how otherworldly that would look if you encountered one in real life. Pretty terrifying, right?

Now, think of the final form of Jean Jacket, which looks to have several wings, a sort of heavenly eye, and a bulbous head, almost like a jellyfish. Sound vaguely familiar? And, I'm not the first person to make this connection, as there's a whole Reddit thread about how Jean Jacket resembles “a biblically accurate angel.”

Again, Peele is said to have modeled Jean Jacket from the angels from Neon Genesis Evangelion, which themselves share a resemblance with Seraphims. But, just think how the plot of Nope changes if this is an angel rather than an alien, which brings me to my next point.

The Idea Of Getting Footage Of An Angel Is Actually More Interesting Than Getting Proof Of A UFO

Not too long ago, I wrote about how John Carpenter was the king of the ‘80s. In fact, when we ranked the best horror movies of all time, we put The Thing at number 1. That said, it's not like Carpenter stopped making movies after the ‘80s.

In fact, in 2005, Carpenter had an episode on the anthology series Masters of Horror titled “Cigarette Burns,” which was about a film that showcased the sacrifice of an angel. Now, anybody who watched this film-within-a-film was driven insane. It’s a fascinating mini-movie from Carpenter, and I bring it up because it deals with the concept of filming an angel, and why that would be a no-no.

The conceit is that the human mind couldn’t comprehend seeing a celestial being, and that it would ultimately drive somebody crazy. With that said, I think it would be more interesting if Nope was about the filming of an angel rather than a UFO, because what would be bigger to humankind? Proof of extraterrestrial life, or proof of the afterlife?

This also puts the story in a different perspective if that’s what the Haywood siblings are trying to film. “Bad miracles” are brought up frequently in the movie, and an angel that feasts on people who look it in the eye (there go those eyes again) would make for an even scarier story.

Not Only That, But It Makes One Wonder If People Have Been Mistaking Divine Beings For Aliens Throughout History Within The Story

In the movie, Jean Jacket devours horses, people, you name it. Again, if you look it in the eye, it eats you. But I want to talk about “bad miracles” again. The film begins with a nickel striking the Haywood patriarch dead after falling from the sky. We also have the bizarre incident where Steven Yeun’s character, Ricky, survives a chimpanzee attack when he was a child.

The weird thing, though, was that a shoe stood on end when Ricky survived. But how? Well, it seems to be another “bad miracle,” which goes beyond scientific reasoning and into supernatural territory.

Now, the big twist in Nope is that what looks like a flying saucer is actually Jean Jacket's body. But what if all aliens within this world are actually just angels? This goes back to my last point that the human mind couldn’t comprehend seeing an angel. So, perhaps the reason Jean Jacket looks like a UFO at first is because that’s the only explanation the characters’ minds can process.

“Bad miracles” just seem like bizarre coincidences, but it’s only when people LOOK THE ALIEN IN THE EYE that their minds can finally make sense that what they’re seeing is not an alien at all, but rather, something greater. Food for thought.

Also, The Concept Of A Carnivorous Angel Makes The Story Much More Apocalyptic

Jordan Peele has never made a bad movie, and I love them all, especially Get Out, which is another movie that hits harder on repeat viewings. However, I find Nope to be Peele’s most fascinating work, since the religious subtext is all over it. For example, the film starts with the Bible verse from Nahum 3:6, which is “I will cast abominable filth upon you, make you vile, and make you a spectacle.”

Now, the whole “spectacle” thing makes sense, since everybody wants to make a spectacle of Jean Jacket. But, who or what is the Bible verse even referring to? Is it just in reference to the narrative itself? Well, maybe, but I like to think of it as being directed toward the Seraphim, Jean Jacket.

Remember, a Seraphim is supposed to be as close to God as possible. But, here one is (per my theory), on Earth, being filmed by mortals. It’s almost like Jean Jacket is being punished, and is taking out its anger on the people who are recording its shame of being so far away from God (Even hiding behind a cloud – a cloud symbolizing where Heaven traditionally is in stories).

This honestly makes the story feel a lot more apocalyptic, which makes it a lot scarier if you view the “alien” as an angry angel, wreaking havoc on humankind.

In The End, It’s Cool Coming Up With Different Interpretations For The Film

A million years ago, I overanalyzed the movie Inception by pondering what it would be like if it were analyzed by dream experts, and I’ve just done the same for Nope.

I mean, Peele himself said that Jean Jacket is not a “literal” angel, but so what? The cool thing about stories is that you can interpret them however you want, even if the creator himself didn’t intend it that way. Nope is already an excellent movie, but envisioning Jean Jacket as an angel is just more intriguing for me.

Plus, it just gives me another reason to rewatch it. Now, when I view it, I don't see it as Jordan Peele's alien movie. I see it as a story of Jordan Peele trying to make sense of the supernatural, even if it's by force.

Comedy is a lot harder to pull off successfully than it's often given credit for. It makes sense that some of the best filmmakers in history began their careers as comics, or at least comedic actors, given how a great comedian's mind works. They see the world in completely different ways, and that way of looking at things often means great movies, like some of the best rom-coms of all time, but they aren't always comedies. Here is our list of great comics who became great filmmakers.

Mel Brooks

You really couldn't have this list without Mel Brooks. His movies, which he's been making for an astonishing seven decades, never fail to disappoint. His career stretches back to the 1940s! He reinvented comedy on film with his early movies like The Producers, Blazing Saddles, and Young Frankenstein, and while he doesn't do as much directing these days, he's still killing it when he does.

Jordan Peele

Of all the comedians-turned-directors on this list, the biggest departure from his acting career to his directing career has to be Jordan Peele. He first entered our collective consciousness with his legendary sketch comedy show Key and Peele, but starting with Get Out in 2017, he's become one of the premier horror directors in modern Hollywood.

Amy Poehler

Like so many comedians over the last 50 years or so, Amy Poehler got her big break on Saturday Night Live. She left the long-running comedy show in 2008 to work on her next hit show, Parks & Recreation. In 2019, she directed her first movie, Wine Country, and followed that up with 2021's Moxie.

Christopher Guest

Some of the most quotable movies of all time have come from the collective minds of the ensemble casts that Christopher Guest has assembled for his movies, like Waiting for Guffman, Best in Show, and A Mighty Wind. He serves as the director, but he gives great leeway to his fellow cast members in all of the movies.

Paul Feig

Though he's best known as a writer and a director these days, Paul Feig started as a stand-up comedian when he first arrived in Hollywood in the 1980s. He struggled as an actor before scoring a role in Heavyweights in 1995. While working on that movie, he met writer Judd Apatow and the two co-created Freaks and Geeks. The rest is history.

Ben Stiller

Ben Stiller's biggest early break came in the Ben Stiller Show on MTV, which blended sketch comedy with music videos. From there, Stiller basically took over Hollywood to the point that it seemed like he was making a dozen movies a year! Okay, maybe not that many, but he was in a lot of movies, including many that he directed, like Reality Bites, The Cable Guy, Zoolander, and Tropic Thunder.

Mike Nichols

EGOT winner Mike Nichols directed some of the most iconic movies in Hollywood history. Movies like The Graduate, Working Girl, and The Birdcage. Nichols started his career as part of the comedy duo Nichols & May alongside Elaine May, who also became a filmmaker of some renown.

Charlie Chaplin

There are few people in Hollywood history who are as important to the growth of the industry as Charlie Chaplin. Chaplin wrote, starred, and directed almost all his major hits from the silent era up until A Countess from Hong Kong in 1967. He even scored many of his movies. He started in show business in the very early 20th Century in comedic roles on stage before movies were even invented.

Rob Reiner

As the son of the great Carl Reiner, Rob Reiner has comedy in his blood. His biggest fame early came as Mike "Meathead" Stivic in All in the Family, but for most of the last half-century, he's been known for his writing and directing, creating such movies as This Is Spinal Tap, The Princess Bride, and When Harry Met Sally..., among many others.

Chris Rock

Like many SNL alums, Chris Rock has had an incredible career in Hollywood. He started acting as a teenager in New Jack City, but he quickly became known for his stand-up act and his work on SNL. He's long been a writer and producer, and he started directing in 2003 with his directorial debut, Head of State. He's been busy directing ever since, in addition to everything else he does.

Judd Apatow

One of the most successful comedy directors in the last few decades is Judd Apatow. He's a one-man show, in many ways, writing, producing, and directing hits like The 40-Year-Old Virgin, Knocked Up, The King of Staten Island, and This Is 40. He's also produced a whole slew of successful comedies, like Bridesmaids, Anchorman, Step Brothers, and Pineapple Express. That doesn't even get into the TV shows he's produced or co-created, like Freaks and Geeks, Girls, and Crashing.

Harold Ramis

Without question, Harold Ramis belongs on the Mount Rushmore of comedy writers and directors. The list of movies he's directed and written (or co-written) is amazing. Caddyshack, National Lampoon's Vacation, and Groundhog Day are just the tip of the iceberg. Like so many in his generation of comedians, he started in sketch comedy at Second City in Chicago.

Ricky Gervais

Ricky Gervais gained worldwide fame when he co-created, co-wrote, and starred in the original version of The Office in the U.K. He's created a slew of shows since, and could even be credited with helping create podcasts with his early podcast, The Ricky Gervais Show. The stand-up comedian started directing films in 2009 with The Invention of Lying.

Penny Marshall

We lost a lot when Penny Marshall died in 2018 at age 75. She began her career in comedic roles, most notably as Laverne DeFazio, first on Happy Days, then in her own spin-off, Laverne & Shirley. Before long, though, she transitioned to directing. Her first movie, Jumpin' Jack Flash, introduced the world to Whoopi Goldberg as a comedic actor (her lone previous credit was in the drama The Color Purple) and went on to direct beloved hits like A League of Their Own and Big.

Seth MacFarlane

Seth MacFarlane started mostly as a comedy writer, which is hardly a surprise. He then created the animated shows Family Guy and American Dad for Fox. He made his directorial debut with Ted in 2012.

Albert Brooks

The legendary Albert Brooks started his career in sketch comedy in collectives like The Credibility Gap and appeared on variety shows in the late '60s and early '70s as a stand-up. His first directing gig was as part of the first season of SNL, before directing his first feature, Real Life, co-written with his buddy Harry Shearer. His later movies include classics like Defending Your Life, Mother, and The Muse.

Keenen Ivory Wayans

The Wayans brothers have certainly left a huge mark on Hollywood over the years, and the oldest sibling, Keenen Ivory Wayans, is the one who got them all started. He created and directed In Living Color, which made him a household name, but he had already directed I'm Gonna Git You Sucka before that. His biggest success, of course, is the Scary Movie franchise.

Carl Reiner

Carl Reiner got his start as a writer and actor in comedy sketches on two shows starring Sid Caesar, Your Show of Shows and Caesar's Hour. He then teamed up with fellow writer from the shows, Mel Brooks, and together they released comedy albums in the early 1960s. By the end of the decade, he was directing movies, with his two most notable hits, The Jerk and Oh! God, coming in the late '70s.

Cheech Marin

One of the biggest comedy duos of the '70s is, of course, Cheech & Chong. Before long, Cheech Marin was directing movies without his partner, including his directorial debut, Born in East L.A., in 1987.

Woody Allen

WE couldn't have this list without Woody Allen. Setting aside any personal feelings people may have towards the actor for his questionable personal life, Allen is, hands down, one of the most successful comedy film directors in Hollywood history. The list of movies he's written, directed, and starred in is far too long to list here. He developed his famous persona while working as a stand-up comedian in New York in the 1960s.

Michael Keaton

Michael Keaton was one of the most successful comedic actors of the 1980s with movies like Mr. Mom, Beetlejuice, and Johnny Dangerously. He started taking on more dramatic roles as the decade came to a close, and of course, he starred as the Caped Crusader in Tim Burton's Batman. He made his directorial debut in 2008 with the drama The Merry Gentleman and, more recently, directed the underrated Knox Goes Away in 2023.

Bob Odenkirk

Along with David Cross, Bob Odenkirk first broke big on Mr. Show with Bob and David, but that was after years in sketch comedy on shows like SNL and The Ben Stiller Show. He has gained his biggest fame more recently as the character Saul Goodman in Breaking Bad and the spinoff Better Call Saul (which somehow never won an Emmy).

Jerry Lewis

His comedy might not have been for everyone, but you can't argue with Jerry Lewis' incredible success over decades in Hollywood. Of course, he started as part of a duo with Dean Martin, but he soon took off on his own with movies like The Nutty Professor and The Bellboy. He directed both those movies as well, and would continue to direct his own movies throughout the '60s.

Donald Glover

While still in college, Donald Glover started doing sketch comedy in New York City. After graduating, he became a writer on 30 Rock first came to the public's attention in Community on NBC. His biggest critical success came with the show he created and produced the show Atlant,a in 2013. His first feature film directing gig came with Bando Stone & the New World, which is a companion piece to his album of the same name.

Jeff Garlin

For most people, Curb Your Enthusiasm is where they first saw Jeff Garlin, but his career goes back further than that. He also starred in The Goldbergs before abuse accusations led him to leave the show. Over the years, he's directed a number of movies, like the indie rom-com I Want Someone to Eat Cheese With and 2017's Handsome, which you can watch with a Netflix subscription.

Buster Keaton

Like Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton was a huge figure in the silent era of Hollywood. Also like Chaplin, the comedian started in theater at the dawn of the 20th century and then began writing, directing, and starring in his own films in the teens. He was one of the biggest stars of the early film industry, making more than a dozen hits in the 1920s.

Bob Saget

Not only is one of the dirtiest comedians of all time (and his version of The Aristocrats joke proves it), Bob Saget was also so beloved TV dad and wholesome host of America's Funniest Home Videos. Saget's first directorial credit came in the hilarious and underrated Dirty Work, working with Norm McDonald and Artie Lang on what must have been just a wild film shoot.

Aziz Ansari

Aziz Ansari had his breakout role as a member of the cast of Parks and Recreation, but he was already an experienced stand-up when that show took off. He directed his first film, Good Fortune, which he also wrote and stars in.

Jerrod Carmichael

Jerrod Carmichael is one of the most popular stand-up comedians in recent years and got his first major exposure with The Carmichael Show on NBC in 2015. He made his directorial debut in 2021 with On the Count of Three, which he also stars in alongside Christopher Abbott and an ensemble cast that includes Tiffany Haddish, J.B. Smoove, and Henry Winkler.

Bo Burnham

Bo Burnham made his name as literally a one-man show with his musical comedy YouTube channel that he started in 2006 (the very early days of YouTube). His first job as a director came in 2018 with Eighth Grade, which he wrote and stars in, as well.

Robert Townsend

Robert Townsend was groundbreaking as a Black comedian-turned-filmmaker in the 1980s when he wrote, directed, and starred in movies like Hollywood Shuffle, The Five Heartbeats, and Meteor Man, which is a comic book movie that deserves a reboot.

Bobcat Goldthwait

Without a doubt, one of the strangest movies mentioned in this list is Shakes the Clown, which was the first film directed by legendary stand-up comedian Bobcat Goldthwait. He's directed seven independent films since Shakes and they are always unique and funny.

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre is one of those popular properties that always seems to pop up when you least expect it, even on the 2025 movie schedule. While director Tobe Hooper’s entry in the ranks of the best horror movies of all time won’t be yelling “action” any time soon, there is a buzz about the film that’s attracted a surprising party: Yellowstone mastermind Taylor Sheridan.

As if that wasn’t enough to get hyped about, his competition for the honors is pretty stacked as well. Reporting out of Deadline has what it's called a “beauty contest” kicking off on Monday, with Sheridan’s pitch to produce “a future Texas Chainsaw Massacre project” being part of the mix.

However, two other creative parties stood out to me as even more intriguing prospects, as The Monkey’s Osgood Perkins and Jordan Peele’s Monkeypaw Productions are also competing for the rights. Both of those horror creatives are exciting prospects, while also being more traditionally horror-minded folks.

It should also be noted that Perkins is only the co-writer/producer on his pitch, while the Nope writer/director’s role beyond his production company's involvement is uncertain. Oh, and remember how we reported that Glen Powell bidding war over The Texas Chainsaw Massacre? Apparently, his TV pitch with A24 is still on the table for this round, which would pair well with the studio's upcoming Friday the 13th prequel series.

Now while this is a rights management contest with no frontrunner, each of those highlighted contenders would have a unique flavor to offer. Taylor Sheridan’s Texas Chainsaw Massacre could take the cutthroat family dynamic he’s known for in Yellowstone and its various spinoffs, and amp up the terror angle in the right hands. Maybe a rugged Tim McGraw could take on Leatherface with a shotgun, in a battle royale for the ages?

Meanwhile, Osgood Perkins’ variant, to be co-written/directed by The Strangers Bryan Bertino, would more than likely be a slow burn descent into madness. If you want to talk about “traditional,” this might be the avenue that best suits the original movie’s tone and execution.

But I’m starting to really get stoked about a Monkeypaw Productions take on Tobe Hooper and co-writer Kim Henkel's original creation. Sinners' recent box office success makes it quite easy to picture the Sawyer family as the ultimate symbol of racial injustice, squaring off against a more diverse band of unsuspecting victims. You can kind of see why so many horror hands have tried to revamp this series and continue to do so despite lackluster results like Texas Chainsaw 3D.

It’s hard not to get excited about any of these pitches, and I do understand that this process may find a new winner that beats them all. So long as whoever lands The Texas Chainsaw Massacre does something fresh and try to convince us Alexandra Daddario is twice as old as she really is, then we should be set for some excitement!

Producer Jordan Peele has an eye for culturally relevant horror, whether he’s behind the wheel or not. For his 2025 movie schedule entry Him, director/co-writer Justin Tipping is in control, in a story that looks to be blending football, body horror, and some witchcraft in the mix. But even with such chilling visuals, one performance in this upcoming horror movie cut me to the core, and I can’t wait to see more of what’s to come.

Playing the character of Isaiah White, who is described as “a legendary eight-time Championship quarterback and cultural megastar” in this project’s synopsis, Marlon Wayans doesn’t tip into over-the-top energy in the small peek Universal Pictures has shared here.

As he offers young quarterback Cameron Cade (Tyriq Withers) the chance to bounce back from a gnarly injury, you hear White offering a pep talk that sounds like your usual training montage pump-up. At least, until we pivot into the stuff that probably impressed the audience at Universal's 2025 CinemaCon panel, which is where this clip may have made its debut.

That quickly turns to moments alternating between stoicism and pure histrionics, with some creepy vocal distortion finding its way into the mix as well. Which, if you know Marlon Wayans’ filmography, is familiar territory that he’s making a welcome return to.

Most people cite Wayans’ comedic work, with the Scary Movie franchise and White Chicks as his claims to fame. However, his chops as a comedian who’s great in dramatic roles, as seen in pictures such as Requiem for a Dream, or even action pictures like G.I. Joe: Rise of Cobra, are nothing to sleep on.

The push and pull of Him’s teaser shows that off rather brilliantly, as we’re shown the temptations and the pitfalls of sporting fame. All the while Tyriq Withers’ Cameron is being constantly asked by Marlon Wayans’ character how much he’s willing to sacrifice. It’s practically a bargain with the devil when the Atlanta star finally shouts “Everything!”; which allows Wayans to coolly scale back to an icy calm, knowing he’s won.

Putting together the picture's title with that gigantic symbol on the gridiron during Him's teaser title card, we might be able to get away with omitting "practically" from the equation entirely. That's right: I'm saying that Marlon Wayans could either be a servant of, if not the Devil himself in Him.

Unless the gigantic heartagram, the Faustian nature of the central pitch, and the title potentially standing for "His Infernal Majesty" - similar to the Swedish rock band of the same name - are just red herrings. Maybe it's just the cultural diet of some of the best horror movies ever talking here. Taking that promise, and crossing it with a cultural examination of college football that feels like Get Out meets Ballers, is certainly a way to get my attention.

And with all of our eyes on the screen at this moment, let’s start counting the days until Him makes its theatrical debut, on September 19th - just in time for football season! As for those of you who thought this was Jordan Peele's upcoming 2026 movie, you can find information on that still mysterious project elsewhere.

Inspiration can be found in everything, and in Brendan Hunt’s case while making Ted Lasso, one morsel of it came from a wild experience he had with Jordan Peele. Do you know that incredible viral bike scene Roy and Jamie share in Season 3? Yeah, that was partially inspired by the Coach Beard actor riding a bike in Amsterdam with the Nope director, and the story behind the whole situation is wild and hilarious.

Ted Lasso is known for its wholesome moments, however, the bike scene has to be one of the best. At a bare minimum, it’s one of my favorite instances in the show, because it helps solidify the friendship between Jamie and Roy in a meaningful yet hilarious way. Turns out, it was partially inspired by Brendan Hunt’s own time doing comedy in Amsterdam, as he told Uproxx:

So, if I’m reading this correctly, Peele is Roy in this scenario and Hunt is Jamie. However, it’s not noted if the director knew how to ride a bike or not, he just seemed cautious about riding with Ted Lasso’s co-creator.

The caution turned out to be warranted too, as the Coach Beard actor continued his story with the following:

This kind of chaos certainly matches that of the bike scene in Ted Lasso. However, it sounds like no one was teaching anyone how to ride a bike here and there was no yelling “For grandad!!”

The spontaneity of the activity, the chaos of it, the crash and the setting all match though. And I think it’s wonderful that Jordan Peele, the director of masterworks like Get Out and Nope as well as one-half of Key & Peele, helped inspire one of my favorite moments in one of Apple TV+’s best shows. Talk about a hilarious and very random collision of worlds.

Due to the hilarious Ted Lasso lines in that scene and the remarkable chemistry between acting besties Phil Dunster and Brett Goldstein, I think about this Roy and Jamie moment frequently. However, knowing the story behind it makes it even more memorable.

So, I guess we all need to say thank you to Jordan Peele for helping inspire this brilliant Ted Lasso moment. Every time I re-watch the show with an Apple TV+ subscription, I look forward to this turning point in Jamie and Roy’s relationship and all the bike shenanigans. Now, I love it even more because I know two artists I admire went through something similar in real life.

It’s hard to break into the sketch comedy scene, and even harder to become successful in it. Key & Peele is definitely one of the best sketch comedy shows to ever exist on television, and it ran for five seasons from 2012 to 2015 on Comedy Central. Not only that, but Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele have built wildly successful careers off it. However, fans have wondered why the two don’t seem as close anymore, and the Playing With Fire actor has decided to shed some light on their current relationship.

After previously mentioning they, unfortunately, don’t see each other much anymore, the Jingle Jangle actor recently clarified the nature of their relationship these days, telling People it more so has to do with the distance:

Man, I miss seeing these two comedic geniuses collaborate on Key & Peele. The comedic chemistry they share is off the charts, and it was what made their Comedy Central sketch comedy show so successful. Some of Key and Peele's funniest sketches were when it was just the two of them smoothly playing off each other, like Luther, “Obama’s Anger Translator” and “I Said Bitch.” So it doesn’t surprise me when the Migration actor says they carry that energy in their real-life friendship.

Continuing to talk about where their relationship stands these days, Key explained:

Could Key be hinting at a possible upcoming project between the two? It’s not impossible, as the pair have worked together in recent years on Toy Story 4 and Wendell & Wild. However, it’s been almost a decade since we’ve actually seen the friends appear together in the flesh for an on-screen project. If no one has said it, let me be the first: that’s too long!

Upon the conclusion of their sketch comedy series, the comedian duo remained close, starring in the 2016 action-comedy Keanu together before choosing to focus on other individual pursuits.

Peele’s career took a 180 into the thriller/horror genre and has earned quite a respected reputation because of movies like Get Out and Nope.

Key’s catalog on the other hand has stayed more or less in the musical/comedy scene, with recent roles in Schmigadoon! and Wonka.

However, their diverging career paths clearly don’t mean they had a falling out. And now that it's been made clear where they stand in each other’s lives, fans can save some hope they will collaborate again. I’m waiting for the Friends From College actor to pop up in another Peele thriller flick. Or perhaps one of these days the Candyman producer will drop a Key & Peele easter egg into one of his scripts just like his buddy’s movie Transformers One.

If I’m being honest though, I would love to see them do some sketch comedy again for old-time's sake, even if it’s just for a Super Bowl commercial, alla Suits style. The Us director has admitted he hates being boxed into a specific genre or type of film, and I have a feeling he’s got a lot more he wants to explore. Maybe one of those paths will lead back to Key...

Some of the most famous memes on the internet come from some of the oddest places. Often you may recognize the star, or the movie or TV show, the memes come from, but the original context is completely lost on you. With this list we are going to help explain what the original context was for these famous memes.

John Travolta In Pulp Fiction

This is one of the more obvious ones. The meme is John Travolta looking around confused. It comes, of course, from Pulp Fiction, when he walks into the Wallace's house to pick up Mia Wallace (Uma Thurman) for their date. When he first walks in, Mia is nowhere to be seen, but she can be heard over what seems like an intercom system or sound system. He is confused about where Mia is.

Charlie Day In It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia

The "Pepe Silvia Conspriracy is what gives us the great meme of Charlie Day on It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia standing wide-eyed in front of a bulletin board with a red string drawn across "evidence" that he's co-worker Pepe Silvia isn't real. it comes from the Season 4 episode, "Sweet Dee Has a Heart Attack."

Nicolas Cage In Vampire's Kiss

There is no better actor from which to get great memes than Nicolas Cage, especially in those scenes where Cage goes completely bananas. In Vampire's Kiss, we get such a scene when Cage is just starting to lose it after he hooks up with a vampire who bites his neck.

Gene Wilder In Willy Wonka And The Chocolate Factory

The "tell me more" meme, known officially as "Condescending Wonka" features Gene Wilder as Willy Wonka comes from a scene when Wonka isn't being condescending at all. He's just excited to show the kids the Ever-Lasting Gobstopper.

Patrick Stewart In Star Trek: The Next Generation

There is no question that the Patrick Stewart/Jean-Luc Picard facepalm from Star Trek: The Next Generation is one of the most widely used memes in the history of the entire internet. Curious, it comes from a very brief moment on the show. It's seriously like half a second when he does it. it comes from the Season 3 episode titled "Deja Q" and unsurprisingly, he's stunned by Q.

Leonardo DiCaprio In The Great Gatsby

Leonardo DiCaprio is one of the actors people most love to use in a meme and one of his most famous is from the first party scene in The Great Gatsby as he's finally introducing himself as the great Gatsby. Of course, it's matched with great fanfare in the movie, which is sadly missing from the meme (obviously).

Steve Carell In The Office

Steve Carell has had some classic memes made from his expressions on The Office but none more used than the classic shot of him yelling "NO!" It will be no surprise to fans of that Carell's character Micheal is reacting to the return of his nemesis in the office, Toby Flenderson (Paul Lieberstein).

Sean Bean In The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring

At the Council of Elrond in The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, Sean Bean's character Boromir declares that "One does not simply walk into Mordor." So a meme was born as the look on Bean's face is perfect for describing anything that isn't easy.

Homer In The Simpsons

The scene of Homer Simpson disappearing into the bushes, used for all kinds of memes to show embarrassment, is, incredibly, over 30 years now. The scene comes from a Season 5 episode called "Homer Loves Flanders." The scene is specifically parodying the Terminator in Terminator 2 and his shape-shifting as Homer chases after Flanders.

Spider-Man In Spider-Man

The famous Spider-Man pointing at Spider-Man meme comes from way back in the 1960s and the Spider-Man cartoon that aired for one season in 1967. In the episode, the villain disguises himself as Spider-Man and they confront each other outside the police station.

Robert Redford In Jeremiah Johnson

Jeremiah Johnson is not one of Robert Redford's most remembered movies. In fact, there is a decent chance it would be forgotten completely if not for the famous meme of Redford with his bushy beard looking back over his shoulder seemingly approving something, as the meme makes it out to be. In the movie, he's nodding approval after having trapped a beaver.

Joaquin Phoenix In The Joker

One of the most recent memes to really take off is the scene from The Joker of Joaquin Phoenix as the titular character dances on some stairs as he embraces the villain he has become. The stairs themselves have become a popular tourist spot and famous filming location in The Bronx.

Ice Cube In Friday

It's a statement that has come to mean so much more than the fleeting scene it was originally in Friday. Felicia is the annoying neighbor who is always looking to get over on someone but isn't very good at it. After begging the main characters for a whole bunch of stuff, finally, Craig (Ice Cube) says curtly, "Bye Felicia" and a meme was born,

Willem Dafoe In Spider-Man 3

Willem Dafoe In Spider-Man 3 is really great, especially as Norman Osborn, the alter-ego of The Green Goblin. Famously he tells Peter that he is "something of a scientist himself" and that moment is one that has lived on as one of the most popular memes on the web, used to tell people that "someone is quite the something."

Keanu Reeves In Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure

Long before the internet was part of everyday life, people were celebrating Keanu Reeves for his famous "Whoa!" in Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure. In the years since, that celebration has only grown and now it's one of the most widely circulated memes in the world, usually used to signify the same thing it is in the movie, pure surprise. In the scene, it's when they discover all both Bills and Teds are thinking of the same number.

Laurence Fishburne In The Matrix

What if I told you that the line "What if I told you" doesn't actually appear in The Matrix? Would that blow your mind? The reason most people think it does is because of the famous meme of Laurence Fishburne as Morpheus. Morpheus is explaining what the matrix is in the scene, but he never says those words.

James Van Der Beek On Dawson's Creek

The famous "Dawson" crying meme comes from a moment on Dawsom's Creek so brief if you blink at the wrong time, you'll miss it. It comes from a scene in the Season 3 finale when Dawson (James Van Der Beek) and Joey (Katie Holmes) break up. the meme has had a far longer impact on popular culture than the show, it turns out.

Tim Robinson On I Think You Should Leave

Tim Robinson's saying "You sure about that" has quickly become one of the most used memes around, especially on YouTube. It comes from a Season 2 episode of one of the best Netflix original shows, I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson where Robinson is playing a stereotypical pitchman on an infomercial.

Jeff Goldblum In Jurassic Park

Ah yes, we've finally come to the "Jeff Goldblum shirtless in Jurassic Park" meme. The scene is after Goldblum's character Dr. Ian Malcolm is injured in the T-Rex attack and he is resting and trying to recover while criticizing what's happening around him.

Woody And Buzz In Toy Story 2

The famous meme of Woody And Buzz from Toy Story 2 has been used for every kind of meme imaginable when trying to explain something to someone. In the movie, it doesn't really have anything to do with that. The scene is when Woody has lost his hat right before leaving with Andy for summer camp and they are desperately looking for it as Buzz seems unconcerned about it all.

Wayne Knight In Jurassic Park

Jurassic Park really is a meme-able movie and one of the most famous ones is Wayne Knight of Seinfeld fame laughing and pointing away from another character. In the scene, he is mocking Dobson (the man in the shades and the hat) for thinking anyone in the beach bar cares what they are doing there. In Meme form, it's used to mock anyone, really.

Bruno Ganz In Downfall

Bruno Ganz in the amazing movie Downfall is a different kind of meme as people rewrite the subtitles of the epic scene in the German movie to fit whatever they are angry about, from sports to casting decisions in the MCU. In the movie, of course, Ganz plays the evil man with a tiny mustache as he is freaking out towards the end of World War II and it's clear he and the Germans have lost.

Ray Liotta In GoodFellas

This famous meme comes from a very famous scene in Martin Scorsese's Goodfellas. In the scene, Ray Liotta's character Henry Hill is reacting to a funny story told by Tommy (Joe Pesci). It's used for just about everything as a meme, but in the movie, Tommy is very angry at Henry for not explaining how Tommy's funny. Funny how? Funny like a clown? The meme is, that's for sure.

Leonardo DiCaprio In Django Unchained

The very famous meme of Leonardo DiCaprio laughing in Django Unchained is from a shot so brief it's amazing anyone picked up on it to even make it a meme. It's obviously from the dinner party and DiCaprio's character is laughing at his own joke, which makes the meme even better.

Jordan Peele In Key And Peele

Jordan Peele has become better known for his direction of amazing horror movies these days than as half of the brilliant comedy duo Key And Peele, but his most famous comes from the latter. In the sketch, his wife is asking him about his browser history, and the crazier and crazier the searches get the more he starts to sweat until it's pouring like a faucet out of his head.

Wagner Moura In Narcos

"Sad Pablo" has become very popular since Wagner Moura's amazing performance as Pablo Escobar in Narcos. The various memes on him looking sad or contemplative are taken from many moments on the show, but very rarely from when he is actually sad, Mostly they are fleeting moments of the drug kingpin thinking about his next move.

Christine Taylor In A Very Brady Sequel

"Sure Jan" is a pure classic. Obviously, it's Marsha Brady and she is indeed talking down to her sister Jan in the scene in A Very Brady Sequel, which is a pretty underrated comedy based on the original show from the 1960s. In the scene, Jan is making up a story about her imaginary boyfriend, George Glass and while everyone else in the family believes her, Marsha certainly does not.

Arnold Schwarzenegger And Carl Weathers In Predator

In the meme, all we get is two very muscular arms gripping hands in a very masculine handshake. One arm belongs to Arnold Schwarzenegger and the other to Carl Weathers. It comes from a scene in the first Predator movie. When the two characters, who are old friends, first see each other before the mission to seek and destroy the titular enemy.

It’s a Trap! In Return Of The Jedi

This is probably the most famous meme of them all, or at least the one that most people are going to know where it comes from. The origin story here of Admiral Akbar in Return Of The Jedi after the fleet has jumped in the battle above Endor. His famous line is, of course, "It's a trap!"

Bill Skarsgård In It

In what has to be the creepiest popular meme around, Pennywise, as played by Bill Skarsgård in It, is looking up out of a storm drain. It occurs after one of the kids chases his paper boat as it floats down the gutter and into the sewer.

Leonardo DiCaprio In Once Upon A Time In Hollywood

Proving that everyone loves a great Leonardo DiCaprio meme, one of the more popular ones lately is of the actor from Once Upon A Time In Hollywood as he points at the TV because he's about to be on. Not seen in the photo is Brad Pitt, who is also in the scene watching with DiCaprio.

Nicolas Cage In Wicker Man

"NOT THE BEES!" is one of Nicolas Cage's most unhinged lines from a totally unhinged movie, The Wicker Man. It's a movie that seemingly only exists for the memes. There are a lot of options in the movie, that's for sure.

Think, for a moment, of your favorite actors with experience in sketch comedy. Is every person that popped into your head a Saturday Night Live cast member or did you also picture a few sketch comedy actors who were never on SNL but from another show like, say, Mad TV?

We would not be surprised, since the sketch comedy TV show equivalent to MAD Magazine, which aired on Fox from 1995 to 2009, was one of SNL's biggest competitors during that time. However, even if you have never heard of the show, you would surely be able to recognize some of the most famous Mad TV cast members. See for yourself!

Keegan-Michael Key

From 2004 to 2009, Keegan-Michael-Key proved to be a real Mad TV MVP with his brilliant impersonations and hilarious original characters like Coach Hines. Teaming up with fellow Mad TV alum Jordan Peele for their hit Comedy Central show Key & Peele increased his notoriety a hundredfold and made him one of comedy's most recognizable and versatile talents.

Artie Lange

Artie Lange first acquired fame as one of the founding members of the Mad TV cast when he was 27 and later became even better known as a co-host/sidekick of The Howard Stern Show from 2001 to 2009. The comedian is also known for one of the best Norm Macdonald movies, 1998's Dirty Work, and various other notable film and TV appearances.

Alex Borstein

After starting out as an improvisational comic and breaking into voice acting, Alex Borstein made her live-action acting debut when she joined the Mad TV cast in Season 3. Ironically, her bigger claim to fame would be voicing one of the funniest Family Guy characters, Lois Griffin, but she has also received much acclaimed and two Primetime Emmy Awards for playing Susie Myerson in The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.

Phil LaMarr

After getting his start in The Groundlings and fellow legendary comedy troupe, Second City, Phil LaMarr was a regular on Mad TV, during which he played characters like Jaq the UBS Guy, for its first five seasons. Before then, he played Marvin in one of the best movies of the 1990s, Pulp Fiction, and later became even better known for his extensive voice acting career, which includes voicing DC characters like John "Green Lantern" Stewart and the title role of Samurai Jack.

Bobby Lee

Despite joining the cast about halfway through the series' run, Bobby Lee became one of Mad TV's most celebrated breakout stars with upbeat performances and memorable recurring characters like Tank and unhelpful Korean translator Bae Sung. The comedian and podcast host became a staple of the Harold and Kumar franchise and a standout in funny movies and TV shows before branching out beyond comedy with his recurring role on the Magnum P.I. remake, for instance.

Nicole Sullivan

For her tenure on Mad TV's early years, Nicole Sullivan portrayed a vast collection of recurring characters, most notably the absent-minded Antonia and the deeply prejudice Vancome Lady. She later became a main cast member on The King of Queens, earned a recurring role on Black-ish, and would lead a notable voice acting career.

Taran Killam

One of the few Mad TV stars who went on to join the SNL cast is Taran Killam, who was already well known among younger viewers for playing Spaulding on the recurring Amanda Show segment, "Moody's Point," and other Nickelodeon originals. He also had a recurring role among the How I Met Your Mother cast (which included his wife, Cobie Smulders) as Gary Blauman, appeared on MTV's Wild 'n Out, was in the Best Picture Oscar winner 12 Years a Slave, and wrote, directed, and starred in Killing Gunther with Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Will Sasso

Will Sasso made a great impression on Mad TV viewers with his hilarious impressions of the likes of Bill Clinton, Kenny Rogers, and more. The Canadian comedian, also known for playing Jim McCallister on Young Sheldon and its spin-off, George & Mandy's First Marriage, would lend his talent for funny portrayals to his role as Curly in the Farrelly Brothers' two modern Three Stooges movies.

Debra Wilson

In addition to uproarious recurring characters like Bunifa, founding Mad TV cast member Debra Wilson was best known for her uncanny celebrity impersonations, such as Oprah Winfrey and Tina Turner, to name a few. She continued to use that talent when she left the series after eight years, lending her voice to films like the Hotel Transylvania movies, TV shows like Monster High, and video games like World of Warcraft.

Jordan Peele

Despite leaving Mad TV on bad terms (because they would not let him out of his contract so he could audition for SNL), it is safe to call Jordan Peele one of the show's greatest success stories, and not just because of his hilarious performances Funkenstein and other characters. After launching Key & Peele with Keegan-Michael Key, Peele went on to write and direct some of the best horror movies in recent memory, including 2017's Get Out, which earned him a Best Original Screenplay Oscar.

Mo Collins

Mo Collins was one of Mad TV's most reliable and dynamic performers during her six years on the show, during which she played characters like Stuart's mother, Doreen Larkin. So, it is no wonder that she would later become known for versatile credits, such as recurring as Joan Calamezzo in the Parks and Recreation cast and joining AMC's Fear the Walking Dead as Sarah Rabinowitz.

Simon Helberg

We would totally understand if you forgot that Simon Helberg – best known from CBS's Big Bang Theory cast as Howard Walowitz – was on Mad TV. The Golden Globe-nominated comedian and actor was a featured cast member for one season from 2002 to 2003.

Orlando Jones

After starring in the first two seasons of Mad TV, Orlando Jones led a successful and eclectic career that includes films like the beloved comedy Office Space, Paul Thomas Anderson's Magnolia, and the hilarious alien invasion movie, Evolution. You might also recognize him for serving as the spokesperson for 7UP for years or as Frank Irving on Fox's Sleepy Hollow.

Nicole Parker

For six seasons of Mad TV, Nicole Parker's bread and butter was celebrity impersonations, which she also demonstrated in spoof movies like Disaster Movie. The actor is also known for TV shows like Bajillion Dollar Properties and several theatrical productions, such as a 2009 Broadway run of Wicked as Elphaba.

Ike Barinholtz

Despite no memorable recurring characters to his name, Ike Barinholtz delivered a certain charisma that made him a standout during his seven years on Mad TV. He continued to charm audiences with his main role on The Mindy Project, as the writer, director, and star of the 2018 political satire, The Oath, and in movies that range from comedies like Neighbors to comic book flicks like Suicide Squad.

Michael McDonald

The longest standingMad TV cast member (lasting from 1998 to 2008), Michael McDonald performed with The Groundlings and made memorable appearances in Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery and Seinfeld, for instance. His subsequent career has been plenty eclectic, from movies with Melissa McCarthy like Spy to appearing in one of the Halloween movies (Halloween Kills) as "Little John."

Stephnie Weir

In six seasons on Mad TV, Stephnie Weir played numerous hilarious characters including seven-year-old Penelope "Dot" Goddard and Dr. Kylie Johnson JD MD. She has since become known for starring in FX's The Comedians, HBO's Veep, ABC's A Million Little Things, and Fox's Happy Together.

Bryan Callen

Some of Bryan Callen's most famous moments from the first two seasons of Mad TV include impersonating Jim Carrey and performing in a barbershop quartet that sings a capella renditions of gangsta rap music. He has since notably appeared in movies like Bad Santa and the Hangover movies and had a memorable recurring role on How I Met Your Mother as Bilson.

Frank Caliendo

Frank Caliendo's impersonation of John Madden (among many other uncanny impressions he demonstrated on Mad TV) became so popular, that he was asked to appear semi-regularly on Fox NFL Sunday as the legendary sports commentator. The comedian also portrayed various celebrities on his short-lived TBS series, Frank TV, and for his various impressions, including John Madden

Crista Flanagan

Crista Flanagan gave many a memorable performance during her five years on Mad TV, such as her character Sally in sketches that spoofed Sesame Street. Highlights of her career outside of the sketch comedy series include a recurring role alongside the Mad Men cast as Lois Sadler and guest spots on hit sitcoms like Mom and Grace and Frankie.

Andy Daly

Prior to his two-season tenure on Mad TV, Andy Daly studied improv with the Upright Citizens Brigade and made appearances on Late Night with Conan O'Brien. His notoriety grew in later years with roles in films like She's Out of My League, recurring stints in series like Silicon Valley, and creating and leading Comedy Central's Review as an overambitious critic of "life itself," Forrest MacNeil.

Aries Spears

The second-longest standing Mad TV cast member, behind Michael McDonald, is Aries Spears, whose best character would have to be his exaggerated portrayal of NBA legend Shaquille O'Neal. He had previously starred in 1996's Jerry Maguire and was subsequently known for voicing Wizard Kelly on Disney Channel's The Proud Family and Disney+'s revival series, The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder.

Erica Ash

Erica Ash served as a featured player on the Mad TV cast for its 14th and final season, following her two-season stint on The Big Gay Sketch Show. She went on to star in movies like Scary Movie 5 and Uncle Drew and had a main role in Survivor's Remorse before she sadly passed away from breast cancer in 2024 at 46.

Josh Meyers

While his older brother, Seth Meyers, was still finding his footing on the SNL cast, Josh Meyers joined the Mad TV cast for the eighth and ninth seasons. He would leave the show to replace Topher Grace's spot in the That '70s Show cast as Randy Pearson and later starred opposite Ike Barinholtz in The Oath.

Craig Anton

Craig Anton was a featured Mad TV cast member for the show's first three years, which saw him at his best playing the smarmy spokesperson for a revolting soda brand called Spishak Cola. The comedian is probably best known outside of the show for playing Lloyd Diffy on Disney Channel's sci-fi comedy, Phil of the Future.

Mary Scheer

After appearing in a movie based on an SNL character (1994's It's Pat), Mary Scheer became a founding Mad TV cast member and lasted on the show for three years. She has since been seen starring opposite Cassandra Peterson in 2001's Elvira's Haunted Hills and playing Freddie Benson's overbearing mother, Marissa, on Nickelodeon's iCarly.

Arden Myrin

Following a main on the NBC sitcom Working and roles in movies like Bubble Boy and Kinsey, Arden Myrin became a Mad TV star for the series' final four seasons. Since then, you might have recognized her from Evan Almighty, the Netflix series Insatiable, and a few of the funniest Key & Peele sketches, such as "Black Ice."

Paul Vogt

Mad TV's only known openly gay cast member is Paul Vogt, who starred in the show from Season 8 to Season 10. The actor also has movies like 2003's The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement and 2010's Valentine's Day and TV shows like Hannah Montana and Perfect Harmony under his belt.

Christina Moore

Christina Moore had a steady career of appearing in guest spots on series like The Drew Carey Show and 24 before becoming a featured Mad TV cast member during its eighth season in 2003. That same year, she would replace Lisa Robin Kelly as Laurie Forman in the That '70s Show and has since led an eclectic career that includes series like TNT's Hawthorne and Disney Channel's Jessie and movies like Delta Farce and The Curse of the Necklace.

Nelson Ascencio

After joining the Mad TV cast as a featured player in Season 5, Nelson Ascencio would be promoted to a main cast member for the following season, which would also be his last. He is best known outside of the show for appearing in the Hunger Games movies as Flavius.

Jeff Richards

The first Mad TV star to also join SNL is comedian and podcast host Jeff Richards. One of his most notable highlights from the show is his convincing impersonation of former Late Show host David Letterman.

Tim Conlon

Tim Conlon was a featured Mad TV cast member during the series' second and third seasons. He is also known for 1994's Angels in the Outfield and for leading the short-lived sci-fi comedy Lost on Earth in 1997.

Few directors make a great movie on their very first try, as Jordan Peele did with his groundbreaking 2017 horror movie Get Out. The flick captivated audiences with its unsettling exploration of racism in America, cementing its place as one of the best movies of the 2010s and arguably, of all time. One of the film’s most powerful moments comes at its climax, which features a fateful moment for protagonist Chris (Daniel Kaluuya) that ends in a somewhat optimistic way. Yet the film initially had a much darker conclusion and, recently, one of the film’s stars, Allison Williams, reflected on it.

Allison Williams spoke with Comicbook.com amid the festivities at 2024 New York Comic Con. She discussed how the movie, one of only six horror movies ever to be nominated for Best Picture, initially concluded and why the team pivoted toward the more hopeful resolution audiences saw on screen. The M3GAN star recalled:

At the end of the film's theatrical cut, Chris is seemingly rescued by his cop friend, Rod (Lil Rel Howery), just as it seems the police arrive, sparking a moment of collective dread before the ultimate reveal. Jordan Peele’s initial vision for the ending had Chris arrested by the police despite having fought his way out of the Armitage family's sinister plot. This conclusion was meant to reflect the harsh realities of race in America, offering a more sobering statement on systemic injustice.

Allison Williams explained how the decision to change the ending came about after audience test screenings. In her own words:

The final version of Get Out retains the tension of Chris’ encounter with the police but offers a reprieve as Rod appears instead of law enforcement. Addressing the racial anxieties that drive the film, this alteration allows audiences to leave the theater with a sense of triumph rather than the gut punch of Chris’ unjust imprisonment. Thankfully, this original ending was better left on the cutting room floor.

Jordan Peele has spoken about how the political climate influenced his decision to scrap the OG ending at the time. With real-life stories of racial violence flooding the news, Peele recognized that audiences were already feeling the weight of these grim realities. So, instead of doubling down on the darkness, he provided viewers with a moment of hope.

In my eyes, this decision ultimately helped the film solidify its place as a cultural milestone, perfectly balancing horror with sharp social commentary and delivering a finale that struck a deep chord with audiences. Those final few minutes are very unforgettable, and chances are that due to Mr. Peele's shrewd creative choice, we'll never stop talking about them.

You can stream Get Out now with a Peacock subscription. Meanwhile, Allison Williams -- who wasn't just was in New York City to discuss her past work -- has an upcoming horror movie on the docket. She's set to star in the highly anticipated M3GAN 2.0, a sequel that promises to be one of the major horror releases on the 2025 movie schedule.

Often, sequels or reboots of classic films have little to no connection to their predecessors, much to the ire of critics and diehard fans. There have been a few exceptions to this rule, most recently the 2021 Candyman sequel/reboot. Despite initial trepidation over the original film’s connection to the reboot, early fan reactions quelled those fears by speaking on both movies' throughlines. The 2021 sequel carved out its lane while paying homage to the 1992 original horror classic.

Released during the COVID pandemic, those connections worked well for the Candyman reboot, as it raked in over $77 million. Its commercial success echoed the sentiment of film critics’ positive response, including a glowing review from CinemaBlend. After watching the spiritual sequel, I found four connections between the two Candyman movies I need to talk about.

The Importance of Tony Todd and Vanessa Williams’ Appearances

The horror reboot could’ve forged ahead without acknowledging its classic predecessor. However, producer Jordan Peele and director Nia DaCosta decided to reach back and include OG stars Tony Todd and Vanessa Williams in the new film. Of course, every horror fan equates the long-running franchise with OG Candyman Tony Todd. So, it was great seeing him unexpectedly reprise his iconic role. What was even more unexpected was seeing Vanessa E. Williams return as Anne-Marie McCoy. While she survived the carnage and chaos of the original film, Anne-Marie hadn’t appeared in the franchise since the first film. Her inclusion in the reboot came with an explanation from DaCosta for reintroducing her character.

Bringing back Todd’s Candyman and Williams’ Anne-Marie allowed the reboot to fit within the horror franchise’s legacy. Their presence served as a full-circle moment to the spiritual sequel, which I’ll get into later. Having both actors reprise their roles decades after the original film was a nice nod to longtime fans.

Touching on Race in America

Diehard horror fans know the genre isn’t all jump scares. They can be a hotbed for sociopolitical commentary, and the Candyman franchise is no exception. Since its inception, the horror franchise has placed a spotlight on race, class, and people’s fear of Black America, especially Black men. Incorporating such heavy subjects captured the reality of being a Black American.

Of course, the original film centered around Todd’s Daniel Robitaille being burned alive for having an interracial relationship. While not as dire, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II’s Anthony McCoy faced racism and classism in the notoriously fickle art world. The disconnect between the patrons and artist displayed the long-held narrative of Black culture and imagery being deemed either “inferior” or “not palatable” to their white counterparts.

Things only get worse once McCoy begins spiraling out of control, culminating in Candyman fanatic Billy Burke (played by Colman Domingo) setting him up to be killed by the police. Burke’s nefarious plot to revive the Candyman hive was selfish (if not, honest), which Todd mentioned as a fantastic way to evolve the story. In this instance, his justification was a twisted way of addressing Cabrini-Green’s gradual gentrification. This angle bled into the finale’s police brutality and lack of empathy for Black Americans in vulnerable moments.

Making the Reboot a Beautiful Tribute to the Original

The 2021 Candyman reboot carved out a lane while paying tribute to the original film. Incorporating the original setting of Cabrini-Green and the Candyman lore made the sequel feel more like a powerful tribute to the first film. Nia DaCosta made a great choice in interpreting and understanding the Candyman legacy through both plot and visual storytelling, including Anthony McCoy’s transformation into a new hive member. Using imagery allowed the film to pay homage to the first film’s overarching themes and story. Making the protagonist a visual artist drove this factor home.

As mentioned, incorporating Todd and Williams into the reboot was a significant nod to the OG movie. Adding them heightened the reboot’s trauma and tragedy as the story and interconnectivity began furling for viewers. Each character experienced the Candyman lore uniquely, just like in previous entries. Having characters directly connected or adjacent to the story enhanced the experience as viewers fell more into the legacy, like the first film.

Keeping the supernatural factors intact while heightening them was something for new and old fans. Bees were prominent in the 2021 sequel as they were in the 1992 original film, which was a nice cash cow for Todd. Of course, they were the catalyst for the reboot while serving as an ominous factor for the OG Candyman. The otherworldliness of the franchise makes them a must-watch for horror fans.

The Connection Between the Original Candyman and Reboot’s Origin Stories

The 2021 Candyman reboot carved out a lane while paying tribute to the original film. Of course, making Abdul-Mateen II’s Anthony the protagonist and, by the finale, the newest Candyman served as a full-circle moment. Seeing Todd’s surprise cameo only made the moment sweeter. It was the genius of the reboot’s writers to create that interconnectivity.

However, the most genuine connection began before the reboot, as Anthony was the original film's kidnapped baby, as illustrated in the confrontational scene between him and his mother, Anne-Marie. Even bringing Virginia Madsen’s Helen Lyle into the fray created this intangible link between the OG Candyman and the new one. It grounded Anthony’s initial bee sting and growing Candyman obsession. Both Anthony and Daniel being misunderstood artists further connected the men.

These elements made the lead character’s psychological breakdown and physical transformation even more compelling as he gradually joined the hive. It only strengthened the OG movie and its spiritual sequel’s legacy, especially the sequel's open-ended ending.

Both Candyman movies were allowed to be separated while blending and sharpening each other to strengthen the horror franchise’s legacy. Each film provided the scares to keep the audience's attention while sticking the social commentary medicine in the glossing film candy, which I appreciated as a viewer. The 2021 reboot didn’t mind calling out the obvious, while the original film focused on the spooky (if not deadly) supernatural factor.

Find out why the 2021 sequel/reboot is a worthy successor by streaming with an Amazon Prime Video Subscription. If you want to revisit the remaining Candyman franchise, watch the original film with a Peacock subscription, and its original sequels are available streaming with a Max subscription. Despite the reboot’s success, there have been no talks of reviving the long-dormant horror franchise. In the meantime, check out why Candyman is considered one of the best Black film villains.

Despite working together for years on one of the best sketch comedy series of all time, Key & Peele creators and stars Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele haven’t been in a live-action project together since 2016’s kitten comedy Keanu. Their award-winning collaborations technically continued in voice-acting form for Toy Story 4 and Wendell & Wild, but Key’s latest comments about their relationship are kind of a bummer, and left me with a big question for the Pixar sequel Toy Story 5.

Speaking with People about this career at large, Keegan-Michael Key used a very strong word to describe his lack of communication with his former comedy cohort, saying:

In the scheme of things, it’s of course perfectly normal for two grown adults to drift off down different paths that aren’t quite as parallel as they once were, especially given that both are living the happy husband life. (Key is married to Elisa Pugliese, while Peele is married to Chelsea Peretti.) And they also live on opposite sides of the country, with Peele central to L.A. and Key in New York City.

But most grown adults weren’t responsible for some of the funniest comedy sketches of the 2000s, so this one stings way more.

Of course, anyone paying attention to the former co-stars’ respective careers can easily track why partnering up again and again wouldn’t be the most natural fit for either. Beyond his animated voicework, Peele has largely replaced acting with writing/directing gut-punching horror movies like Get Out and Us, while Key has balanced his prolific comedy career with stage work. The Reboot star reflected on the duo’s shift in ideologies, saying:

I suppose the move here is to be genuinely grateful for all the MADtv and K&P comedy they delivered, and happy that those projects allowed them the freedom to take on more formidable creative challenges. But the more selfish part of me just wants them to never stop working together. Which brings us to...

Will Ducky And Bunny Be Together Again In Toy Story 5?

For all that Forky was THE universally beloved new Toy Story character brought into the fourth film, it wouldn't have taken much for Key and Peele's Ducky and Bunny to steal that comedy crown. The carnival-geared stuffed animals were most delightful, thanks in large part to the rat-a-tat chemistry between the two actors.

But with Toy Story 5 set to arrive in theaters well after the 2025 movie schedule has concluded, it still hasn't been 100% confirmed just yet if Keagan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele will be reprising their roles. Plus, neither character was shown in the promotional concept art that Pixar released at D23 in August, even though Forky was there.

The expectation for them to return is there, since they both survived Toy Story 4's adventure and fronted the film's third and final post-credits sequence. But with Peele working on his upcoming mystery genre movie and lord knows what else afterward, on top of Key's busy career, the challenge may just be finding an opening in both of their schedules.

The best case scenario here is that Ducky and Bunny will get their own spinoff movie, which will be released right after Key joins one of Peele's horror movies, and ending world hunger is also involved. But here in this average-case scenario, we'll just have to wait and see if any future updates cement the characters' returns.

Toy Story 5 is set to arrive in theaters on June 19, 2026.

Cinema history has incredible debut films by legendary and iconic filmmakers, including Sam Mendes’ American Beauty, George Miller’s Mad Max, Orson Welles’ Citizen Kane, and George Romero’s Night of the Living Dead. However, Black directors aren't mentioned among these names often, though Spike Lee’s She’s Gotta Have It, Mario Van Peebles’s New Jack City and Malcolm D. Lee’s The Best Man are a few classic Black filmmaker debuts.

So, here are eight fantastic debut films by Black directors who knocked it out of the park.

Kasi Lemmons - Eve's Bayou (1997)

Eve's Bayou is a genre-bending horror classic that became a critical and commercial success, placing high on multiple greatest films lists, including one of the best Black horror movies. It and Lemmons became festival favorites while scoring recognition from the National Board of Review, the Independent Spirit Awards and more.

Hollywood rarely gives Black female filmmakers many chances to direct and knock it out of the park. However, actress-turned-director Kasi Lemmons proved the naysayers wrong with the 1997 horror film. The Southern Gothic drama became one of the most successful independent films.

The movie drew from Lemmons’ childhood trips to Louisiana while incorporating her complicated upbringing. These aspects formed an intricate and intriguing story about Eve Batiste and her wealthy family’s life of trauma, tragedy, and lies in 1960s Louisiana. Lemmons offered a new dimension to the horror genre by integrating family drama and Black spirituality and mysticism.

Before her directorial debut, the Caveman’s Valentine director had done one short film. That and Lemmons' acting career were an excellent training ground as the feature showcased snappy direction and genre-bending writing. Her Hollywood and theatre days worked in her favor as Debbi Morgan, Samuel L. Jackson, and Lynn Whitfield played significant roles, and she got outstanding performances from Meagan Good, Jurnee Smollett, Diahann Carroll and Ethel Ayler.

Jordan Peele - Get Out (2017)

Some directors can hop from genre to genre without much error, and Jordan Peele’s debut let us know he's able to do the same. Going from outlandish comedies to psychological horror proved the right move, as he released one of the best films from the 21st century, 2017’s Get Out.

Peele wrote and produced film and TV comedies before directing the Oscar-winning film. The first-time filmmaker used his personal experiences and the 1975 movie, Stepford Wives, to craft a screenplay filled with racial and social commentary. He saw the parallels between comedy and horror by telling the story of a young Black man meeting his white partner’s family while uncovering astonishing and nefarious secrets.

Peele’s directorial debut used his prior work to inform the psychological horror’s sharp, satirical writing and brilliant layered direction. This approach led to an excellent first film by a great director. Outstanding performances from Daniel Kaluuya, LaKeith Stanfield, and more only solidified his brilliance.

The modern-day masterpiece became a critical and commercial success despite its small budget. It spawned a pop culture phenomenon and was an awards-season darling. Both Peele and the film scored award recognition from Critics’ Choice, National Board of Review, Independent Spirit, NAACP Image, DGA, and WGA awards. The Us filmmaker became the first Black director to score Oscar nominations for Best Picture, Director, and Original Screenplay (winning the latter).

Julie Dash - Daughters of the Dust (1992)

Some directorial debuts leave impressions on generations, like the 1992 experimental movie Daughters of the Dust. With it, Julie Dash became the first Black woman to direct a theatrical release.

Before directing the classic film, Dash wrote and directed several seminal short films, including Illusions. The filmmaker drew from her father’s Gullah background and the Great Migration to develop and pen the script over several years. She has interwoven three generations of women’s stories during American upheaval in the period drama.

Telling a unique story allowed Dash to use a non-linear narrative and the Gullah dialect for beautiful direction and lush visuals. The film’s experimental nature translated to transformative performances from the union and non-union stars, including Cora Lee Day, Kaycee Moore, Alva Rogers, and Cheryl Lynn Bruce.

The movie was a critical success while getting a limited theatrical release. In the years since, it's influenced other works, most notably Beyonce’s seminal visual album Lemonade. The film garnered Dash praise at Sundance before entering the National Film Registry in 2004.

Jeymes Samuel - The Harder They Fall (2021)

Making the jump from one medium to another can be daunting for any filmmaker, but Jeymes Samuel’s The Harder They Fall proves it can be easy. The revisionist film revived the all-Black western, a first since the mid-1990s.

Before his feature debut, Samuel directed several notable short films and music videos. His years behind the camera came through in Samuels' script with co-writer Boaz Yoakin. The script translated to Samuel transporting notable Black Western figures into a storyline filled with revenge, gunslinging, and Wild West adventures.

Samuel’s artistic background mixed old-school Western tropes with contemporary direction and styling. This approach led to brilliant direction filled with visual Easter eggs and one of the best Black movie soundtracks. His entertainment connections worked well for him in nabbing the film’s all-star cast, including Jonathan Majors, Idris Elba, Zazie Beetz, Regina King, LaKeith Stanfield, Delroy Lindo, Edi Gathegi, RJ Cyler, and Danielle Deadwyler.

The drama was a critical success while getting a limited theatrical release. However, it went straight to streaming and became a hit during the COVID-19 pandemic. The film and Samuels garnered recognition from BAFTA, NBR, NAACP Image, Critics’ Choice, and Satellite awards.

John Singleton - Boyz N the Hood (1991)

Hollywood doesn’t often give young black filmmakers the chance to shine. However, that wasn’t the case for celebrated auteur John Singleton, who made a good movie on his first try. He came out the gate swinging and elevated the hood film genre with one of the best 1990s movies, Boyz N the Hood.

Unlike other directorial debuts, Singleton was fresh out of USC Film School, where he wrote the screenplay. His Hollywood introduction drew from his South Central Los Angeles upbringing and the coming-of-age film Stand By Me. These aspects informed the crime drama, showing teen Tre Styles’ life growing up surrounded by gang culture.

Singleton’s film degree came through in his cutting-edge filmmaking, mixing sentimental stories with action-packed violence, intimacy, and honest depictions. The first-time director had Hollywood inroads after working as a TV intern with Ice Cube and Laurence Fishburne. He navigated directing seasoned and upcoming performers like Tyra Ferrell, Angela Bassett, Cuba Gooding Jr, Morris Chestnut, Regina King, and Nia Long.

Singleton’s approach worked, as the coming-of-age drama became a critical and commercial success. He secured recognition from the National Board of Review, NAACP Image Awards, and WGA. He even scored Academy Award nominations, including being the first Black person and youngest director in the Best Director race. The film cemented its importance after being inducted into the National Film Registry.

Gordon Parks - The Learning Tree (1969)

Black directors filming major studio movies wouldn’t be possible without late premier multihyphenate Gordon Parks. He became the first Black director to helm a studio production with 1969’s The Learning Tree.

Parks was already a celebrated photojournalist before branching off into different mediums. He eventually penned his semi-autobiographical novel, which became the basis for his screenplay. The multifaceted creative stayed true to the book by portraying Newt Winger’s journey into young Black manhood in 1920s Kansas.

Park’s celebrated photography career translated into the film’s beautiful, lush visuals with attentive direction. His direction and traditional structure allowed Parks to get a career breakthrough performance from Kyle Johnson with notable performances from Estelle Evans, Felix Nelson, Mira Waters, and Alex Clarke.

Park’s debut laid the foundation for future Black directors, becoming a hit with critics and audiences. The film cemented its significance in exploring race and social justice by being selected for the National Film Registry.

Ryan Coogler - Fruitvale Station (2013)

Young Black directors often must toil away in Hollywood for years before their big break. However, this wasn’t the case for filmmaking wunderkind Ryan Coogler. He made his feature debut with the 2013 biopic, Fruitvale Station.

Much like John Singleton, Coogler was a USC Film School student when the tragic story of Oscar Grant caught his attention. His interest in Grant’s story and connection to the slain man’s family allowed him to develop and craft the screenplay as a Sundance Screenwriters Lab participant. All the work paid off, as Coogler made a great movie that follows the ex-con on his final New Year’s Eve before his tragic 2009 murder.

Coogler’s studies came through, as he mixed amateur footage with professional film to tell Grant’s story. His edgy direction and linear storytelling allowed the Bay Area to be a character. He even got breakthrough performances out of Michael B. Jordan (in one of his best movies) and Melonie Diaz, with outstanding supporting roles from Octavia Spencer, Kevin Durand, and Chad Michael Murray.

His first film was a critical success that became a sleeper hit. The movie and the Black Panther director became Sundance and Cannes favorites before getting recognition from organizations, including NBR, Independent Spirit, and Satellite. The biopic’s message resonated with audiences, earning a Humanitas Prize.

F. Gary Gray - Friday (1995)

Hopping from music videos to feature films became routine in the 1990s, with F. Gary Gray leading the charge. Gray got a chance to make his directorial debut with one of the best 1990s comedies, Friday.

As mentioned before, Gray filmed music videos for top rap stars like Ice Cube. This connection secured Gray the job. His direction and Ice Cube’s writing illustrated the daily life of Craig Jones on a Friday after getting fired, inspired by Cube and co-writer DJ Pooh’s real-life experiences.

Gray’s music video background paid off, as he incorporated techniques like fast-cutting, strange angles, and coloration. His smooth and cutting-edge style was different at the time, influencing future directors. His direction brought out the best in the cast, including Cube, John Witherspoon, Fazion Love, Paula Jai Parker, and AJ Johnson. He also got a breakout performance from Chris Tucker.

His debut feature received positive notice and became a sleeper hit. The film cornered the market on the culture of the times – a cult following, pop culture ubiquity, and internet presence – especially as a film featuring a rapper.

These outstanding directorial debuts left an impression on generations of moviegoers. Hopefully, these Black debut films and others will get more recognition outside their cult followings. Things have changed since these films arrived as more Black directors garner immediate notice for their filmmaking achievements.

There are incredible Black directorial debuts on the 2024 movie schedule. Kobi Libii’s The American Society of Magical Negroes made an interesting debut earlier this year. Zoe Kravitz got behind the camera for the acclaimed Blink Twice. Just in time for awards season, Titus Kaphar’s Exhibiting Forgiveness is garnering acclaim and Oscar buzz from Sundance before its theatrical release on October 8. Hopefully, more outstanding debuts will be coming to theaters or streaming in 2025 and beyond.

Every time we hear that Jordan Peele is developing an upcoming horror film, our anticipation hits an instant 10. It’s not easy for a director to make a great movie with their first try, but Peele's binge-worthy filmography kept building after Get Out; he proceeded to write and helm two additional phenomenal films with Us and Nope. In the last decade, there are few filmmakers who have excited audiences in the same way, but what exactly is Jordan Peele’s new movie?

The actor-cum-director is famous for keeping details about his developing projects close to the vest, but we do know some things about it, and we're very much looking forward to keeping our eyes Peele-d for all kinds of details as we get closer to its release date. To keep track of everything, we’ve put together this special feature combining all of the information that we know about the project… and it feels right to start by giving you all an opportunity to mark your calendars. (Just not the 2024 movie calendar.)

What Is The Release Date For Jordan Peele’s Next Movie?

It was on July 22, 2022 that audiences everywhere first got their opportunity to check out Jordan Peele’s Spielbergian sci-fi horror film Nope, and we have been patiently waiting for the arrival of his next opus ever since then. At one point, it was said that the project was going to hit theaters on Christmas Day 2024 (competition for the release of James Cameron’s Avatar: Fire And Ash), but the 2023 WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes slowed its development. Now, the film is going to terrify us just in time for spooky season with an October 23, 2026 release date.

While there may be no bigger name directing horror movies right now than Jordan Peele, this next movie will actually be his first released during Spooky Season. Get Out played in theaters on February 2017, Us arrived on the big screen in March 2019, and Nope got the summer blockbuster treatment arriving in July 2022.

What Will Be The Title Of Jordan Peele’s Next Film?

Just how secretive has Jordan Peele been about his next movie? Along with other info we're not yet sure about, we don’t even know yet what it will be called. For now, we just know it as Untitled Fourth Film Directed By Jordan Peele — catchy! — and it will stay that way until Peele decides it’s time for us know what he is cooking up.

An infinite number of potential titles exists (at the very least we can assume it won’t be called Get Out, Us or Nope), but history suggests that he’ll go with something short and punchy that packs a double meaning that audiences won’t fully understand until witnessing his latest vision.

The Cast Of Jordan Peele’s Next Film

Perhaps it’s in part because of Jordan Peele’s own history as an actor, but the writer/director clearly knows how to get the best out of his stars, and one of the most thrilling developments in the making of his next project will be seeing who he ends up choosing to collaborate with. Unfortunately, we don’t presently know Peele has in mind for the characters and world that we know nothing about.

To date, Daniel Kaluuya is the only actor who has starred in multiple Jordan Peele movies (with lead roles in both Get Out and Nope), but one would be hard pressed to find anyone who would be upset by the idea of Peele reuniting with Allison Williams, Steven Yeun, Bradley Whitford, Catherine Keener, Lupita Nyong’o, Winston Duke, Keke Palmer, Brendon Perea, or any of the other stars he has already worked with. As for performers we’d like to see featured in one of the writer/director’s projects, that list is basically endless.

What Jordan Peele Has Said About His Next Movie

Between his trio of massive box office hits and the Academy Award he won for Best Original Screenplay in 2018, Jordan Peele’s success as a director is undeniable… but it seems that if you were to ask the man himself, he would tell you that the best he can do has yet to come.

In January 2024, Peele was featured as a guest on an episode of the Conan O’Brien Needs A Friend podcast, and the titular host got him to briefly discuss his developing follow-up to Nope. He didn’t provide the talk show legend with any plot details or hints about what kind of horror he will be tackling with his latest feature, but he did express some extreme confidence by saying that it could end up being his favorite of the films he’s made. Said Peele:

Ending that sentence by saying “if I make it right” feels like him playing it safe just in case he doesn’t get the chance to make the Untitled Fourth Film Directed By Jordan Peele as the feature that exists on the page and in his head… but he has certainly earned the full faith of the audience and the industry at this point that he will do everything “right.”

Jordan Peele’s Previous Movies And How To Watch Them

The wait for the next film from Jordan Peele probably feels interminable right now, but the good news is that you can help satiate your voracious hunger for more Peele movies by rewatching his three previous masterpieces with just a few clicks.

Get Out

Chris Washington (Daniel Kaluuya) travels with his girlfriend (Allison Williams) to visit her parents for the first time. Things seem cordial at first, but it doesn’t take long before Chris discovers that there is something dark and secret going on, and he finds himself trapped in an awful nightmare.

Get Out is available to stream with a Hulu subscription, a Peacock subscription, or a Disney+ subscription.

Us

While on a family trip to Santa Cruz, California, Adelaide Wilson (Lupita Nyong'o), her husband (Winston Duke) and two children (Shahadi Wright Joseph, Evan Alex) are terrified to be accosted by beings who are their exact duplicates – and as they struggle to survive against these strangers, they find that they are not alone in dealing with the terrifying ordeal.

Us is available for digital rental or purchase from online outlets including Prime Video, Google Play, and AppleTV.

Nope

The owners of a horse ranch just north of Los Angeles (Daniel Kaluuya, Keke Palmer) are terrified to discover that some kind of extraterrestrial entity is flying in the skies above their property, and they work to try and capture it on film before it takes their lives.

Nope is available to stream with a Starz subscription, which is available via premium subscriptions on Hulu, YouTube, Sling TV, Roku, and Prime Video.

Stay tuned here on CinemaBlend as we constantly await more and more details about the fourth film from writer/director Jordan Peele, and we’ll continue to update this feature with all of the new information that becomes available.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe is a behemoth franchise, known for constantly releasing new content in theaters and streaming with a Disney+ subscription. Fans who spent years watching the Marvel movies in order were thrilled when Ryan Reynolds finally jointed the fray with Deadpool & Wolverine, which has been wildly successful since hitting theaters. Reynolds recently opened up about who they asked to be in Deadpool 3 but couldn't, and get out.

Deadpool & Wolverine broke records upon hitting theaters, so fans think that the title characters are going to factor heavily into upcoming Marvel movies. While the blockbuster featured wild cameos like Channing Tatum, there were some names that the team failed to get on board. That includes Oscar winner Jordan Peele, as Ryan Reynolds shared with ScreenRant:

Well, my mind is blown. While it's unclear how Peele could have factored into the contents of Deadpool & Wolverine, the idea of him being in the threequel is definitely a thrilling one. Unfortunately it didn't work out for whatever reason. Maybe in the fourth movie?

Reynolds' comments about Jordan Peele are sure to inspire some fan theories about who the actor/director might have played in Deadpool 3. Since the movie leaned into the concept of the multiverse, including the Time Variance Authority, the possibilities are pretty much endless. Maybe he could have ended up as a variant of Deadpool himself?

Part of the reason why Deadpool & Wolverine resonated so well with audiences was because Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman's faux feud put their A+ chemistry on display. While Deadpool 3's ending was a sendoff to 20th Century Fox, fans are wondering when the movie's title characters might return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Fans assume Kevin Feige has big plans after how successful the threequel was, with some hoping that they get to join the next big crossover event of the shared universe: Avengers: Doomsday.

As for Jordan Peele, moviegoers are eager to see his next work in an upcoming horror movie. In just a few years he's been established as one of the most original filmmakers in the genre, thanks to his acclaimed work on Get Out, Us, and Nope.

Deadpool & Wolverine is still in theaters now. Check the 2025 movie release dates to plan your trips to the movies in the new year.

Sometimes, all it takes is one joint appearance in a movie or television show for two popular actors to become known as an acting duo, and sometimes they prove to work so well together that they go on to star in even more projects together. We’ve come up with a list of 32 acting duos who have worked together multiple times, so you can see if you’ve watched all of the times these talented stars have been on screen with each other.

Tina Fey And Amy Poehler

Obviously, this funny duo began their most famed time together while starring on Saturday Night Live, but Tina Fey and Amy Poehler didn’t let the good times end there. The women were both in Mean Girls, starred in the movies Baby Mama and Sisters, and used their talents to great effect when co-hosting the Golden Globe Awards for several years.

Robert De Niro And Al Pacino

Two legendary actors make for a legendary acting duo, and while Robert De Niro and Al Pacino are frequently mentioned in the same breath, they’ve only been featured in four films together. Two of those movies, however, are absolutely the reason people often talk about them together as they count The Godfather Part II, Heat, Righteous Kill and The Irishman as their joint efforts.

Julia Roberts And George Clooney

Now, these two actually have made quite a few movies with one another, and largely with both in on-screen roles. Of course, it’s hard to forget that George Clooney and Julia Roberts are in all three of the Ocean’s Eleven films, but they’ve also starred in Confessions of a Dangerous Mind (which Clooney also directed), Money Monster and the 2022 rom-com Ticket to Paradise. The erstwhile Danny Ocean also produced August: Osage County, while Roberts starred.

Jane Fonda And Lily Tomlin

Frequently we see an acting duo together multiple times because they really are buddies in real life, and that’s true for Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin. After first starring together in the 1980 hit 9 to 5 (with Dolly Parton, of course) they eventually re-teamed for the Netflix series Grace and Frankie (which ran for seven seasons), as well as the dark comedy Moving On and 80 for Brady.

Emma Stone And Ryan Gosling

This duo has produced some well-known and beloved comedies and dramas over the years, as Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling first starred together in Crazy, Stupid, Love in 2011, moving on to Gangster Squad in 2013 and the Oscar-winning musical La La Land in 2016. Stone even once said she couldn’t “imagine” her life without Gosling, so these two will probably be friends forever.

Salma Hayek And Antonio Banderas

Salma Hayek and Antonio Banderas sharing the screen in Desperado caused considerable heat, along with igniting a very real friendship, so it’s no surprise that they’ve now worked together a number of times. They’ve also been in the casts of Four Rooms, Frida, Once Upon a Time in Mexico, Spy Kids 3: Game Over, Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard and both Puss in Boots animated movies. That’s a lot!

Dwayne Johnson And Kevin Hart

We’ve already born witness to a rather lengthy history of Dwayne Johnson and Kevin Hart ripping on each other during their (apparently) laugh and roast-filled friendship, and the two megastars have, indeed, brought that chemistry to the big screen multiple times. The duo counts Central Intelligence, Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle and its sequel, Hobbs & Shaw and DC League of Super-Pets as the titles they’ve appeared in together.

Matt Damon And Ben Affleck

If this isn’t a classic acting duo by now, there are none. Matt Damon and Ben Affleck have been “bizarrely close” friends since childhood, and they first joined forces to great effect by penning and starring in Good Will Hunting (after having both appeared in School Ties), which won them the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay. They also worked on Dogma in the 1990s, then, after nearly 25 years, they joined forces again to write and star in The Last Duel, and since then have also worked together on Air and the upcoming RIP for Netflix.

Denzel Washington And Don Cheadle

If only these two powerhouse stars had already been in more movies together…Denzel Washington and Don Cheadle’s first pairing was as P.I. Easy Rawlins and his loyal but unpredictable friend, Mouse, in 1995’s Devil in a Blue Dress. While their work in the film garnered critical acclaim, it would be over 15 years before they teamed again for Flight.

Sanaa Lathan And Taye Diggs

We should never underestimate the power of a franchise when it comes to popular on-screen pairings. Sanaa Lathan and Taye Diggs appeared in The Wood together in 1999 and then went on to star in The Best Man, its sequel and the Peacock mini-series, The Best Man: The Final Chapters. The duo also played the lead couple in the rom-com, Brown Sugar in 2002.

Scarlett Johansson And Chris Evans

Co-starring in a franchise with the same people will take an acting duo far, but Scarlett Johansson and Chris Evans have surpassed even the typical standard where that’s concerned. Thanks to their joint time in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, they’ve appeared in a whopping seven movies together (including their mid-end credits cameo in Captain Marvel), and prior to their time as blockbuster movie-making superheroes they starred in The Perfect Score and The Nanny Diaries, bringing their current total to nine.

Anthony Mackie And Chris Evans

If you did enjoy many of those MCU movies, then you know that Chris Evans rubbed elbows with Anthony Mackie quite a bit there. But, did you also know that the two have been in XX non-Marvel movies together? Playing It Cool, What’s Your Number, and Ghosted also star/feature both actors and if you add in all their shared time in tights on screen, their total is also at nine.

Emily Blunt And Dwayne Johnson

The first time was a hit, so why not join forces again, right? Emily Blunt and Dwayne Johnson famously delivered winning chemistry in Jungle Cruise, and are coming back together for the upcoming drama The Smashing Machine. The two are also said to be willing to return for Jungle Cruise 2, whenever that can finally get off the ground.

Chris Pine And Ben Foster

The third time has been the charm so far for Chris Pine and Ben Foster. The duo famously portrayed bank-robbing brothers in Hell or High Water, joined up for The Finest Hours, and made it a three-peat in 2022 for The Contractor.

Margot Robbie And Will Smith

If it seemed that there could have been a little something extra going on between Margot Robbie’s Harley Quinn and Will Smith’s Deadshot when you watched 2016’s Suicide Squad, then it might have been because you picked up on the chemistry the duo first built in Focus from the year before.

Margot Robbie And Brad Pitt

This big screen coupling made quite a showing for themselves across less than a decade, as Margot Robbie and Brad Pitt have starred in The Big Short, Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood and Babylon. 

Margot Robbie And Leonardo DiCaprio

Just imagine, had it not been for this pairing, we might not have the megastar who is Barbie actor/producer Margot Robbie right now. Her role in Wolf of Wall Street as the second wife of Leonardo DiCaprio’s corrupt fraudster propelled her career, and by the time they starred in Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood together Robbie was a major star.

Halle Berry And Hugh Jackman

We, again, have a superhero franchise to thank for bringing two great talents together, as Oscar winner Halle Berry and Hugh Jackman both have four of the X-Men movies among their credits. The duo also starred in Swordfish and Movie 43.

Awkwafina And Michelle Yeoh

This duo counts two megahits in their joint credits, with Awkwafina and Everything Everywhere All At Once Oscar winner Michelle Yeoh both having starred in Crazy Rich Asians (and we’re still waiting for that rom-com sequel) and the MCU entry Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings.

Michelle Yeoh And Jackie Chan

Michelle Yeoh has been a star for several decades, and part of that reason is because of her breakout role in the 1992’s Supercop, which also starred Jackie Chan. But, they’ve made a number of other films with each other, including Supercop 2, and Hong Kong action films Twinkle, Twinkle, Lucky Stars, Project S, and both voiced characters in Kung Fu Panda 2, along with having starred in a 1984 watch commercial together.

Angela Bassett And Laurence Fishburne

While Angela Bassett and Laurence Fishburne were famously nominated for Oscars for their lead roles as Tina Turner and Ike Turner in 1993’s What’s Love Got to Do with It?, the duo was actually first together on screen for Boyz n the Hood in ‘91. They then later teamed up for Akeela and the Bee in 2006.

Julia Roberts And Richard Gere

If this isn’t a famous acting duo, then none are, despite their only making two movies with each other. Of course, Julia Roberts and Richard Gere starred in the mega-hit classic rom-com Pretty Woman and teamed up again for Runaway Bride in 1999.

Jennifer Aniston And Jason Bateman

For a while there, Jennifer Aniston and Jason Bateman, who are friends in real life, were kinda on a roll. Their first joint film was The Break-Up in 2006, and since then they’ve filmed four additional movies with one another: The Switch, Horrible Bosses and its sequel, and 2016’s Office Christmas Party.

Kate Hudson And Matthew McConaughey

Who can forget the glorious chemistry created by Kate Hudson and Matthew McConaughey in How to Lose A Guy in 10 Days? No one, that’s who! This is why they made a second rom-com, Fool’s Gold, just five years later.

Kirsten Dunst And Jesse Plemons

It’s not unusual for an acting duo to become friends in real life, but Kirsten Dunst and Jesse Plemons took that a few steps further after working on the TV series Fargo together. Not only have they since starred in the film The Power of the Dog (which netted each their first Oscar nomination) and the A24 drama Civil War, but they married in 2022 and have two sons.

Meg Ryan And Tom Hanks

We could hardly leave Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks off of this list, as the famed actors have co-starred in two of the biggest romantic comedies of all time. Everyone knows them for making Sleepless in Seattle and You’ve Got Mail hits, but before all of that, they led one of the weirder rom-coms made with Joe Versus the Volcano, and reunited for the 2016 drama Ithaca, which Ryan directed.

Drew Barrymore And Adam Sandler

People often mention Drew Barrymore and Adam Sandler as an acting duo they want to see more of and with good reason. The two have made magic in the classics The Wedding Singer, 50 First Dates and Blended.

Adam Sandler And Chris Rock

This pairing goes back decades, to the time when Adam Sandler and Chris Rock starred on Saturday Night Live together in the ‘90s. Since then, the real-life buddies have appeared in seven movies together, with The Longest Yard, Grown Ups and its sequel, The Week Of and Top Five counted among that number.

George Clooney And Brad Pitt

Of course, George Clooney and Brad Pitt helped to make the Ocean’s Eleven franchise a hit, but the friends additionally teamed up for the live TV movie 8, Confessions of a Dangerous Mind (which Clooney directed), Burn After Reading and the 2024 films If and Wolfs.

Keegan-Michael Key And Jordan Peele

The duo of Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele, who first became recognizable during their time on MadTV, eventually went on to their own acclaimed sketch comedy series, Key and Peele. But, while making names for themselves on other series and in a number of movies, they continue to work with one another on projects like Keanu, Toy Story 4 and Wendell & Wild.

Awkwafina And Simu Liu

It was the MCU that first brought Awkwafina and Simu Liu together in the hit film Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, and while we’re still waiting to see when that franchise will bring them back together, 2024 saw them team up again for the action comedy, Jackpot!.

Jane Fonda And Robert Redford

Dedicated film fans probably know that legends Jane Fonda and Robert Redford starred together in Barefoot in the Park and The Electric Horseman, but their joint movie appearances do go beyond that. They also starred in The Chase in ‘66 and reunited for Our Souls at Night in 2017, and both had their film debuts in 1960’s Tall Story.

As you can see, film history is packed with acting duos who’ve worked together more than once, and that will probably always be the case.

It’s been seven years since Jordan Peele made his directorial debut for one of his best movies, Get Out. He became a prominent figure in the entertainment industry making us laugh with Key & Peele, only to retire from acting to make us tremble with his horror films. Although the Best Picture-nominated horror film Get Out was filled with anxiety-inducing moments, comedy still hadn't escaped Peele coming up with the film’s concept, and we can thank Eddie Murphy's stand-up joke for that.

When you think about it, comedy can be a great source if you’re looking for a bizarre film concept. After all, comedy bits tend to present to an audience worst-case scenarios experienced by the comedian that they can make light of years later. After looking in the direction of Eddie Murphy, a fellow comedic actor with stand-up experience, Jordan Peele took inspiration from one of his stand-up jokes to create the unsettling yet darkly humorous movie Get Out.

Eddie Murphy’s Stand-Up Joke That Inspired Get Out

As you may remember in the 2017 horror film Get Out, a white woman has her Black boyfriend meet her family, only for a sinister plot to unfold. While many horror film directors look to the best horror films for inspiration, former comedian Jordan Peele was inspired by a stand-up performance from Eddie Murphy to help formulate his first original movie. Back in 1983, Murphy wore his iconic red suit in the comedy special Delirious where he made a joke about the role white people play in horror movies:

Eddie Murphy continued to joke about not hesitating to leave as soon as a ghost whispers “get out” in your ear. Little would the SNL alum know that he’d eventually star in Disney’s The Haunted Mansion, where he and his family don’t exactly leave right away from a spooky house. But, a quick exit would be a very short movie if it played out that way. You can watch the stand-up joke in full below:

Jordan Peele Being a Fan of Eddie Murphy’s Joke Inspiring Get Out

Not only did audiences in 1983 get a kick out of Eddie Murphy’s Delirious stand-up routine, but so did Jordan Peele. While promoting his horror flick Get Out, the Monkeypaw Productions founder revealed to ET that the Universal Pictures film is a reference to the Coming to America actor. Here was his answer:

Cinema history has indeed shown us plenty of white families entering haunted houses. It's all the more reason why we need more directors like Jordan Peele who’ve forwarded Black horror by casting Black actors as the leads and making sure his Black characters have a good survival chance.

Peele shared with ET other behind-the-scenes Get Out facts of where else he looked for inspiration, like the 2008 Democratic primaries, to bring to light the taboo subjects of racial injustice. The Nope director also spoke of the first time he met his then-white girlfriend’s parents and how creeped out he was not receiving a reaction from them. Using real-life experiences and a memorable stand-up routine truly were powerful ingredients to making his first celebrated horror film.

When Jordan Peele was looking for inspiration to draw on for his directorial debut Get Out, he was “hit” by Eddie Murphy’s stand-up joke of white people staying in haunted houses despite all of the red flags screaming “Get out!” With Peele inspired by a fellow comedian to get his horror film going, it proves that comedy can serve as groundwork for a successful scary yet thought-provoking movie. Get Out is available for your viewing pleasure with your Hulu subscription.

The early 2000s was a boon mini-era for reality TV and all manner of unscripted programming in the U.S., from Jackass to Big Brother to American Idol to dozens of other mainstream hits. One of the more undersung creations during that stretch was Syfy’s Scare Tactics, the only show on TV where the point was to make someone dampen and darken their pants in fear, all for the comedy! Now, Jordan Peele is utilizing his horror and comedy expertise to resurrect Scare Tactics for 2024 audiences.

That’s right, this year’s audiences. This isn’t some lofty pipe dream that audiences will need to wait on for ages. The latest take on Scare Tactics will premiere on USA Network during the Fall 2024 TV schedule, and it’s being called “an audacious reimagining of the popular prank series.” If Jordan Peele is behind it in any capacity, it’s going to take a new approach to whatever the subject matter might be. In this case, it’s making someone believe they’re caught up in an alien encounter or a serial killer’s warpath, among other terrifying situations.

With Jordan Peele’s Monkeypaw Productions behind it, Scare Tactics gives unwitting subjects a chance to appear in their own horror movie of sorts as they participate in what they believe are normal situations, only to have everything get twisted around when they least expect it. It’s hard to compare it 1:1 with similar shows like Punk’d or Candid Camera, because it really is all about the turns when things turn horrific. Such as it goes in the classic clip below.

It’s not clear at the moment if Jordan Peele will serve as the on-screen host when Scare Tactics debuts, or if he’ll remain a behind-the-scenes creative. But with Monkeypaw behind it, the quality will no doubt match up with past productions such as the instant “best horror movie” candidates like Get Out, Us and Nope, not to mention USA and Syfy’s current horror fan-fave Chucky.

OMG, can we expect to see Chucky himself show up on Scare Tactics in some way? Maybe HE could be the host. All the potential…

Calling it an “all-time favorite hidden-camera show” amongst the studio’s staff, Monkeypaw President Win Rosenfeld described the new show as such:

As someone who generally doesn’t enjoy the vast majority of prank shows, Scare Tactics always spoke as much to my horror fandom as anything, given how impressive the production design and effects would be for each of the scenarios. Plus, there's that catharsis he mentioned, where participants come out the other side of the experience a bit upset, but also possibly having achieved at a new level of relief than they've ever felt.

Scare Tactics began back in 2003 on Syfy, with Season 1 hosted by the late Shannen Doherty, and Season 2 fronted by Stephen Baldwin. Tracy Morgan took over as host in later seasons. In 2017, Blumhouse TV was announced to be developing a reboot, but it doesn't appear anything came out of that.

A show whose resurgence is always welcomed via streaming or a Jordan Peele-produced reboot, Scare Tactics will arrive on USA Network this fall.

Even with only three films under his belt, Jordan Peele has already become one of the most in demand directors working in Hollywood. All three of Peele’s films have been critically praised and box office hits, taking on issues regarding race, class and other social commentary. Naturally, any studio would want Peele attached to their project and that includes Marvel, who has recently expanded their extended universe into the X-Men world with the upcoming film, Deadpool & Wolverine. It seems like Marvel has a vested interest in continuing to experiment with X-Men related projects and recent rumors suggest they are trying to get Jordan Peele on board. 

The rumors started when film critic Jeff Sneider stated on The Hot Mic podcast that Jordan Peele met with Marvel about potentially helming a project within the MCU. Sources from One Take News also had info that substantiated the claims, and some believed that the project in question was a future X-Men film. Nothing is at all confirmed, but the rumors circled the internet over the weekend and ignited a fan firestorm, with some thinking he could be considered for the potential Midnight Suns project. The meeting was allegedly a long time ago, so the outcome of discussions may have not been the desired result for the studio. However, if Marvel is eyeing a director like Peele for the future of X-Men, it could be an indicator of where the studio is hoping to go with the franchise. 

For Marvel, having Jordan Peele helm an X-Men film would be major, and a perfect marriage of styles. Peele has experimented with the surreal and supernatural within his films, and would likely be able to delve deeper in the lore and stories within the X-Men universe. Also, the dry sense of humor would be a great fit for the MCU, and would separate the new X-Men films from the original ones under Sony. Disney also would potentially give Peele some control over the script, as his world building and storytelling ability is one of the benefits to having Peele attached to a project. 

From a financial standpoint, signing Peele onto a Marvel project would be massive for the studio as well. The Oscar winner is one of the few behind-the-scenes talents that still attract an audience just by name alone, and he has a massive fanbase. Marvel’s last few projects have not been as well received as previous movies, and rumblings of superhero fatigue are incredibly prevalent as audiences look towards new ideas. Bringing Peele into the Marvel world could reignite the interest in these superhero properties, and even increase the quality of the films being produced. If fans want more X-Men films, brand confidence is essential, and Peele could be the name that makes X-Men cool again. 

All of this should be taken with a grain of salt, considering Jordan Peele has not attached himself onto any Marvel project as of now. He already declined making Blade for Marvel, and hasn’t expressed interest in other superhero properties. Even if the meeting did happen, this does not mean that the discussions led to anything tangible. The acclaimed director is still hard at work on his fourth film, and it is expected to hit theaters next year. If there is a Marvel collaboration on the horizon, this is likely in the distant future. However, if these rumors have some merit, this would be an exciting prospect for MCU and X-Men fans alike, and could be an indicator of the themes and ideas the studio is seeking to explore as they expand their IP into other comic book properties. 

Fans will be able to see the first X-Men endeavor to enter the MCU when Deadpool & Wolverine hits theaters on July 26th. For more information on other exciting films heading to the big screen this year, make sure to consult our 2024 movie release schedule. Also, if you are looking for more news on Marvel projects, you can check out our feature on upcoming MCU films expected to hit the big screen over the next few years. 

Acting and directing are two very different skills, and for someone to be able to do both is a mark of a hard-working and talented person. It doesn't always work out for actors, but it's remarkable how often it does. Here are 32 such examples of great actors who became great directors as well. 

Clint Eastwood

Clint Eastwood's career has lasted an unbelievable eight decades. He started humbling with small roles in the '50s and as the decades have gone on, he's only gotten bigger and bigger. After directing his first movie, 1971's Play Misty for Me, he's gone on to helm a remarkable 39 more and has won 2 Best Director Oscars, for 1993's Unforgiven and 2005's Million Dollar Baby.

Ron Howard

Ron Howard has been in the lives and living rooms of Americans since he was just a kid as an actor on The Andy Griffith Show. He went on to star in Happy Days in the 1970s before directing his first low-budget film, Grand Theft Auto, in 1977. He's since gone on to direct such classics as Splash, Apollo 13, A Beautiful Mind, and many others. 

Bradley Cooper

If the start of Bradley Cooper's directing career is any indication, you can expect huge things. So far, the actor-turned-director has only helmed two movies, A Star Is Born and Maestro and both have been nominated for Best Picture Oscars. Not a shabby record. 

Penny Marshall

Penny Marshall got her first big break on the sitcom The Odd Couple but became a household name as Lavern in Lavern & Shirley. She didn't stay in TV though, instead, she started directing and made two of the most beloved Gen X movies of all time, Big and A League of Their Own. 

Ben Affleck

Ben Affleck might not have been the first actor you picked to become a director, but his stellar career as an actor is matched by his work as a director. In fact, though he's never won an acting Oscar (something that should be remedied), he did win Best Director for Argo. 

Robert Redford

By the time Robert Redford directed his first movie, Ordinary People, in 1980, he was already one of the most legendary film stars ever. The second half of his career is as known for his directing as it is for his acting, with movies like Quiz Show and A River Runs Through It.

Jon Favreau

Jon Favreau's acting career started humbling with supporting roles in movies like Rudy and PCU. After he wrote and starred in Swingers, his star shined a little brighter. That was only the beginning though. Favreau has the honor of directing the movie that launched the most successful film franchise of all time, the Marvel Cinematic Universe, with Iron Man and its sequel. He's since moved on to Disney live-action remakes with The Lion King and The Jungle Book. Oh, and he also directed one of the most beloved holiday movies ever with. Elf.

Mel Gibson

The controversial career of Mel Gibson began with a small movie that made huge waves in his native Australia. Mad Max made him famous and by the late late-'80s, he was one of the biggest stars in the world. He then moved into directing and reached his pinnacle early with Braveheart for which he won Best Director. 

Richard Attenborough

As an actor, Richard Attenborough starred in massive hits across generations with movies like The Great Escape and Jurassic Park. As a director, he helmed some of the best biopics of all time, like Gandhi, A Cry Freedom, and Chaplin as well a the legendary war flick, A Bridge Too Far. 

Regina King

Regina King's directorial career is only getting started, but judging by her first movie, One Night In Miami, the future is bright. So far, the Academy Award-winning actress has mostly directed TV shows, but you can be sure more films will be coming her way.

Denzel Washington

What can we say about Denzel Washington that hasn't already been said? He's a living legend at this point, as a multiple Oscar winner and recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom. He's also one heck of a director with movies like Fences and The Great Debaters.

John Krasinski

John Krasinski became part of our collective family as Jim on The Office. Who would have thought from that role, his career in Hollywood would reach the point that he is a major power player? Now that he's moved into directing, the sky is truly the limit. The first movie Krasinski directed, The Hollars, made for a humble beginning, but his second, A Quiet Place established him as a force to reckon with and it's since become a franchise.

Elizabeth Banks

Elizabeth Banks might not have been an actor you'd have guessed would go into directing, like others on this list, but she has in a big way. She has shown she can direct blockbusters like Pitch Perfect 2 and indie darlings like that one about the bear who indulges in some, uh, white powder he finds, and goes on a rampage.

Greta Gerwig

Greta Gerwig is quickly becoming a voice of a generation. Her direction and writing of Barbie has been praised far and wide for its snappy dialog and heartfelt message. Gerwig's acting career started in the mid-'00s when she was mostly in smaller, supporting roles. Since moving into directing, she's become a huge star.

Jordan Peele

Key & Peele was a huge hit for Jordan Peele and Keegan-Michael Key, and made them both stars. No one expected Peele to turn to directing horror movies, but that's exactly what he did and we should all be grateful for it. With massive hits like Get Out, Nope, and Us, the future is bright for Peele and for all of us too, who will get to watch his work.

Rob Reiner

Though he had a leg up coming from a Hollywood family, Rob Reiner has staked out a claim all his own in the entertainment business. First as an actor on the hit show All in the Family, then as the director of some of the most loved movies of all time. Starting with his first movie, This is Spinal Tap, and running through the '80s and early '90s, he had an unbelievable run that included The Princess Bride, When Harry Met Sally, A Few Good Men, and Misery. Wow!

George Clooney

Not only is George Clooney one of the most bankable movie stars ever, he's also a fantastic director. His acting career is legendary and his directing career, while not quite at the level of his acting, is still fantastic. He's directed TV (Catch-22) and movies (The Boys In The Boat, The Midnight Sky, Good Night, and Good Luck, among others) and you can be sure there will be more from him.

Angelina Jolie

Angelina Jolie's directing career hasn't always gotten the best reviews, but I'd say her movies are very underrated. The talented actress has an eye for behind the camera as well, and movies like Unbroken and First They Killed My Father are powerful movies.

Billy Bob Thornton

Billy Bob Thornton's acting career came on as a slow burn to fame, but his directing career started with a band. His first film was a masterpiece called Sling Blade. he followed that up with the underrated All The Pretty Horse and a few others, though his pace has slowed over the last couple of decades. Let's hope he finds that directing bug again. 

Ben Stiller

There was a time in the '90s and '00s when it seemed like Ben Stiller was in every movie released. Not only was he working hard in front of the camera, he was killing it behind the camera as well. Starting really with Reality Bites, and moving on to great movies like the controversial but hilarious Tropic Thunder, and the Zoolander movies. 

Jodie Foster

The great Jodie Foster has been an acclaimed actor and star since her teenage years and of course, that talent has translated to directing. Though lately she's done mostly TV work like directing episodes of Black Mirror and Orange is the New Black, she's done a few movies too, like Little Man Tate and Money Monster.

Kevin Costner

In addition to being one of the biggest movie stars on the planet, Kevin Costner has never shied away from making epic films. Though he's only directed four movies in his career, they have all been big films. Starting with Dances With Wolves in 1990, he's since directed The Postman, Open Range, and 2024's Horizon: An American Saga.

Tim Robbins

The directing bug caught Tim Robbins in the early '90s and he directed a couple of great movies with Bob Roberts and Dead Man Walking. He's directed a smattering of movies and TV shows more recently, but he's mostly stuck to acting over the last few years. 

Sean Penn

Since the early 1980s, Sean Penn has been wowing moviegoers with his impressive acting chops and diversity. In the '90s he dipped his toe into directing with his first film, The Indian Runner and has directed a good handful of movies since, with his best being Into The Wild in 2007. 

Zach Braff

Acting-wise Zach Braff's big break came as a regular cast member of the hit sitcom Scrubs. As a directed, he burst onto the scene with his very first movie, Garden State in 2004. He's continued directing here and there over the last 20 years, including the great movie about getting older, Going In Style, and a few others, in addition to some TV work. 

Warren Beatty

In the 1970s, there was no bigger movie star than Warren Beatty. By the end of the decade, he had moved into directing as well, starting with 1978's Heaven Can Wait and continuing the '80s and '90s with acclaimed movies like Red and maybe his most remembered, Dick Tracy in 1990.

Diane Keaton

Diane Keaton is a force of nature. For decades she's been one of the best and most popular actresses in Hollywood, and though she's only dipped her toes into directing, mostly in TV, she's on this list for one important reason. Keaton directed the music video for "Heaven Is A Place On Earth" by Belinda Carlisle and that is a stone-cold Gen X classic. 

Kenneth Branagh

Kenneth Branagh might be as well known for his directing as he is for his acting, and that's really saying something. Not only has he directed some of the best Shakespeare adaptions for the silver screen, but more recently he's been killing it with his Agatha Christie adaptations. 

Leonard Nimoy

Appropriately, Leonard Nimoy's first foray into feature film direction came in the Star Trek franchise when he directed both Star Trek III: The Search For Spock and Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home. Outside of the iconic franchise he helped make famous he also directed the beloved Three Men and a Baby. 

Sylvester Stallone

Sylvester Stallone has always been a self-starter. His work to get the original Rocky made is legendary and after it made him a huge star, he wasted no time getting into directing, starting with Rocky II and adding Rocky III, Rocky IV, and 2006's Rocky Balboa as well. Of course, he's also directed in two other franchises he was at the center of with 2008's Rambo and the first Expendable movie. 

Helen Hunt

This one might surprise you, but Helen Hunt has had an impressive career as a director. Most of her work has been on television on shows varying from her own Mad About You and This Is Us. She also has two feature films under her belt with 2007's Then She Found Me and 2014's Ride. 

Joel Edgerton

Joel Edgerton is seemingly everywhere these days, popping up in all kinds of movies and TV shows from Star Wars stuff to Dark Matter. He's also started directing, but his output is limited, with 2015's underrated The Gift and 2018 Boy Erased. Let's hope he finds more time to direct in his busy schedule. 

Dev Patel’s film debut in one of the 2000s' best movies, Slumdog Millionaire, was considered a Cinderella story in almost going straight to DVD, only to become a theatrically-released Best Picture winner. The British actor’s directorial debut almost tells the same story, as it was originally going to be a Netflix new release until Jordan Peele stepped in to bring it to theaters.

Back in 2021, the action flick Monkey Man had a $30 million deal at Netflix, but sources told Deadline that after the streamer bought the movie, it felt the action thriller would be too rough for the Indian market, not to mention that its co-financier Bron Studios went bankrupt. That's all the more reason why Dev Patel made sure to mention at the TCL Chinese Theatre that filmmaker Jordan Peele saved his movie, saying:

Jordan Peele had a lot of faith in Dev Patel’s directorial debut. Something important to know about Monkey Man is that the Nope director himself saw Patel’s movie and was really impressed with it, so much so that he got his production company, Monkeypaw Productions, to encourage Universal to buy Monkey Man for $10 million. Finding a home on the big screen will do better financial wonders for Patel’s movie compared to streaming. Theatrical movies tend to make more money from the box office numbers of multiple theaters compared to what's accumulated for exclusivity on one streaming platform.

It turns out that Dev Patel and Jordan Peele have something in common about their starts in the entertainment industry. The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel actor explained that the Get Out director seeing the skills of another upcoming director brought him back to his own beginnings.

Imagine the irony that Dev Patel said his career intervention was inspired by Jordan Peele when Peele himself seems to be inspired by the young filmmaker too. Their beginnings are very similar in that the Us director was first a comedy actor who starred with Keegan-Michael Key in one of the best sketch comedy shows, Key and Peele. Then he felt like directing was more fun for him with his debut being the Oscar-nominated film Get Out. With the number of times Peele has seen Monkey Man, and having gone out of his way to get it released in theaters, it looks like the former comedy actor was motivated by Patel too.

Patel was similarly in the same boat making his acting debut as part of the cast of the British comedy series Skins. Now he’s on the brink of being the lead in action movies and directing.

Dev Patel may be responsible for creating the critically-raved action film Monkey Man, but Jordan Peele is who we have to thank for having it released in theaters compared to streaming. It looks like the two collaborators have learned a lot from each other and are impressed with each other’s career paths. You can visit your local theater and see the 2024 movie release Monkey Man playing now.

Back in 2014, Jordan Peele shocked the entertainment world with a revelation: while he had spent over a decade of his career dedicated to comedy, he let it be known that his true goal was to make horror movies. Since then, Peele has become one of the world’s most respected genre filmmakers, crafting a string of hits with Get Out, Us, and Nope. What he has done is remarkable – and it has inspired major ambition in Dev Patel, who wants to follow in Peele’s footsteps by becoming known as an acclaimed action director.

The two filmmakers have become linked thanks to Monkey Man – Patel’s directorial debut, which is an eye-popping and spectacular cinematic experience that impressed Peele to the extent that he got it a distribution deal with Universal Pictures. Patel isn’t yet an established name in the action genre, instead better known for his dramatic work in films like Slumdog Millionaire and The Green Knight, but he explained to me in an interview last month that he and the Nope director talked a lot about rebranding one’s career in Hollywood:

In Monkey Man, Dev Patel stars as a protagonist who has committed his entire life to a mission of revenge – hoping to confront and kill the men who had a hand in the murder of his mother when he was a child. Wearing a monkey mask and participating in rigged underground fights, he gets an in into a restaurant/club where his targets regularly take refuge, and after getting a job and getting to know the lay of the land, he executes his grand plan.

The movie has its funny and emotional moments, but mostly Monkey Man is a teeth-grittingly intense feature (that was teeth-grittingly intense to make), and that’s the principal thing that Dev Patel wants to further bring to the world as he continues working behind the camera. He wants to still be known as the performer we know, but he has a vision for what he wants to do as an action director. He continued,

The work speaks for itself, but Dev Patel finding a partner in Jordan Peele for the film was incredibly special for the up-and-coming filmmaker. Based on his attitude during our interview (as you can see in the video above), he still seems to be processing the awesomeness of it all. Said Patel,

Audiences everywhere will have a chance to soon experience Monkey Man, which earned rave responses last month when it premiered at the SXSW Film Festival. Look for it in theaters this Friday, April 5, and stay tuned here on CinemaBlend for more from my interview with Dev Patel.

For a look ahead at what else is coming to cinemas and streaming in the coming months, check out our 2024 Movie Release Calendar.

Dev Patel’s Monkey Man premiered at South by Southwest to a standing ovation, and it was followed up by reviews that, while critical at points, had similar enthusiasm for the actor, his film and his potential as a director. Serving as the beloved performer's feature directorial debut, this action flick is one of the highly anticipated releases on the 2024 movie schedule. Let’s just say these critics’ reactions should get you pretty excited for not only the film’s April 5 release but Patel’s future as a director. 

Based on what we know about Monkey Man – a film that will see Dev Patel playing a man who is on a mission for vengeance against those who killed his mother – we figured we’d be getting high-octane action and an extreme story that matches the intensity of Jordan Peele’s best movies, seeing as the acclaimed director is a producer on this film. Well, the first reviews proved this assumption correct, as critics like Jacob Hall from Slash Film wrote:

Hall went on to say that the film feels like it’s trying to do too much at times, however, when Monkey Man is at its best it’s “frankly extraordinary.” 

Perri Nemiroff from Collider also agrees that this is a promising directorial debut. While noting that there is room for improvement, overall, she was impressed by Patel’s first go as director, writing: 

With action that’s reminiscent of the John Wick movies and a brutal and unique story reminiscent of Peele’s incredible horror movies, it seems clear to me that Monkey Man could become one of Dev Patel’s best movies. That was then backed up by reviews like Nathan McVay’s for Hey U Guys:

Serving as the star, director, producer and co-writer, Dev Patel clearly put his heart and soul into this epic action movie, and according to these reviews, his passion for this project is clear as day when you watch the film. 

In Robert Daniels’ review for Screen Daily, he wrote about Patel's style as a director and the "kinetic verve" he shot the film with:

The primary critique seems to be that while Patel’s drive to tell a compelling and important story is obvious, the story feels scattered at times. The Daily Beast’s Coleman Spilde explained that, writing:

While critics didn’t hold back in explaining their issues with Monkey Man, they also were loud and proud about what really worked in this movie. There’s a reason so many people love Dev Patel and his acclaimed career, and I think it’s safe to say they’re very excited for his next chapter as a director and star. 

So, will Monkey Man become one of the best action movies? That’s for you to decide when it hits theaters on April 5. 

The top actors in Hollywood make a lot of money, but anyone will tell you that the real money is in production. That means that many of the biggest stars in the world have formed their own companies to produce both their own films and other projects that interest them. 

Often, these company names and logos appear at the beginning of the movies, along with larger, more recognizable studios like Paramount and Disney. Here is a list of many of the actors with their own production companies, along with the name of the company to look out for. 

Jordan Peele - Monkeypaw Productions

Jordan Peele has become one of the most exciting and interesting directors and producers in recent years. His Monkeypaw Productions has produced or co-produced his own movies, like Get Out, Us, and Nope, as well as other films like Spike Lee's BlacKkKlansman, and Adamma Ebo's Honk For Jesus, Save Your Soul.

Tom Hanks - Playtone

Tom Hanks' Playtone has been wildly successful on the big and small screens. With movies starring Hanks like Cast Away, Charlie Wilson's Way, The Polar Express, and Greyhound, as well as films not starring him, like Mamma Mia and its sequel, the company keeps winning. It has also hit it big on TV with shows like Band of Brothers, The Pacific, and John Adams on HBO, and the CNN series about each decade of the last 60 years. 

Elizabeth Banks - Brownstone Productions

Elizabeth Banks has been on a hot streak with her company Brownstone Productions. It's most notable for the Pitch Perfect franchise, but the company has also co-produced movies like 2019's Charlie's Angels, and that surprise 2023 hit about a bear that gets into something it should not have in the woods, with scary (and hilarious) results. 

Reese Witherspoon - Pacific Standard

When Reese Witherspoon started Pacific Standard in 2012, she did so with the express purpose of highlighting and producing projects with strong female leads, crews, and topics. So far, it's been a huge success with films like Gone Girl and Wild, as well as TV shows like The Morning Show, and Big Little Lies. 

Adam Sandler - Happy Madison Productions

Adam Sandler movies are not for everyone, but wow, do they make him a lot of money through his company, Happy Madison. Though the two films it's named after Happy Gilmore and Billy Madison were not his productions, almost everything he's been in since 2000 is, and it continues to make a ton of money for the actor. The company has even dabbled in TV, most notably with The Goldbergs.

Drew Barrymore - Flower Films

Drew Barrymore's company, Flower Films, has produced or co-produced a ton of movies since she founded it in 1999. With movies like Donnie Darko, 50 First Dates, Fever Pitch, and the Charlie's Angels franchise, it is safe to assume Barrymore has made a pretty penny. Of course, it also produces her daytime talk show, The Drew Barrymore Show. 

Queen Latifah - Flavor Unit Entertainment

Queen Latifah's Flavor Unit Entertainment started out producing movies with moderate budgets that she starred in, like The Cookout and Beauty Shop, but these days, it's been successful on TV with her show, The Equalizer.

George Clooney - Smokehouse Pictures

Smokehouse Pictures is the second company founded by George Clooney after he shut down Section Eight Productions in 2006. Most movies he's starred in or directed since 2008 have been produced under the Smokehouse banner, including Leatherheads, Monuments Men, and The Boys In The Boat, plus other projects like Ocean's 8 and Argo.

Sandra Bullock - Fortus Films

Sandra Bullock may not be acting as much these days, but her production company, Fortus Films, is still humming along. Through the company, Bullock has produced movies like Miss Congeniality and its sequel, Two Weeks Notice, and The Lost City.

Courteney Cox - Coquette Productions

Friends star Courteney Cox and her ex-husband David Arquette started Coquette Productions together in 2004. The business relationship continued after the couple split six years later, though they haven't actually produced much in recent years. 

Brad Pitt - Plan B Entertainment

Plan B Entertainment was started by Brad Pitt, Jennifer Aniston, and producer Brad Grey in 2001. In 2004, Pitt and Grey bought Aniston out in the midst of her split from Pitt. Since then, the company has gone on to major success, with three of its movies, The Departed, 12 Years a Slave and Moonlight all winning Best Picture Oscars, with seven others receiving nominations for the award. 

Sterling K. Brown - Indian Meadows Productions

This Is Us star Sterling K. Brown named his production Indian Meadows Productions after the name of the neighborhood he grew up in outside St. Louis. Though it's just getting started, there are some interesting things on the way as Brown's star continues to shine brightly. 

Margot Robbie - LuckyChap Productions

Margot Robbie may have gotten snubbed at the 2024 Oscars for Barbie, but you can be sure she wasn't snubbed out of money as one of the producers of the hit movie. Robbie's company, LuckyChap Productions, has also produced movies Robbie starred in like I, Tonya and Birds of Prey as well as other projects she didn't star in like Saltburn and Promising Young Woman.

Leonardo DiCaprio - Appian Way Productions

Leonardo DiCaprio's Appian Way Productions produced two Oscar-winners with The Aviator (which won five) and The Revenant (which won three, including Best Actor for DiCaprio). Through the company, DiCaprio not only produced feature films, but documentaries, as well. 

Nicole Kidman - Blossom Films

While Nicole Kidman's Blossom Films has dabbled in movies, most notably the 2011 rom-com Monte Carlo with Selena Gomez, it has found its biggest successes on the small screen. With shows like Big Little Lies, The Undoing, Nine Perfect Strangers, and 2024's Expats. 

Michael Douglas

Further Films, founded by Michael Douglas, doesn't have the portfolio that others may have on this list, as they seem to have found a niche in thrillers and suspense films like Swimfan, Don't Say a Word, 2017's Flatliners, and the streaming show Ratched.

Natalie Portman - Handsomecharlie Films

Natalie Portman named her company, Handsomecharlie Films, after her beloved dog, and she's put together a nice run of movies. She's produced many of her own projects, like No Strings Attached and Jane Got a Gun, as well as a surprise that she didn't star in, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. 

Eddie Murphy - Eddie Murphy Productions

Eddie Murphy started betting on himself early in his career through Eddie Murphy Productions and it has paid off, big time. Starting with Raw in 1987, the company has produced some huge movies for the legendary comedian, including Coming To America, Harlem Nights, Boomarang, The Nutty Professor, and Norbit. 

Barbra Streisand - Barwood Films

Barbra Streisand has produced many of her own projects through her company, Barwood Films. 1976's A Star Is Born, The Prince Of Tides, and Yentl are a few of the examples of her biggest successes. Barwood has also dabbled in TV movies, like the groundbreaking What Makes a Family in 2001, about a lesbian couple having a child together. 

Alec Baldwin - El Dorado Pictures

Alec Baldwin's El Dorado Pictures has been in the news a lot in recent years due to its connection to Rust and the tragic events that occurred on set. Baldwin has produced quite a few of his own projects through the company over the years and even got into the TV game show space with the revival of Match Game, which he also hosted. 

Tina Fey - Little Stranger

Tina Fey has one of the sharpest wits in Hollywood, so it's no surprise she would use those same brains to produce. From critically acclaimed movies like 2024's Mean Girls to wildly successful TV shows including 30 Rock and The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, Fey, and her company Little Stranger, continue to crush it. 

Laurence Fishburne - Cinema Gypsy Productions

The biggest success Laurence Fishburne and his company Cinema Gypsy Productions has seen thus far is the sitcom black-ish, but he's also produced some great movies of his own that have flown under the radar, but are worth checking out, in Five Fingers and Akeelah and the Bee.

Jodie Foster - Egg Pictures

It's no surprise that an actor and director like Jodie Foster, who has been in show business for basically all of her life, would be a producer as well. Through her Egg Pictures production company, she produced many of her own projects, starting with Nell in 1994 and Home for the Holidays in 1995. She closed the company in 2002 when she decided that producing wasn't for her. 

Clint Eastwood - Malpaso Films

Without question, one of the most successful companies on this list is Malpaso Films, founded by Clint Eastwood. It has served as the production company for almost all of the films Eastwood has directed and its history stretches back to the mid-1960s. Many of his classic films, including Unforgiven, The Bridges of Madison County, The Outlaw Josey Wales, Dirty Harry, Escape from Alcatraz, Million Dollar Baby, Sully, and many more have all been produced or co-produced by Malpaso. 

Halle Berry - 606 Films

Halle Berry's 606 Films has an interesting origin story. Though it was formed as part of her deal to star in Extant, the name has an important meaning. She named it after CA Senate Bill 606, a law intended to protect celebrities' children from the paparazzi.

It was an important issue for Berry, and when the company was formed, her partner, Elaine Goldsmith-Thomas, said, "606 Films is named for the anti-paparazzi bill, Senate Bill 606, which Halle fought so hard for and won, when no one believed it could be achieved. It truly informs the spirit of our company — making dreams possible, one bill at a time."

Mel Gibson - Icon Productions

Mel Gibson is not the most universally loved man in Hollywood, to be sure, but he's often bet on himself with his Icon Films, and more times than not, it's worked. Since 1989, he's financed many of his own projects completely through Icon, making movies like Hacksaw Ridge, The Passion of the Christ, and We Were Soldiers, plus co-producing maybe his most iconic movie, Braveheart. 

Salma Hayek - Ventanarosa Productions

Ventanarosa Productions, founded by Salma Hayek in 1999 has most often focused on Latin-centric projects, including Hayek's own Frida and the hit TV show, Ugly Betty. Ventanarosa also works throughout Latin America, producing Spanish-language films and TV. 

Will Smith - Overbrook Entertainment

Will Smith grew up in the West Philly neighborhood of Overbrook, which he took for the name of his production company as well, Overbrook Entertainment. Through it, Smith has produced many of his own projects, starting with Ali in 2001. King Richard, for which he infamously won the Oscar for Best Actor in 2022, was also produced by Overbrook. On the small screen, the Netflix hit Cobra Kai is an Overbrook production, as well. 

Amy Poehler - Paper Kite Productions

Amy Poehler's Paper Kite Production has dabbled in movies, but most of its success has been on TV and streaming. With shows like Russian Doll, and Broad City, you can see that Poehler likes sticking with what she knows, comedy. You might be surprised, though, that the company has also found success with reality TV and even feature length documentaries.

Danny DeVito - Jersey Films

Danny DeVito is obviously proud of his New Jersey roots, naming his production company Jersey Films. He also has to be proud of the output from the company with films like Pulp Fiction and Get Shorty. He's found a lot of success on TV too, with Reno 911! Another of Jersey's films, Erin Brockovich, was nominated for Best Picture at the Academy Awards in 2001.

Charlize Theron - Denver And Delilah Productions

Denver and Delilah Productions' first film was Monster, starring the company's founder, Charlize Theron. That seems to have inspired a bit of a theme, as the company has produced other serial killer-related projects, like Netflix's show Mindhunters, and the HBO docuseries Last Call: When a Serial Killer Stalked Queer New York. There are also a few non-serial killer films, like Bombshell, Atomic Blonde, and Murder Mystery.

Will Ferrell - Gary Sanchez Productions

Before Adam McKay and Will Ferrell had their falling out in 2019 and dissolved Gary Sanchez Productions, the company had been wildly successful, releasing some of the funniest movies and shows over the last couple of decades. Step Brothers, Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues, Daddy's Home, Eastbound & Down, and Drunk History are just a few examples. Add to that a little HBO show called Succession, which has won just a few Emmys, and wow, what a success story. 

As this list shows, success as an actor often leads to success in production as well, so actors will continue to open up their own shops, and will continue to crush it, for sure. 

I don’t think I’m being dramatic when I say Jordan Peele is one of the best directors we have right now. When the comedian turned to filmmaking, he made a really good movie on the first try with Get Out, which is now considered one of the best horror movies ever. So excuse me while I happily eat the bread crumbs Peele is serving about his upcoming fourth feature. 

It was a few months shy of a year ago when it was officially announced that Jordan Peele’s next movie is coming. The title from Universal Pictures currently has no title or really any information associated with it, but it was initially set to come out on Christmas Day of this year before 2023’s WGA writers strike and the SAG-AFTRA actors strike disrupted the filmmaker’s plans to shoot his fourth feature over the summer of 2023. Now Peele’s upcoming movie no longer has a release date to call its own, but he did recently say this about it: 

While Jordan Peele was a guest on the Conan O’Brien Needs A Friend podcast this week, the filmmaker honestly didn’t give anyone much to go on about what to expect from his next feature film with his words, but it got me excited nonetheless. At the very least, it sounds like Peele is excited about the untitled release, and it could very well become his personal “favorite” movie he’s ever made. That is, if the production goes the way he hopes it does. 

While it’s sad news knowing that the movie is coming later than initially expected, I’m stoked to see Jordan Peele start to talk about what’s next for him after 2022’s Nope. Peele has arguably never made a bad movie between Get Out, Us and Nope, and that has me interested in just about anything he puts his name next to. 

The filmmaker is an incredibly intentional one, who very much thinks through every detail of the production process and casts some incredible actors to play his roles. So yes, I’m going to get hyped for these random comments about a project I know absolutely nothing about. I absolutely cannot wait until this movie does go through production and all the little pieces of information we’ll have to hang on. Remember when all we knew about Nope was that image of a cloud and its title? Peele is definitely one for a good tease and excellent marketing, especially in a world when so many trailers give so much away about a movie’s plot. 

While Peele is currently remaining coy about his fourth film, we’ll definitely update you here on CinemaBlend as we learn more about the release, now more likely to be coming out sometime in 2025 rather than this Christmas. 

While Saturday Night Live may be the most recognizable and, easily, the longest-lasting sketch comedy series in American history, there have been others, in case you didn’t know. In fact, there are quite a few legendary comedic actors who got their start in sketch comedy and have even been prominently featured in some great SNL sketches as hosts, but have never called Studio 8H home… as regular cast members, at least. The following are some of our favorite well-known masters of mirth who did sketch comedy, but weren't SNL cast members. 

Jordan Peele

Before becoming known as the mastermind behind some of the best horror movies in recent memory, Jordan Peele made a name for himself as a MADtv cast member, and later, as one-half of Key & Peele’s eponymous duo on Comedy Central. The Academy Award winner was actually offered to be on SNL, but was unable to break from his contract with MADtv, which is why he left the Fox series on bad terms after five years.

Carol Burnett 

Carol Burnett has been one of the most essential names in comedy for decades, but you can find much of her most iconic performances — such as a timeless Gone with the Wind parody — on her own long-running variety show, The Carol Burnett Show. Following her dramatic turn on Better Call Saul, a viral campaign was launched for her to host SNL, which, very shockingly, would be the first time.

John Candy

The late John Candy is one of the most beloved comedic talents of all time, known for great movies like Uncle Buck and Planes, Trains & Automobiles. For years, the actor’s claim to fame was Canada’s SCTV, on which he debuted characters like Johnny LaRue, whom he based off of rude people he knew and “wanted to get back at.”

Dave Chappelle

Any time that Dave Chappelle has hosted SNL, it always seems to spark controversy for one reason or another, which should come as no shock to anyone who watched the Emmy-nominated Chappelle’s Show. Running from 2003 to 2006 on Comedy Central, the series reflected the comic’s risqué, but thought-provoking, humor and featured now iconic bits including recreations of true stories about Rick James and Prince and an epic Wayne Brady cameo.

Jamie Foxx

Multi-talented Academy Award winner and Grammy winner Jamie Foxx has proved to be an absolute natural when he shows up at Studio 8H. After all, the Spider-Man movie villain actor — who also had his own sitcom featuring SNL alum Garrett Morris called The Jamie Foxx Show — did get his start on In Living Color from 1991 to 1994.

Eric Idle

There are some really weird SNL sketches that toe the line between terrible and amazing, but none have reached quite the level of distinct surrealism that Monty Python’s Flying Circus is defined by. One of the most famous members of the eponymous British comedy troupe is Eric Idle (i.e. “Wink-wink, nudge-nudge, say no more”), who would headline at Studio 8H four times in the ‘70s.

Catherine O'Hara

In addition to her epic film career — including the Home Alone movies, Beetlejuice, and The Nightmare Before Christmas, to name a few — Catherine O’Hara’s small screen career has earned her two Emmy awards. Her more recent win was for playing Moira Rose in the Schitt’s Creek cast, but there first was as a writer for SCTV, on which she also inspired laughs as a cast member.

Bob Odenkirk 

Future Breaking Bad cast member Bob Odenkirk actually wrote some beloved SNL sketches, such as Chris Farley’s first appearance as Matt Foley. His skills as a sketch comedy performer, however, could be seen in the 1990s on the short-lived The Ben Stiller Show, the more successful HBO series, Mr. Show with Bob & David, and its Netflix original revival, W/ Bob & David, in 2015.

Michael Richards

Years before starring in the Seinfeld cast as one of the funniest sitcom characters ever, Cosmo Kramer, Michael Richards portrayed various characters on Fridays. The short-lived sketch comedy — essentially ABC’s answer to Saturday Night Live — is also where the three-time Emmy winner met Seinfeld creator Larry David.

Jim Carrey

There are few living comedic legends as widely celebrated as Jim Carrey, who has hosted SNL a number of times and even signed on as the show’s resident Joe Biden for a brief period. What first led the Ace Ventura: Pet Detective and Dumb and Dumber actor on the path to stardom was his four-year stint on In Living Color, on which he debuted characters like Fire Marshall Bill, which came out of a failed sketch idea, apparently.

Aziz Ansari

Along with The League star Paul Scheer and Children’s Hospital actor Rob Huebel, Aziz Ansari formed a comedy troupe called Human Giant, who led their own titular sketch series that lasted for 20 episodes on MTV. The comic — who has also hosted SNL before — saw his star power rise when he joined the Parks and Recreation cast and went on to play one of best South Asian TV characters in recent memory on Netflix’s Master of None, which he also co-created. 

Rowan Atkinson

While most people associate him best with Mr. Bean these days, there are many great Rowan Atkinson movies and TV shows that pre-date his debut as the famous man-child. For instance, one of the the British comedian’s earliest claims to fame was a sketch comedy series called Not the Nine O'Clock News, which ran from 1979 to 1982 on the BBC.

Eric Wareheim

A series that best defines the surreal humor that Adult Swim is known for is Tim & Eric Awesome Show, Great Job!, in which Tim Heidecker and Eric Wareheim portray various characters in strange situations in sketches the drip of a low-budget. Wareheim has done many notable things on his own — such as his starring role on Master of None and recurring character on Bob’s Burger — but the duo still works together on shows like Tim & Eric’s Bedtime Stories or the sitcom parody Beef House from 2020.

Goldie Hawn

A show that largely inspired SNL was Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In — which, also like SNL, served as a jumping off point for many stellar careers, such as Lily Tomlin and Richard Dawson. Perhaps its most icon and successful alum, however, is one-time Hollywood It Girl Goldie Hawn, who won an Oscar for Cactus Flower very shortly after leaving the show and before going on to lead classics like Private Benjamin and Overboard.

Eugene Levy

Before starring in the American Pie cast, before Christopher Guest’s mockumentaries, and before many other great Eugene Levy movies and TV shows, the Canadian actor gained notoriety as party of Second City. His stint on the eponymous, Emmy-winning sketch series, SCTV, also saw the beginning of professional and personal relationship with the likes of John Candy, his Schitt’s Creek co-star Catherine O’Hara, and plenty more.

Flip Wilson

In the early 1970s, before SNL’s premiere, Flip Wilson hosted his own variety show, which was one of the most popular series on television during its four-year run on NBC. The most famous character the comedian portrayed on The Flip Wilson Show was a boisterous woman named Geraldine, whom he resurrected when he hosted SNL in 1983.

John Cleese

John Cleese — also known for writing and starring in the classic con artist movie, A Fish Called Wanda, and voicing the King in the Shrek movies — has never hosted SNL, but did appear on an episode with fellow Monty Python member, Michael Palin, in 1997. In addition to a cold open poking fun at the recently instituted TV ratings system, Cleese and Palin performed a special recreation of one of the most famous Monty Python’s Flying Circus sketches, “Dead Parrot.”

Bobby Lee

Known for characters like counter-productive translator Bae Sung, wannabe tough guy Tank, or Bruce Lee’s cousin, Bobby Lee is one of MADtv’s most notable success stories. The Korean-American became a staple of the Harold and Kumar movies, landed recurring roles on show like Magnum P.I. and Reservation Dogs, has moonlighted as the host of podcasts TigerBelly and Bad Friends, and plenty more to boast.

David Cross

From playing Tobias Funke — a character who could totally ruin Thanksgiving — on Arrested Development to appearing in the Alvin and the Chipmunks movies, David Cross has a pretty stacked and reputable resume. What set the path for the comedian’s success was co-headlining (along with Bob Odenkirk) HBO’s Mr. Show, on which he debuted a character who got his own movie in 2002 called Run Ronnie Run.

David Alan Grier

Arguably David Alan Grier’s most famous character from his In Living Color tenure was Antoine Meriwether — one half of a duo also consisting of Damon Wayans’ Blaine Edwards. The They Cloned Tyrone cast member — who hosted SNL a couple of times in the ‘90s — reprised the flamboyant film critic on an SNL episode hosted by Wayans.

Rick Moranis

The beloved Rick Moranis has starred in many funny movies, such as Ghostbusters from 1984 and 1983’s Strange Brew. The latter was the film debut of Bob McKenzie — a stereotypical hoser he originated on SCTV alongside Dave Thomas as his brother, Doug.

Tracey Ullman

Tracey Ullman was cast on a few different sketch comedy shows — such as BBC’s A Kick Up the Eighties — before becoming the star of her own in 1987, which also saw the debut appearances of the Simpsons. Fox’s The Tracey Ullman Show was actually just one of many sketch series that the British comedian would headline, such as HBO’s Tracey Takes On… and Tracey Ullman’s State of the Union.

Keegan-Michael Key

In 2021, Keegan-Michael Key became the first MADtv alum to host SNL, which saw him reunite with this fellow Schmigadoon cast member, Cecily Strong. The episode — in which Key broke into laughter during a sketch featuring the Muppets —  was certainly a Season 46 highlight, but could have been even better if he brought back characters from some of the best Key & Peele sketches, like Luther.

Jennifer Saunders

Arguably, the most iconic duo Jennifer Saunders is a part of comes from Absolutely Fabulous, in which she plays Edina opposite Joanna Lumley’s Patsy. However, a sketch comedy that both predates and surpasses that long-running Britcom is French and Saunders, in which Saunders and her fellow Death on the Nile cast member, Dawn French, cleverly send-up everyday life in the U.K. and American cinema.

Larry David

In a story shared to Vanity Fair that mirrors one of the best Seinfeld episodes, the sitcom’s co-creator, Larry David, once quit his SNL writing gig in a rage, only to return on Monday acting like it never happened. Years later, he would make semi-regular appearances on the show as Bernie Sanders but, prior to all of this, the Curb Your Enthusiasm star was a performer on Fridays from 1980 to 1982.

Tim Heidecker

Tim Heidecker is best known as one half of the eponymous duo from Adult Swim’s hit sketch comedy series, Tim & Eric Awesome Show, Great Job! On his own, the Us actor has made waves in the comedy world with the 2012 dramedy, The Comedy, or for an ongoing, multi-media big following his fictionalized self’s murder trial.

Carrie Brownstein

Carrie Brownstein has been on SNL a few times — including once as herself for an edition of “What Up With That?” that did not go as planned, thanks to Samuel L. Jackson’s F-bomb. The musician and actor has also shared the screen with several Studio 8H all-stars on Portlandia, including her co-star and co-creator of the Portland, Oregon-based sketch show: Fred Armisen.

Stephen Fry

Before earning a Golden Globe nomination for his performance in Wilde in 1999, later appearing in Amazon’s adaptation of Red, White and Royal Blue, and other versatile achievements, Stephen Fry was partners in comedy with House’s Hugh Laurie on BBC’s A Bit of Fry & Laurie form 1989 to 1995. Earlier than that, the pair were on another British sketch comedy show with future Harry Potter movies stars Emma Thompson and Robbie Coltrane called Alfresco. 

Michael Ian Black

Michael Ian Black is, perhaps, best known from Wet Hot American Summer and its Netflix original series spin-offs, but many of his collaborators on that cult comedy favorite — including director David Wain and his co-writer Michael Showalter — were on MTV’s The State together. Black later worked with Wain and Showalter on a sketch series called Stella and then headlined a sketch comedy/sitcom hybrid with Showalter for Comedy Central called Michael & Michael Have Issues in 2009.

Amy Schumer

One of the biggest names in stand-up is Amy Schumer, whose notoriety expanded after her Golden Globe-nominated performance opposite SNL’s Bill Hader in 2015’s Trainwreck, which she also wrote. Before then, however, the comedian’s stardom certainly rose after she scored her own Comedy Central show called Inside Amy Schumer, which won three Emmys — including Outstanding Variety Sketch Series.

Tim Conway

It may have been Carol’s show, but one could argue that the funniest cast member from The Carol Burnett Show was Tim Conway, who passed away in 2019. Some of his most memorable moments do not even involve the eponymous host, such as a sketch where he plays a clumsy doctor that had co-star, Harvey Korman, in stitches.

Amanda Bynes

Kenan Thompson — one of the longest-running SNL actors ever — is easily one of the biggest stars to start out on All That (essentially SNL, but with kids), but his co-star, Amanda Bynes, was the first to get her own sketch comedy series: The Amanda Show. Her post-Nickelodeon career includes leading the sitcom What I Like About You and movies like the Shakespeare-inspired rom-com, She’s the Man.

We still have nothing but love for our favorite iconic SNL actors, but also recognize that they do not make up all of our most cherished heroes in sketch comedy.

Jordan Peele has a solid track record thus far regarding horror, so if there's word he's circling a remake of a film made by one of the Masters Of Horror, people listen up. Not only that, but Peele is looking to do a remake of one of the most underrated Wes Craven horror films in his catalog, and I'm sold on the vision he may have for The People Under The Stairs. 

The news right now is that Doom Patrol writer Ezra Claytan Daniels has signed on to pen the remake of The People Under The Stairs. Deadline reported Monkey Paw Productions will produce the film, and Jordan Peele and Win Rosenfeld will be the producers. There aren't many details beyond that, as the project is still in early development. 

The original movie was written and directed by Wes Craven, and followed Poindexter "Fool" Williams as he tried to rob his greedy landlords to pay for his mother's cancer treatments. Once inside the house, he's shocked to find the landlords are hiding several pale children who have been confined for a long time and resorted to cannibalism to stay alive. CinemaBlend's Rich Knight called it one of the best Black horror movies and noted it as an example against the trope of Black people dying in horror movies. 

Now might be the perfect time for a movie like The People Under The Stairs, especially with the main story revolving around a family that's fallen on hard times. With prices on the rise for goods, now might be the best time for the Wes Craven classic to find new life and an audience to resonate with in a way that perhaps it didn't as much in the '90s.

It shouldn't take much looking into the body of horror work that Jordan Peele has contributed to as a writer, producer and director over the last handful of years to explain why he's a great person to attach to this. Rewatching any of Peele's scarier movies has me confident he's the right person to be involved in this project. The amount of brilliant details he put in Us should be enough to give him whatever film he wants when it comes to horror.

It's also worth noting that The People Under The Stairs wasn't just celebrated as a horror movie either. The movie was meant to serve as a political statement that showcased an impoverished youth in opposition against a privileged and uncaring family. It definitely sounds like a movie that will find an audience in the 2020s, maybe even more than it found back in the early '90s. I'll be eager to follow its development and see what other actors are attached to the project as it develops.

Those with a Netflix subscription can watch a good deal of Jordan Peele's best horror stories to date while we wait for more details on The People Under The Stairs. This is a project that I'm very excited for, so I hope it won't take too long before we hear more news about it. 

Some filmmakers require time to find their voice. They have to make a few simply "ok" features before having the skills required to make their masterpiece. But that's not the case with the directors featured on this list. These folks quickly figured out what they could do with a camera, and they produced magic with their first feature.

It's a terribly hard thing to do, but here are 32 directors who made great films on their very first try.

Orson Welles – Citizen Kane

A lot of incredible films are highlighted on this list, but Citizen Kane is special given that in addition to being Orson Welles’ first feature, it’s considered by many to be the greatest movie all time. The hunt for the meaning behind a publishing titan’s last word is endlessly compelling and a fascinating examination of the soul corruption that comes with a rise to power.

Quentin Tarantino – Reservoir Dogs

Before making modern and instant classics like Pulp Fiction, Kill Bill, Inglourious Basterds and Once Upon A Time In Hollywood, the legend of Quentin Tarantino began with the phenomenal Reservoir Dogs. The sharp dialogue, the non-linear storytelling, the tense violence and the needle-drop centric soundtrack all instantly confirmed that Tarantino was a talent to watch.

Jordan Peele – Get Out

It came as a shock when comedian Jordan Peele announced that he was shifting to a new phase of his career, as he wanted to pursue his true passion: directing horror movies. It was hard to know what to make of the decision at the time, but Peele has since established himself as one of the industry’s greatest genre filmmakers, and it all started with the stunning Get Out. It’s scary, layered, and the big third act twist never loses its impact.

Spike Jonze – Being John Malkovich

Spike Jonze wasn’t exactly inexperienced when he took the helm of Being John Malkovich as his first feature, as he had established himself as a genius talent in the world of music videos, but that doesn’t take anything away from his accomplishments. It’s a wild, strange, and perfect execution of screenwriter Charlie Kaufman’s genius and cerebral script, and both the design and cinematography make it unforgettable.

Sidney Lumet – 12 Angry Men

It requires incredible skill to direct a film that almost entirely takes place in a single room and juggles 12 different characters with different perspectives… but there’s a reason why Sidney Lumet is considered one of history’s greatest filmmakers. The basic description of 12 Angry Men doesn’t sound particularly cinematic, but it grips you from the start, and keeps you fascinated throughout – particularly thanks to one of Henry Fonda’s greatest performances.

Joel & Ethan Coen – Blood Simple

Joel and Ethan Coen are masters of crime fiction, and they proved that instantly in the start of their careers as feature filmmakers. Blood Simple is a tense neo-noir that comes with all of the trimmings of the genre – from the chiaroscuro lighting to a brilliant femme fatale turn from Frances McDormand – and M. Emmett Walsh is a force as the relentless Loren Visser.

Rob Reiner – This Is Spinal Tap

Few filmmakers have had runs like what Rob Reiner accomplished in the 1980s/1990s, sequentially making Stand By Me, The Princess Bride, When Harry Met Sally, Misery and A Few Good Men, but his genius as a director was first established with 1984’s This Is Spinal Tap: a hilarious rock n’ roll mockumentary widely considered to be one of the greatest comedies of all time.

Sam Raimi – The Evil Dead

In the late 1970s/early 1980s, Sam Raimi, Rob Tapert and Bruce Campbell were college students determined to make their first ever feature, and traveled from Michigan to a dilapidated cabin in Tennessee to make The Evil Dead. The production of the film was an absolute nightmare, but the juice was very much worth the squeeze, as the movie exists as a testament to brilliant imagination, and it is an important classic in the history of the horror genre.

Frank Darabont – The Shawshank Redemption

After writing a brilliant adaptation of Stephen King’s novella “Rita Hayworth And Shawshank Redemption,” Frank Darabont actually took a major pay cut so that Castle Rock Entertainment would allow him to make The Shawshank Redemption his directorial debut. This turned out to be a legendary move that has cemented Darabont in cinematic history, as the movie is one of the most beloved of all time and an antidote to cynicism.

John Singleton - Boyz n The Hood

With his directorial debut, John Singleton captured the perspective of an underrepresented audience on the big screen – crafting a Stand By Me-esque coming-of-age story about life in south central Los Angeles. In one of his earliest roles, Cuba Gooding Jr. demonstrates incredible talent alongside Ice Cube and Morris Chestnut, but it’s Laurence Fishburne’s Furious Styles for which the film will always be remembered.

Emerald Fennell – Promising Young Woman

Emerald Fennell made quite an impression in 2020 with the debut of Promising Young Woman – a primal scream of a movie that captures the horrors that women experience in our modern world and comes together as a darkly comedic revenge thriller. Carey Mulligan’s performance is wicked, and it sports a finale that leaves the audience breathless and mind-blown.

Dan Gilroy – Nightcrawler

Jake Gyllenhaal is unquestionably one of the greatest actors of his generation, and Nightcrawler sees him let off the leash to showcase his phenomenal cinematic presence. Dan Gilroy was an experienced screenwriter prior to making his directorial debut, and one can understand why he wanted to make this movie himself: it’s a vicious, Taxi Driver-esque look at crime scene videography and a stunning and cutting commentary on “if it bleeds, it leads” culture in local journalism.

George A. Romero – Night Of The Living Dead

There aren’t exactly a lot of filmmakers who successfully launched an entire new subgenre with their first feature, but that’s exactly what George A. Romero did with Night Of The Living Dead. The zombie film was a shocking standout upon its original release – featuring a Black actor as its lead and a series of nightmarish scenes of horror – and its genius is no less apparent today.

Rian Johnson – Brick

Long before wowing us with his ensemble-driven Benoit Blanc mysteries Knives Out and Glass Onion, Rian Johnson stunned cinephiles as a first-time director with Brick. It’s a stylized neo-noir that stands out with its high school backdrop and young characters, and it dazzles with unyielding tension, unique dialogue, and a terrific third act reveal.

Tom Hanks – That Thing You Do!

Admit it: even just seeing the title of That Thing You Do! has immediately gotten the eponymous song stuck in your head. But on top of that track being two minutes and 50 seconds of peppy greatness, the film is a fantastic tale about a one hit wonder that pops thanks to Tom Hanks’ excellent direction and a delightful ensemble cast.

David Lynch – Eraserhead

It didn’t take long for David Lynch to tell cinephiles what he is all about. The auteur filmmaker established his nightmarish, cerebral sensibilities from the get-go with Eraserhead – which is a confident work from the first time director and paved the road for further masterpieces like Mulholland Drive and Twin Peaks.

Amy Heckerling – Fast Times at Ridgemont High

Amy Heckerling would easily be in the Coming-Of-Age Movie Hall Of Fame if Clueless were the only film on her filmography, but it was 13 years earlier that she made one of the genre’s all-time greatest titles as her directorial debut: Fast Times At Ridgemont High. There is so much to love about this film, from the radical Jeff Spicoli, to the drama of the relationship between Stacy and Mark, to the sounds of The Cars’ “Living In Stereo.”

Destin Daniel Cretton – Short Term 12

It’s a remarkable thing when a film, a series of images mixed with sound rapidly displayed to show movement, can touch your soul, but that’s something that Destin Daniel Cretton’s powerful directorial debut does – centering on the staff of a residential treatment facility. In retrospect, the ensemble cast in this one is beyond outstanding (including Brie Larson, Kaitlyn Dever, Rami Malek, LaKeith Stanfield, and Stephanie Beatriz), and their talents are on full display.

Patty Jenkins – Monster

Patty Jenkins’ directorial debut, Monster, is far from a fun cinematic experience, and one actually feels compelled to take a shower after watching it, but it’s a riveting work. Charlize Theron delivers what is arguably the best performance of her career and earned her Academy Award.

Josh & Benny Safdie - Good Time

Cinephiles were thrilled to discover the cinematic heart attack that is Josh and Benny Safdie’s Uncut Gems in 2019, but anyone who watched the brothers’ directorial debut was at the very least mentally prepared for the experience. Starring Robert Pattinson, Good Time is a deeply stressful crime film that comes packed with touches of Of Mice And Men, and it leaves a deep impression on whoever watches it.

Darren Aronofsky – Pi

Darren Aronofsky has a gift for making movies that makes you want to curl up in a ball and cry (see: Requiem For A Dream, Black Swan, mother!), and it’s a mode he hasn’t diverted from since making his feature debut with Pi. It’s a stylistic story of obsession and has one of the most upsetting endings of all time.

John Huston - The Maltese Falcon

There are some films that are held up as the true classics of classic film noir, and right alongside Alfred Hitchcock’s Vertigo, Bill Wilder’s Double Indemnity and Carol Reed’s The Third Man is John Huston’s phenomenal The Maltese Falcon. Humphrey Bogart’s Sam Spade is an icon of detective fiction, and the twists and turns of the mystery feel as fresh today as ever.

Ari Aster - Hereditary

Ari Aster has quickly become one of the most exciting modern filmmakers making original horror, and that’s in part because audiences are still experiencing nightmares from his directorial debut. A look at both generational trauma and grief, Hereditary is a movie so scary that it would make you feel cold if you were in the middle of the desert, and has more than a few images that end up tattooed on the back of your eyelids as you try to go to sleep at night.

Michael Mann - Thief

Nobody makes crime movies like Michael Mann, and it all started with Thief. It’s a thrilling and captivating look at a talented Chicago criminal who is looking for his way into legitimacy and finds himself fighting forces that try and drag him back into his shady business. The movie features one of James Caan’s best performances, and the talented ensemble includes Jim Belishi, Dennis Farina and Willie Nelson.

Francois Truffaut - The 400 Blows

Valued as an important part of cinema history and the French New Wave, Francois Truffaut’s The 400 Blows is a powerful coming-of-age story starring Jean-Pierre Léaud as Antoine Doinel, a troubled youth who ends up quitting school and turning to thievery, only to be apprehended and thrown in a juvenile detention center. Truffaut is recognized for having created some of the most beautiful films to ever be produced in France, and it all started here.

Jean Luc Goddard - Breathless

Another evocative title that emerged from the French New Wave, Jean Luc Goddard’s Breathless is a visually stunning work of crime and love, with tremendous cinematic innovation, attitude that bleeds off the screen, and an outstanding performance from star Jean-Paul Belmondo in his breakout role.

Barry Jenkins – Medicine For Melancholy

Barry Jenkins first earned widespread acclaim in 2016 for his film Moonlight (which deservingly won Best Picture at the Academy Awards), but not to be slept on is the debut feature he made eight years earlier: Medicine For Melancholy. Starring Wyatt Cenac and Tracey Heggins and set over the course of a single day, it’s a beautiful and emotional romantic drama.

Steven Soderbergh - Sex, Lies, And Videotape

Steven Soderbergh is now recognized as one of the most talented, eclectic filmmakers in cinema, but it all started with Sex, Lies And Videotape – a fascinating romantic drama with brilliant meta levels examining intimacy via camera.

George Miller – Mad Max

Many genre classics have been covered in this list, and now it’s time to dive into one of the greatest action/adventure films of all time. With Mad Max, George Miller takes us to an unnerving not-to-distant future full of violence and chaos, and his unique skills as a filmmaker capturing all that wildness all in camera is what makes this a forever-thrilling experience.

Damien Chazelle – Whiplash

One can read and learn that there is intense competition in performance arts schools, but it’s another thing to live it – and that’s what audiences get to do in Damien Chazelle’s Whiplash. Miles Teller is brilliant as the determined and talented Andrew Neiman, but it’s the Oscar-winning work of J.K. Simmons that makes this outstanding directorial debut exceptional.

Mel Brooks – The Producers

Every legendary cinematic run has to start somewhere, and for Mel Brooks, it was with the brilliance of The Producers. Long before he was shocking with the world with Blazing Saddles and History Of The World Part I, the brilliant comedian unleashed his tale of a Broadway scheme and the insanity of “Springtime For Hitler.”

Jim Abrahams, David Zucker And Jerry Zucker – Airplane!

In the 1980s/1990s, nobody made spoof movies like Jim Abrahams, David Zucker And Jerry Zucker, and they quickly established their special comedic voice with their directorial debut: Airplane! The insane pacing of the jokes and the sheer ridiculousness of everything make this a movie that threatens to choke you with laughter, and there are so, so many quotable lines – many thanks to the deadpan brilliance of Leslie Nielsen.

This list obviously has the potential to grow forever, and it'll be exciting to see who the next big breakout movie directors are. 

For quite some time, there have been actors who not only bring movies to life by acting on the big screen but also play a major role in crafting the stories. Over the years, multiple Best Picture winners have been written by talented thespians, who also happen to be accomplished wordsmiths. From stars who've pieced together films that would earn them their first Academy Award nominations to those penning passion projects, here are 32 successful actors who are also hit screenwriters.

Ben Affleck

In early 1998, Ben Affleck became one of the biggest stars in Hollywood after he and Matt Damon won the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay for Good Will Hunting. The movie made the longtime friends -- who didn't always work together -- into overnight sensations. Since then, he’s written four additional films: Gone Baby Gone, Live by Night, The Town and The Last Duel, which he co-wrote with Damon.

Matt Damon

As mentioned, Matt Damon took home the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay for Good Will Hunting in 1998. The movie, of course, also featured his Academy Award-worthy performance as a troubled young genius. Since then, he’s co-written two additional Gus Van Sant-directed scripts – Gerry in 2002, Promised Land in 2012 – as well as the Ridley Scott historical epic, The Last Duel, which he penned with Ben Affleck.

Jordan Peele

After finding success with Key & Peele, Jordan Peele turned to more behind-the-scenes work, serving as both a director and screenwriter. From his 2016 comedy, Keanu to 2022’s Nope and Wendell & Wild, Peele has cemented his legacy as one of the strongest voices in Hollywood. He won an Oscar for his Get Out screenplay in 2018 and produced two of the best horror movies in recent memory: Us and Candyman.

Tina Fey

Tina Fey will forever be remembered as one of the best Saturday Night Live cast members, and that experience allowed her to fine-tune her writing and acting skills. In addition to starring in movies like Baby Mama, Date Night and Muppets Most Wanted, Fey famously wrote the screenplay for Mean Girls, which is one of the best movies of the 2000s.

Sylvester Stallone

A handful of the best action movies of all time were written by none other than Sylvester Stallone, who has flexed his muscles in front of the camera and behind the scenes. All of the Rocky films (as well as Creed II) were written by Stallone, as were the Rambo flicks and pretty much most of his best big-screen ventures.

George Clooney

George Clooney has plenty of notable movies like Ocean’s Eleven, Syriana, Michael Clayton and even the over-the-top Batman & Robin. But the Academy Award-winning actor has also penned quite a few screenplays over the years, including the ones for Good Night, and Good Luck, The Ides of March, Leatherheads, The Monuments Men and Suburbicon.

Kristen Wiig

Two of the funniest movies of the past decade-and-a-half – Bridesmaids and Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar – not only featured the Saturday Night Live legend Kristen Wiig's on-screen talents, they were also co-written by the actress. And penning those screenplays alongside her was co-star Annie Mumolo.

Tyler Perry

In addition to being a committed philanthropist and all-around great guy, Tyler Perry is also an incredibly successful actor, movie producer, and screenwriter. Throughout his career, Perry has written multiple entries in the Madea film franchise as well as other films like A Jazzman’s Blues, Acrimony, and Why Did I Get Married?, to name a few.

Greta Gerwig

Greta Gerwig has become famous for her Barbie screenplay (which was co-written by Noah Baumbach), but that's only one of the great scripts written by the talented actress. In addition to starring in several dozen movies over the years, Gerwig also penned modern gems like Frances Ha, Lady Bird, Mistress America and Little Women.

Phoebe Waller-Bridge

In addition to being a talented actress with multiple scene-stealing performances in movies like Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny and Solo: A Star Wars Story, Phoebe Waller-Bridge is a talented writer. She created and penned the shows Fleabag and Killing Eve and received a partial writing credit for her contributions on No Time to Die.

Justin Theroux

Throughout his career, Justin Theroux has starred in movies like Mulholland Drive, Miami Vice and American Psycho. However, he also has some impressive screenwriting credits to his name. With work on Iron Man 2, Tropic Thunder, Rock of Ages and Zoolander 2, he has quite the body of work.

Emma Thompson

Emma Thompson is an actress with a great filmography, through which she's worked both in front of and behind the camera. In fact, Thompson has Academy Awards for  Best Actress (for Howards End) and Best Adapted Screenplay (for Sense and Sensibility). She’s also penned movies like Bridget Jones’s Baby, Last Christmas and the Nanny McPhee films.

Billy Bob Thornton 

Billy Bob Thornton is another actor who has won an Academy Award for writing, having scored a Best Adapted Screenplay Oscar for his work on Sling Blade, which he also starred in and directed. Over the years, some of Thornton's best movies -- like One False Move, A Family Thing, The Gift and Daddy and Them were also written by the actor himself.

Emerald Fennell 

After finding success with acting roles in movies like Albert Nobbs, Anna Karenina and The Danish Girl, as well as shows like Call the Midwife and The Crown, Emerald Fennell turned her attention to writing and directing. Her feature film debut, Promising Young Woman, earned her a Best Original Screenplay Oscar. She also crafted the script for the drama film Saltburn.

Tom Hanks 

Tom Hanks is another Oscar winner with a number of screenwriting credits to his name. In addition to leading some of the best movies of all time, Hanks has also penned the screenplays for That Thing You Do, Larry Crowne and the 2020 World War II thriller Greyhound.

Kumail Nanjiani 

Kumail Nanjiani has starred in all kinds of movies over the years, with Eternals, Stuber and The Lovebirds being just a few of them. But Nanjiani also wrote the screenplay for The Big Sick, the 2018 romantic comedy inspired by the battles he and wife Emily V. Gordon faced early in their relationship.

Paul Rudd 

Paul Rudd not only starred in one of the best Marvel movies such as Ant-Man, he was also one the writers given credit for its screenplay (alongside Edgar Wright, Joe Cornish, and Adam McKay). But that wasn’t his first or last script, as Rudd contributed to Role Models and Ant-Man and the Wasp.

Ethan Hawke 

Throughout his career, Ethan Hawke has starred in movies like Reality Bites, Boyhood, First Reformed and The Black Phone, among many others. However, the actor has also written his fair share of screenplays as well, with everything from the second and third installments in the Before film franchise to the gripping biopic Blaze featuring his handiwork. 

 Angelina Jolie 

Over the years, Angelina Jolie has become an instantly recognizable face and name thanks to a number of wonderful performances. The actress has also a few screenwriting credits, including In the Land of Blood and Honey, First They Killed My Father and By the Sea.

Kenneth Branagh 

To some Kenneth Branagh is arguably better known as a screenwriter than actor. That's because he won Oscar for Best Original Screenplay for the semi autobiographical coming-of-age drama Belfast and received a nomination for his adaptation of Hamlet back in 1995. The Christopher Nolan collaborator has also written other films like Much Ado About Nothing, In the Bleak Midwinter, Listening and The Magic Flute.

Steve Coogan 

Steve Coogan is famous for his performances in the Night at the Museum movies, Tropic Thunder, 24 Hour Party People, and The Trip, but he’s also a talented writer. Over the years, Coogan has written movies like Philomena, The Lost King, The Parole Officer and Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa.

Sarah Polley 

After making a name for herself as an actress with roles in movies like Go, The Weight of Water and the underrated Dawn of the Dead remake, Sarah Polley turned her jumped into the writer/director seat. One of her most well-known scripts is probably 2022's Women Talking, which earned her an Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay.

Seth Rogen 

Seth Rogen has written some of the comedies that defined the 2000s, such as Pineapple Express and Superbad, as well as more recent hits like Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem. This is on top of appearing in all three of those movies, as well as other classics like The 40-Year-Old Virgin, which totally deserved its R rating.

Taylor Sheridan 

Taylor Sheridan is mostly known for crafting Sicario, Wind River, Hell or High Water and other riveting dramas. But the Yellowstone co-creator also had a decent acting career before making the big shift over the past decade. He appeared on shows like Sons of Anarchy and Veronica Mars.

Lake Bell 

In addition to appearing in movies like No Escape, No Strings Attached, It’s Complicated and Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, Lake Bell has also written and directed a few projects throughout her career. There are the shorts Worst Enemy and El Tonto, which she followed up with feature-length films, In a World… and I Do… Until I Don’t.

Owen Wilson 

When talking about Wes Anderson's collaborators, few names come to mind as quickly as Owen Wilson, who has appeared in a number of the director’s films throughout his career. But on top of appearing in seven of Anderson’s movies, Wilson also helped write three of them: Bottlerocket, Rushmore and The Royal Tenenbaums.

Jason Segel 

When it comes to the movie sphere, Jason Segel is probably best known for his portrayal of Peter Bretter in the 2008 comedy Forgetting Sarah Marshall, but some might not know he also wrote it. After that, Segel penned three additional feature films: The Muppets, The Five-Year Engagement and Sex Tape.

Ricky Gervais

On top of creating and starring on TV shows like the original version of The Office, Episodes and Extras, Ricky Gervais has also written some popular movies throughout his career. The British actor and comedian has crafted The Invention of Lying, Special Correspondents, Cemetery Junction and David Brent: Life on the Road.

Woody Allen 

Throughout his career, which goes back the mid 1950s, Woody Allen has written, directed, and starred in dozens of movies, many of which are incredibly well-received. Over the years, Allen has won four Academy Awards, three of which were for Best Original Screenplay – Annie Hall, Hannah and Her Sisters, and Midnight in Paris – on top of all kinds of other accolades. However, Allen has only appeared in four of his own movies the past 20 years.

John Cusack 

Not only did he star in some of the most iconic comedies of the 1980s, some all-time great ‘90s movies, and experience a great deal of success, John Cusack has written a handful of films throughout his career. This short list also happens to include some of his Cusack's best movies like High Fidelity and Grosse Pointe Blank. His other writing credits include War, Inc. and We Are Not Animals.

Rashida Jones 

Rashida Jones is perhaps best known for her roles on NBC comedy hits The Office and Parks and Recreation, but the actress has also written a few screenplays throughout her career. This includes Celeste and Jesse Forever, the 2018 documentary, Quincy, which is about her dad -- music legend Quicy Jones. She also has a story credit for Toy Story 4 and wrote “Nosedive,” one of the best Black Mirror episodes.

Tom McCarthy 

Tom McCarthy is best known for writing and directing Spotlight, the riveting journalism movie that won Best Picture and Best Original Screenplay at the 88th Academy Awards. But while he was in the process of becoming an award-winning filmmaker, McCarthy put together a decent acting resume that included a memorable turn on The Wire (during the final season), Meet the Parents, Good Night, and Good Luck, Syriana and Michael Clayton.

Each of these nearly three-dozen actors has quite the resume, both in terms of on-screen performances and written work, making them more than deserving of any and all praise.

The opportunity to grace the stage at Studio 8H as a headliner for NBC’s premier sketch comedy series is a surefire sign that a celebrity has truly made it. However, the 32 A-listers we have named below stand out as an exception to the rule, having never hosted an episode of Saturday Night Live before.

Beyoncé

The pop superstar (an understatement here, really) has proven herself as a worthy actor and even showed solid comedic chops in her two SNL cameos, but Beyoncé Knowles-Carter has never headlined an episode before. Maybe, if and when she returns for her fifth musical guest appearance, she could do double-duty as host – for which an appearance alongside her frequent impersonator, Maya Rudolph, would be a necessity.

Angela Bassett

Thanks to her stint as a frequent American Horror Story cast member and her Academy Award nomination for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Angela Bassett is bigger than ever these days. Therefore, it would certainly be about time for the showbiz vet to finally grace the stage at studio 8H.

Johnny Depp

Johnny Depp is one of the most recognizable and critically acclaimed celebrities of his time, if not all time. Considering that and his decades in the industry – including the Pirates of the Caribbean movies – it’s surprising that he hasn’t ever hosted the long-running sketch comedy series. 

Angelina Jolie

Some might swear that they have seen Angelina Jolie on SNL before, but that could have been Abby Elliot’s pretty convincing impersonation. The Academy Award winner – last seen in Marvel’s Eternals cast – has never hosted the show, nor made any brief appearances.

James Marsden

With his charming wit and a successful career that includes blockbusters like the X-Men movies and the iconic romance drama, The Notebook, you would think James Marsden would have been on SNL by now, but not yet. Maybe his funny, self-effacive performance on the reality prank show, Jury Duty, will convince Lorne and co. he could lead a good show.

Zendaya

With her dual Emmy wins for leading HBO’s Euphoria cast and major roles in blockbusters like the Spider-Man movies and the Denis Villeneuve's Dune films, Zendaya is on top of the world and an established resident of it for sometime now. Maybe she has just been too busy to make time for an SNL hosting gig or her invitation got lost in the shuffle of her many other invitations to special events or casting calls.

Mark Hamill

Even though he was the top-billed star of one of the biggest movie franchises in the world, Mark Hamill's only appearance on SNL so far is a cameo in a sketch about a Star Wars-themed home shopping network program. The Luke Skywalker actor recently told Esquire that he suspects he has never been asked to host because he agreed to host an episode of rival sketch comedy series, Friday, in 1981.

Christian Bale

One of the few great live-action Batman actors to never host a Saturday Night Live episode is Christian Bale, who has worked with former series writer Adam McKay on acclaimed satirical films The Big Short and Vice, however. Intriguingly, the Academy Award winner was once impersonated on the show by his future American Hustle co-star, Bradley Cooper.

Sandra Bullock

Oscar winner Sandra Bullock has brought her killer acting skills and sharp sense of humor to many of her best movies, such as Miss Congeniality, or, more recently, The Lost City. However, she still has yet to utilize her comedic talents on an SNL episode, but did make headlines when former cast member Pete Davidson crashed a party of hers with her Bird Box co-star, Colson “Machine Gun Kelly” Baker, as the actor and musician revealed on The Tonight Show in 2022.

Carol Burnett

Few people are more beloved and influential in the world of sketch comedy as Carol Burnett, which is why it is shocking that none of the many great performances she has given in her long career include an SNL gig. That is, until you learn that the prospect of hosting the show she is said to have paved the way for does not interest her, as she told Fox News in April 2023.

Tom Cruise

As the lead of monster hits like the Mission: Impossible movies, among others, Tom Cruise is practically synonymous with the term “movie star,” but has never lit up Studio 8H. The closest we may ever get to seeing him in such a light is his bombastic performance as Les Grossman in Tropic Thunder alongside SNL vets Bill Hader and Ben Stiller — the latter of which also impersonated the Top Gun: Maverick star in a funny Celebrity Jeopardy! sketch in 1998.

Leonardo DiCaprio

Perhaps the reason behind Oscar winner Leonardo DiCaprio’s lack of hosting gigs is due to a lack of comedy for much of his career, unless you count The Wolf of Wall Street or Don’t Look Up. However, when his co-star from both of those films, Jonah Hill, hosted in 2017, DiCaprio made one of the most surprising SNL cameos in the monologue, in which they recreated a famous scene from Titanic.

Vin Diesel

Many Fast and Furious actors — including Dwayne Johnson and Gal Gadot — have hosted Saturday Night Live, but the franchise’s leading star, Vin Diesel, is not one of them. Yet, he has been impersonated on the show to hilarious effect a number of times, such as by Taran Killam in one of the most popular videos on SNL’s YouTube channel, which reimagines Bambi as an action movie.

Chris Evans

Out of the many actors who have poked fun at their own Marvel movies in great superhero sketches when hosting SNL — such as Scarlett Johansson and Chris Hemsworth — Chris Evans is not one of them. This is particularly surprising since the MCU’s former Captain America has proven his comedic chops plenty of times, such as in the underrated Not Another Teen Movie and, more recently, Apple TV+’s action-packed rom-com, Ghosted.

Morgan Freeman

Morgan Freeman appeared on a 2010 edition of “What Up With That?” as himself, being interrupted by Diondre Cole (Kenan Thompson) as he dishes on what modern education is lacking. That marks the renowned Academy Award winner’s sole SNL appearance so far, having never been on the show as a host.

Harrison Ford

Saturday Night Live might really benefit from having someone known for such remarkable, dry wit as Harrison Ford on as a host. However, the closest we have seen to the star of the Indiana Jones movies and Star Wars’ original Han Solo actor making an appearance was an impersonation by Fred Armisen in a fake movie trailer.

Al Pacino

One of cinema’s all-time greatest living legends, Al Pacino, has been impersonated several times on SNL and by multiple actors — including Bill Hader and Alec Baldwin. Yet, the Academy Award-winning star of The Godfather and Heat has never hosted the show, let alone made an appearance of his own.

Jordan Peele

Keegan-Michael Key hosted a great SNL episode in 2021, but fellow sketch comedy performer Jordan Peele — whom he met as part of the MADtv cast before starting their own hit series together — cannot say the same. However, according to THR, the Academy Award-winning horror movie maestro could have been a cast member if MADtv had relieved him of his contract and allowed him the opportunity.

Michelle Pfeiffer

Kate McKinnon dressed in Michelle Pfeiffer’s Catwoman suit alongside Zoë Kravitz when The Batman’s Selena Kyle actor hosted Saturday Night Live in 2022. However, the real star of Batman Returns and countless other classics throughout the decades has never set foot on Studio 8H's stage.

Brad Pitt

Brad Pitt has appeared in two SNL cold opens: first in 1998 as David Spade’s therapist when the former cast member came back to host, and secondly as Dr. Anthony Fauci in a pre-taped, Covid-era show. The Oscar-winning star of Fight Club and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood even introduced that latter episode’s musical performance by Miley Cyrus, but that still does not count as an official hosting gig.

Keanu Reeves

I think it would be hilarious to see Keanu Reeves cameo as himself going John Wick on the SNL cast out of revenge for the show’s many unflattering impersonations of him over the years. That would make up for the fact that we have never seen the beloved action movie star host an episode.

Julia Roberts

In an interview with Mario Lopez for Extra, Julia Roberts revealed that she once turned down the chance to host SNL out of fear that she would “blow it.” However, she later told Jess Cagle that she would do it if Alec Baldwin was involved.

Mark Ruffalo

Idris Elba once starred in an SNL sketch called “The Impossible Hulk,” in which his anger transforms him into an entitled white lady. How much funnier might that sketch have been if it was the MCU’s Bruce Banner himself, Mark Ruffalo, in the role? Hopefully, the Oscar nominee gets the chance to poke fun at his own superhero character as a host one day.

Zoe Saldaña

We know that Zoe Saldaña is funny from her roles in comedies like Guess Who and 2010’s Death at a Funeral, but hosting SNL would be the ultimate chance to prove her chops to the world. At least she can say that she is one of the top 10 highest grossing actors of all time with blockbuster credits like the Avatar movies and several MCU titles.

Susan Sarandon

Academy Award winner Susan Sarandon has been a movie star for as long as Saturday Night Live has been around, having made her breakthrough in 1975 with the musical horror comedy movie, The Rocky Horror Picture Show. However, her only contribution to the series so far is starring in Andy Samberg and Justin Timberlake’s follow-up to “Dick in a Box,” called “Motherlover.”

Arnold Schwarzenegger

After years of being imitated and idolized by Kevin Nealon and Dana Carvey as Hans and Franz, Arnold Schwarzenegger would appear alongside the fictional Austrian bodybuilders in a couple of iconic SNL cameos. That is the extent of appearances by the Terminator movies star for now. 

Will Smith

It is surprising that a performer of such radiant fame as Will Smith has never hosted SNL, nor made a cameo appearance a single time during his remarkable, versatile career, but it looks like he will never get the chance. According to RadarOnline, the Men in Black star was reportedly banned from the show after slapping series veteran Chris Rock for a joke he made at the Oscars on the same night Smith won his Academy Award for King Richard.

Meryl Streep

For someone like me, it is a real “Sophie’s Choice” to decide which is the greater honor in pop culture: winning an Oscar or hosting Saturday Night Live. Well, at the moment, Meryl Streep has three of the former (for Kramer vs. Kramer, Sophie’s Choice, and The Iron Lady), but zero of the latter.

Stanley Tucci

In 2018, SNL paid tribute to Stanley Tucci with a rap parody called “Tucci Gang,” performed by Pete Davidson and featuring host Sam Rockwell impersonating the actor, whom he worked with in A Midsummer Night’s Dream. However, while the Oscar nominee and restaurateur also made a brief cameo in the video himself, it remains his only appearance on the show to date.

Mark Wahlberg

Two weeks after Andy Samberg played Mark Wahlberg in a sketch called “Mark Wahlberg Talks to Animals,” the actor himself appeared on the show in a cameo-heavy episode pretending to be very unamused by the imitation. Because of this, I would love to see the one-time rapper and Oscar nominee host an SNL episode of his own.

Denzel Washington

Former SNL cast member Jay Pharaoh does an impression of Denzel Washington so spot-on that you might be easily convinced that you have seen him on the show before. In reality, the Oscar-winning star of Glory and Training Day has never even made a cameo, let alone appeared as a host.

Michelle Yeoh

Only a handful of Asian actors have hosted SNL (such as Jackie Chan, Awkwafina, and Simu Liu, for instance), but it is hard to believe that Michelle Yeoh is not included in that bunch, given her exceptional action star reputation over the last few decades. Perhaps her recent boost in popularity following her historic Oscar win for Everything Everywhere All At Once could change that.

I wonder if we will ever see any of these celebs finally get the call from Lorne Michaels (or agree to it) and, perhaps, go on to earn a spot among the greatest SNL hosts of all time or join the Five-Timers Club, even. I mean, considering all the non-actors who have made great hosts on Saturday Night Live, these high-profile performers could absolutely rock 30 Rock to its core.  

Considering that Jordan Peele has only directed three feature films, it’s incredible that he has reached such a wild level of success; he can simply announce that a new movie is on the way and a lot of people will take notice. Not only that, but Jordan Peele movies on Netflix and other platforms are apparently seen as valuable enough that they can take on the biggest franchise in the world right now. Because Peele’s next film will be released on Christmas Day 2024, five days after Avatar 3.

The release date of Jordan Peele’s new film is the only thing we know for sure about it at this point. THR confirms the Christmas day release date. We don’t even know with certainty that Peele’s fourth directorial effort will be a horror movie, but considering that’s what the other three have been, it certainly seems likely.

Jordan Peele wowed audiences with Get Out in 2017, a movie that would not become a box office juggernaut but the rare horror movie that received awards recognition. It ultimately won Peele the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay. That was followed by Us in 2019, which was an even bigger box office hit, and then Nope in 2022. Nope didn’t do quite as well at the box office as the other two, but considering the level of success of the first films, it only underperformed by comparison. 

Universal Pictures previously had the Christmas Day release staked out with part one of the Wicked adaptation, but last week it was announced that Wicked was getting moved up and would be released the day before Thanksgiving instead. At the time, it seemed that the movie was getting out of the way of Avatar 3. Considering just how long Avatar: The Way of Water owned the box office last December, there’s every reason to believe Avatar 3 will do the same, and any movie being released after it, especially only a few days later, could suffer at the box office because of it.

But it seems the real reason Wicked was moved was to make way for Jordan Peele’s new movie. And there’s certainly reason to believe that a movie from Peele would have a stronger chance than other films against Avatar 3. It will almost certainly be the definition of counter-programming. The potential movie audience that is not excited by the massive budget CGI spectacle franchise of Avatar 3 might be exactly the audience looking for something like what we now think of as a Jordan Peele movie, a character-driven horror movie with a unique premise and provocative themes. 

With the release date for Jordan Peele’s fourth film nearly two years away it will likely be some time before we hear many details about it. As we do, however, we may learn more about why Universal is so sure the movie will be a success going up against Avatar. In the meantime, here are some upcoming horror movies to look forward to. 

Jordan Peele has directed three movies, and they're all amazing. 

You could argue that Us isn't as good as Get Out, or that Nope isn't as scary as Us, but the fact is, for a man who got his start in TV, and only recently got into making movies, Peele has been on a hot streak. 

In fact, I would argue that the available Jordan Peele movies on Netflix and other platforms are not just great in general, but also important for Black cinema as a whole, and here's why.  

Jordan Peele's Audience Is Not Just Black People. It's Everybody  

Not since we were getting consistent “Spike Lee joints" back in the ‘80s and ‘90s have I seen audiences of all different shades flock to see a Black director's work. But, people are showing up for Jordan Peele’s movies. When our very own Sarah El-Mahmoud wrote about how Nope was even more satisfyingly scary than she expected, it made sense, because people don't see Peele's movies because they're "Black stories.” They see them because they're good stories…that just so happen to also be Black stories.   

When he revealed that he still gets hate about Get Out, that made sense, too, because it feels like EVERYBODY'S seen that movie. Even though he believes that some people hate the film because of the “agency” that it brought him and other people (and, of course, I think he’s right), I also think that there’s a whole other group that doesn’t like that movie, and I know this because I’ve talked to said people. 

They’re the ones who have a distaste for Get Out because they don’t like all the praise that it’s gotten. They think it’s supremely overrated, and, for that matter, that all of his movies are overrated. But, the only reason that such a group even exists is because SO many people (of all races) have watched Peele’s movies. And, when a large swath of people watch something that they hear is supposedly "so great," then there will always be detractors who are angry that everybody else loves something that they don't.  

Hell, that's how I felt about Avatar: The Way of Water, as I wasn't impressed by it. Like, at all. It kind of bothered me that the movie was so successful, when there are so many other better movies out there that people aren’t watching, and that's how I think many must feel about Get Out, Us, and Nope.  

This is how you know that they’re successful, though, because if a large segment of viewers hate a movie, then that just means that a large segment of people have watched it, which is a good thing for Black cinema, as it means that even though a lot of people might hate it, it also means that a lot of people must love it. And not just Black people.   

His Movies Are Consistently Profitable, Opening Up Opportunities For Other Black Stories  

Do you know how much Get Out cost to make? $4.5 million dollars. Do you know how much it made at the box office? $255.4 million, which is just staggering. Us, which received a much larger budget of $20 million, made $256.1 million, while Nope, which had Peele’s highest budget of $68 million, made $171.4 million.  

While Nope may have made the least back out of his three films, it was still highly profitable, which can only be seen as good for other Black filmmakers, mostly because it proves that movies with Black leading characters can be profitable at the box office, and that they don’t even need to be attached to a Marvel movie like Black Panther: Wakanda Forever to do it.  

In fact, just look at other Monkeypaw Productions (Peele's production company) like Blackkklansman, which garnered Spike Lee an Oscar nomination and win, and the horror movie, Candyman, which reportedly cost $25 million to make, and made a handsome $77.4 million in return. A movie attached to his name, even if he didn’t direct it, can be profitable, sure, but it can also bring other Black movies to the big screen, with resounding success. So, in other words, Jordan Peele = big bucks, which is good for everybody, yes, but especially for Black creators.    

He Always Casts Black Actors In Prominent Roles 

Peele, who directed Daniel Kaluuya in his debut movie, Get Out, brought him back for Nope, which I think is wonderful. But, what I think is even more wonderful is that he's cast Black actors in leading roles in all three of his movies. 

Here are the leading roles he’s cast in his movies thus far: Kaluuya, Lupita Nyong’o, Winston Duke, and Keke Palmer. And, that’s just the leads. He’s also cast LaKieth Stanfield, Lil Rel Howery, Betty Gabriel, Shahadi Wright Joseph, Evan Alex, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, and Keith David in supporting roles. 

Even better – and what separates Peele’s movies from some other Black films – is that he’ll have diverse casts all around, with actors like Steven Yeun, Brandon Perea, Elizabeth Moss, Catherine Keener, Allison Williams, and one of my favorite comedians, Tim Heidecker, just to name a few. In this way, his films could bring in many different audiences, and he does so with aplomb. 

His Movies Are Challenging And Thus, Demand Discussion About Race 

Besides Get Out, which is specifically about race, one could argue that Us is all about identity, both existential, but also racial, and that by the end of Nope, the UFO movie could have multiple meanings, with my interpretation being that Black people will never be trusted at face value, so they have to go through extreme measures to document everything, which could draw parallels to Black Americans needing to film police brutality.    

Or, maybe Nope has nothing to do with that at all, and perhaps Us is just a spooky movie about doppelgangers. The fact is, after the tour de force that was Get Out, and what it had to say about race, I’m pretty sure that all of Peele’s future movies will have people (many of whom will likely not be Black) discussing what possible racial undertones could be present in his films. And, if his movies get people talking about race, then that could only be good for other Black filmmakers, who could use racial cues that help elevate their stories, just like the recent Candyman remake did.  

When He's Not Nominated For An Oscar, It's Often Considered A Snub, Which Invites Criticism Of The Industry  

Last but not least, after Peele won for Best Original Screenplay at the 2018 Oscars for Get Out, he’s pretty much expected to either be nominated himself, have one of his movies nominated, or have one of the actors in his films nominated. And, when none of the above happens, it’s considered a huge snub at the Oscars.   

And, do you know what? This is good for Black filmmakers, too, as it puts a spotlight on other Black films in any given year. For example, it’s hard to mention how Nope wasn’t nominated for anything, and not couple that with how The Woman King wasn’t nominated, either. Remember #OscarsSoWhite back in 2015? Well, whenever Peele doesn’t get nominated for anything, it kind of brings back memories of that, and how other Black filmmakers and actors are also frequently ignored. 

Now, I’m not saying that Peele should just get nominated to fit some kind of quota. I am NOT implying that the Academy needs more affirmative action (I mean, maybe they do, but that’s not the point I’m trying to make). What I am saying is just look at the title of this article. Peele has never made a bad movie, and that’s being modest, as I think that he's only made GREAT movies, and he should be nominated for every one of them.

Those are my feelings on how Jordan Peele’s success is helping all Black people in film. But, what do you think? For more news on all his movies, make sure to swing by here often. 

The Woman King, Till, and Saint Omer, at one point or another, were all considered strong Academy Award contenders, and then they were all left off the list of 2023 Oscar nominees. The common denominator among all these films is they are made by Black female filmmakers. Now, Gina Prince-Bythewood, the director of The Woman King, is reflecting on what happened, and the lack of Black filmmakers nominated at this year’s Oscars. 

Prince-Bythewood’s The Woman King, Chinonye Chukwu’s Till and Alice Diop’s Saint Omer were all left off the list, and now, The Woman King director is opening up to THR about her film and these other filmmakers’ being left out. She pointed out that it’s disappointing her film wasn’t nominated, however, it can’t be forgotten that the movie is a success. She explained that she felt the need to speak about The Academy’s omission, saying:

Throughout the Academy’s history, there have been many times when Black filmmakers, actors and craftspeople have been left off the nominations list. This year is similar, with Prince-Bythewood being among three women left of the list for Best Director. Along with the director, two Black actresses were snubbed, and four films made by Black filmmakers were shut out from the ceremony entirely. Pince-Bythewood pointed out that no Black filmmaker has ever won Best Director in the 95-year history of the Academy Awards, and no Black women have been nominated. She explained that she thinks this is because people simply are not willing to watch their movies:

The director went on, talking about how she went and saw other critical and financial hits like Everything Everywhere All at Once and Top Gun: Maverick because they were good, and then posed the question:

She also brought up the Best Actress race, which caused some of the biggest Oscar shocks as well as snubs for this year’s Academy Awards. Both Viola Davis and Danielle Deadwyler were not nominated for their performances as the leader of The Woman King cast and the mother in Till, respectively, even though they were both recognized at other major awards shows this season. 

Along with the three directors mentioned by Prince-Bythewood, there was also a lot of POC talent left out of the Oscar nominations this year making The Woman King director’s point clearer.  

The Woman King will be available to those with a Netflix subscription on February 16.

The world of streaming has become the absolute wild west and there’s no indication that the dust is going to settle any time soon. Streaming services are merging, changing, canceling shows, and even removing content that was created specifically for their platform, and Paramount+ is the latest streamer to be going through all those changes at once.

The Showtime and Paramount+ streaming services are set to be merged into a single entity, and alongside that news came the cancellation of several Showtime original series, and the disappearance of them from the current platform. 

The same thing is now happening with Paramount+, as several shows owned by Viacom, including some made specifically for the streaming service, like Jordan Peele’s Twilight Zone reboot, are now missing. Variety reports that alongside The Twilight Zone, other series like The Real World: Homecoming, The Harper House, and more have also been taken off Paramount+.  

With streaming services like Netflix one expects a significant turnover of some material. While Netflix has created numerous original series and movies, a lot of the content available comes from other studios, and the licensing deals have limited timetables. But part of the benefit of studios providing their media directly to the consumer is that there’s supposed to be no need for that as everything on the platform is owned by the same studio. 

Having said that, Paramount+ is far from the only streaming service to have done this. Several shows have been taken from HBO Max over the last few months, including removing fan favorites like Westworld. WB Discovery has since announced plans for Westworld and other shows to be carried on alternative streaming platforms.

In both the HBO Max and Paramount+ cases, the decision to remove content came alongside a plan to combine existing streaming platforms. HBO Max and Discovery+ are expected to merge into a single service at some point just as Paramount+ and Showtime are doing. The decision could be part of simply managing a content library that is on the verge of becoming exponentially larger. 

There is a potentially significant downside, however, as since these shows are no longer available it means that nobody can watch them. While that’s annoying for those that simply want to enjoy the shows or movies, it’s also a potentially significant issue for the people who helped create the shows and movies in the first place. Anybody who earns any form of residuals from streaming views can’t do that if nobody can view it. 

We’ll have to wait and see if these Paramont+ shows get transitioned to other platforms the way the HBO Max shows did. The loss of a few shows likely won't have a major impact on Paramount+ subscribers, but as the landscape of streaming continues to change it's difficult to tell just how these sorts of changes will impact consumers.  

Dear readers, this year’s path to the Oscars has officially kicked off. With the 2023 Academy Award Nominations now freshly released into the world, the endgame of awards season is truly in sight. As usual, some pleasant surprises were to be had, especially with films like All Quiet on the Western Front and Triangle of Sadness earning some dark horse nominations throughout the field. 

But for all of the joy that can come out of 2023’s most surprising Oscar noms, there’s always cases like Tom Cruise, Sarah Polley, and Jordan Peele’s Nope, where the snubs speak just as loudly. It’s time for the conversation that always takes place on Oscar nomination morning, as those are just three of the 13 cases of snubbery we’re about to discuss. Brace yourselves folks, it’s time to wade through the big snubs that came from the 2023 Oscar nods. 

Tom Cruise - Best Actor, Top Gun: Maverick

Top Gun: Maverick was a huge part of helping bring people back to the movies, and the spectacle that nailed its Best Picture nomination was only part of the equation. Tom Cruise’s return to Captain Pete “Maverick” Mitchell was also one for the books, and a performance that really dug deeper into the icon we were introduced to in the late ‘80s. How that was overlooked is beyond me, and it’s only the beginning of the overlooked gems. 

Viola Davis - Best Actress, The Woman King

An unshakable presence in whatever she does, Academy Award winner Viola Davis had people talking about her acting and action prowess with The Woman King. Proving that it’s even hard for a previous winner to land on the ballot, Davis’ performance in director Gina Prince-Blythwood’s historically inspired epic failed to make the final pack. Your guess is as good as ours as to how or why that even happened, as even our own Corey Chichizola saw that promise in our official Woman King review. 

Sarah Polley - Best Director, Women Talking

You could have seen it coming a mile away. While writer/director Sarah Polley was nominated for Best Original Screenplay with her Women Talking script, her lack of a Best Director nod is still pretty glaring. Once again, no female directors are in the running for this competition, and this omission seems like the loudest flub. We questioned if 2023 was going to be another terrible Oscar year for female directors, and to be proven right is something that never feels good.

The Women Talking Acting Ensemble

Let’s just knock this related disappointment out of the park while we’re at it, because the lack of acting nominations for Women Talking is just as upsetting. There were a lot of fantastic choices, as Sarah Polley assembled one hell of an ensemble to tell this particular story with. The fact that even the safe option like Frances McDormand, or blazing performances from Jessie Buckley and Claire Foy were all ignored is pretty crazy for a Best Picture nominee. 

James Cameron - Best Director, Avatar: The Way of Water

No matter what you thought of the movie, you have to admit that James Cameron is a directing madman for the way he tackles movies like Avatar: The Way of Water. To keep all of those plates spinning, over multiple films, and with other duties like being one of the series’ co-writers is something that deserves quite a bit of credit. But somehow, those efforts on the 2022 follow-up, as well as Cameron’s devotion to Cinema weren’t as noteworthy as his 2009 original. 

RRR - Best Picture/Best International Feature Film

Throughout a good portion of 2022 director S. S. Rajamouli’s RRR became a cinematic sensation that was truly a must see. Dazzling visuals, high octane action, and an infectious energy filled the film with a joy that seemed to sweep the land, and nab the catchy “Naatu Naatu” a nomination for Best Original Song. And yet, even with James Cameron himself paying Rajamouli’s film some pretty high praise, this would-be barnstormer missed out on both Best Picture and Best International Film. This may not have ended in bloodshed, but it’s certainly ending in tears. 

Decision To Leave - Best International Feature Film

Director Park Chan-Wook’s “romantic mystery film” Decision To Leave is another project that felt like it would have assuredly gotten a spot in the Best International Feature Film category. Between the pedigree of the Oldboy director, and the solid art house buzz that centered around the film, it was a prospect too good to be ignored.

Michael Giacchino - Best Original Score, The Batman

How deep does the snub for Michael Giacchino’s music for The Batman run? It wasn’t even on the shortlist for the honors of Best Original Score. A rousing sonic reinterpretation of the character often represented in the DC movies canon, words can’t even describe the disappointment that this heavy hitter somehow got forgotten. However, the intro to “A Bat In The Rafters, Pt. 2” would absolutely do the trick. 

“Ciao Papa” - Best Original Song, Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio

One movie that’s been pretty consistent with its fortunes has been Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio. The good news is that this consistency continued with the Netflix original’s nomination for Best Animated Feature Film. Of course, the bad news is that the stirring yet simple song “Ciao Papa” was not nominated in the Best Original Song category. Consistency only goes so far, we suppose. 

Sadie Sink - Best Supporting Actress, The Whale

Imagine if A24 somehow grabbed four of the five Best Supporting Actress nominations this year. It’s easy, even if you don’t try, because three of the slots went to Hong Chau’s performance in The Whale, as well as Jamie Lee Curtis and Stephanie Hsu’s roles in Everything Everywhere All At Once. The fourth honor could have gone to Sadie Sink, as the Stranger Things star landed quite well with critics in The Whale’s overall ensemble. Alas, Ms. Sink’s snub prevented that well-earned potential from happening; but her crucial experience working in The Whale still remains.

Nope, She Said, And The Menu Were Total Shutouts

The field of snubs above is bad enough to send commentators of all sorts into a frenzy. Yet perhaps the king of all of these omissions has to come from the unpleasant truth that Nope, She Said, and The Menu were all total Oscar shutouts. Nope especially hurts, as its critical and commercial crossroads felt ripe for some goodwill between the audience at home and the dignitaries in the Dolby Theatre. 

Not to mention, She Said and The Menu both felt like timely dives into current issues, and the former option had previous nominee Carey Mulligan feeling like a runaway nomination. As for The Menu, the sleek and cutting satire seemed like it was having a moment with fans reacting to its twisted tale rather enthusiastically. But as we saw with Triangle of Sadness, there was apparently only room for one scathing societal takedown at the table. 

This isn’t nearly all of the snubs that people may have woken up to with this morning’s nominations. It’s only the ones that seemed to cut the deepest and the most surprising. Whomever wins at this year’s Oscars is of course going to be a subject of great debate and discussion. With snubs like these though, that conversation is only going to be all the more heated, as the alternates just might seem like a better choice in the long run. We’ll see how things pan out on Sunday, March 12th, when the 95th Academy Awards air on ABC, at 8 PM ET. 

The horror genre has been experiencing a thrilling renaissance over the last few years, thanks to returning franchises and wholly original concepts. Gerard Johnston’s M3GAN is in the latter category, and is a bonafide box office hit after its trailer went viral months ago. The new horror movie’s meme-able screenplay was written by none other than Akela Cooper, who recently recalled some “forced” studio meetings about “Black trauma” horror flicks after the release of Get Out.

Filmmaker Jordan Peele is a true horror auteur, with three acclaimed movies currently released. But it all started with Get Out, which became an Oscar winning hit. M3GAN writer Akela Cooper recently opened up about how various studios tried to follow suit and mix real-life horrors from the Black community into the genre. She spoke to The Wrap about some meetings with studios about potential writing gigs that felt “forced” to her. As she put it,

There you have it. While putting issues from the real world into horror can be a powerful thing, it looks like Akela Cooper didn’t want to join a project about Black trauma just because it was a trend. What’s more, she thinks steps toward positive representation can be made by all filmmakers, simply by letting more Black characters survive horror movies. 

Akela Cooper’s comments help to peel back the curtain on what it’s like for her to work in Hollywood, specifically as a Black screenwriter. She’s had a super successful career doing genre work specifically, including Malignant, Luke Cage, and Star Trek: Strange New Worlds. But she still has meetings about potential projects that are less than ideal.

In that same interview, Akela Cooper addressed how lucky she was to have her job, and having the ability to be unapologetically Black and unapologetically nerdy. But she also hopes that her success opens the doors for others, and she shared: 

That’s an important distinction. Filmmakers should obviously be able to create art that addressed issues related to race, but only if that’s what they want. And for Akela Cooper, that simply hasn’t been on her to-do list just yet. That doesn’t necessarily mean it won’t happen in the future, but the project has to be right.

M3GAN has been a wildly successful hit, and a horror sequel has officially been greenlit. Part of the reason for this box office success was the movie’s PG-13 rating, which allowed a wider audience access to the camp horror flick. Plus that viral trailer and the titular robot’s dance moves.

M3GAN is still in theaters now and making tons of money at the box office. Be sure to check out the 2023 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience. And just like that, the horror renaissance continues into a New Year. 

Of all of Jordan Peele’s movies, Nope seems to be his most divisive with critics and fans alike. While the audience’s initial reactions to the spectacle-focused horror movie were primarily positive, many have sounded off their frustration with the film’s unanswered mysteries. Well, the filmmaker is finally answering some of those lingering questions, including the mystery of the floating shoe. 

The director and his Nope cinematographer, Hoyte Van Hoytema, appeared on the Happy Sad Confused Podcast to talk about a variety of the film’s spoilers. The host, Josh Horowitz, held nothing back by asking the movie maker, “What the hell’s going on with the shoe?” Jordan Peele answered candidly about what that floating shoe meant to him, and revealed an answer to one of the movie's many mysteries. According to the Get Out director, the precarious floating footwear represents a moment for the audience and Steven Yeun’s Jupe to “check out” from his traumatic backstory. The director explained:

The shoe is meant to mirror the unbelievable aspects of the UFO the main protagonists will encounter later in the film. The shoe and the creature from space are forces our characters cannot fathom. They are impossible.  

The shoe also reflects the themes of spectacle, which are present throughout the movie. The podcast hosts aptly asked Peele if the shoe could be considered a “bad miracle,”-- a concept the film’s protagonist, OJ, comes up with during a moment of pondering after the realization that aliens are behind the mysterious things happening at his family’s horse ranch. The filmmaker was ecstatic by the hosts’ connection and agreed with Horowitz’s assessment. Peele added:

Well, there you have it, folks. It seems the mysterious floating shoe in Jordan Peele’s Nope is not merely an impossible shot meant to work as some frustrating J.J. Abrams mystery box but is, in fact, a symbol that works as a skeleton key that unlocks all the movie’s deeper themes and meanings. 

Along with the mysteries of Nope, the interview also touched on everything from Peele's early awareness of cinematography, shooting day for night, whether or not the writer-director reads fan theories, the filmmaker’s love for Akira, and the nod to anime he put in Nope. 

If Nope wasn’t for you on first viewing, perhaps after this great in-depth spoiler talk, you might want to give it a second chance. The sci-fi flick is available to stream with a Peacock subscription. There have also been talks about a potential Nope sequel, so it’s never too late to change your mind about Jordan Peele’s third directorial effort. 

Fans of Nope might also be interested in checking out our full schedule of upcoming horror movies, so, please, stay tuned to CinemaBlend for all your movie news.

It certainly surprised a lot of people when the first directorial effort from Jordan Peele, a man known almost exclusively for comedy, produced one of the best thrillers of the last several years. The movie wasn’t only a box office success, it was an awards season darling, garnering multiple Oscar nominations and even one win. It was something nobody saw coming, except apparently Get Out co-star Allison Williams.

Speaking with EW, Allison Williams reveals that only after reading the script, she told her publicist that she thought Get Out would become an Oscar-nominated film. Even she realizes that was a pretty bold thing to say, calling herself delusional, before the movie had even begun filming, but it’s perhaps fitting, considering the one Oscar that Get Out did win was for screenwriting. Williams explained… 

It sounds like even Allison Williams was a bit surprised that her own prediction came true, and to be fair, while Get Out wasn’t one of those movies that gets nominated for a dozen different awards, it was nominated for four of the biggest, including Best Director, Best Actor, Best Original Screenplay, and Best Picture. It lost two of those to another genre film, Guillermo del Toro's The Shape of Water. In another year Get Out might have been a big winner.

In addition to Jordan Peele being a first time director, the other “strike” against Get Out was that it fit into the thriller/horror genre, which doesn’t often get the recognition it deserves when it comes to awards season. But in the end the movie really was that good and there was just no way it could be overlooked.

Allison Williams has built a solid career for herself within the horror genre. After her turn in Get Out she has appeared in James Wan’s Malignant and she also appears in this weekend’s M3GAN. While there has clearly been something in each of these scripts that appealed to her, she saw something extra special in Get Out. 

There are people whose entire job is to find scripts that are going to be successful, either as box office hits, award winners, or more preferably, both. Perhaps Allison Williams should hire herself out as a script reader. I know a few movie studios that would love to have somebody with her talent on board. 

Auditions can be very nerve-wracking experiences for actors. They can especially be anxiety-ridden when the star is relatively unknown and the movie they are auditioning for is from one of the highest-profile directors. Well, that's precisely the situation Brandon Perea faced when he auditioned for Jordan Peele's latest, Nope. Unless you're a fan of The OA (in which he played French) or the short films Oh, Sorry and Delivery, you may not be familiar with Perea's past work. The young actor is now revealing that not only did he knock out his audition for Peele's movie but that he made the director cry as well.

Brandon Perea recently sat down with The Hollywood Reporter to discuss the Critics Choice rising star award that he will be presented with on November 13th. The discussion soon turned to the actor's breakout performance as Angel Tores in Peele's science-fiction UFO thriller. The actor revealed that Angel was far nicer and less angsty in the original script, but he chose to stand out and played the character with a bit more edge. The actor said:

It's a decision that clearly played off for the actor. We know Perea's audition wowed the director so much that Jordan Peele rewrote the part of Angel. Perea says he was asked to do a callback via Zoom, where he did an improv session with Peele. The actor learned in that callback that he had landed the part, which caused him to cry. The show of emotion must have gotten to the filmmaker because he, too, began to cry. As Perea explained:

Could you imagine having an improv session with one of the creators and stars of Key & Peele, one of the best sketch comedy series of all time, let alone an Oscar-winning director, and making them cry when it's all said and done? This is such a great and heartwarming story, and it's fantastic to see the young actor's career on the rise. While Nope may have received mixed critical reviews and many don't consider it the best of Jordan Peele's movies, it was still a significant success at the box office. It will surely help push Brandon Perea's career on an upward trajectory. I can't wait to see what the actor does next and wish him all the luck in accepting his award!

One of Brandon Perea's upcoming new movie releases is the thriller AMP House, co-written and co-directed by Dame Pierre and Mike Ware. Until then, you can enjoy his performance in Nope when it hits streaming on November 18th. All you need is a Peacock subscription. 

Though it’s his first, many fans agree that Get Out is the best of Jordan Peele’s movies. At the same time, Peele’s career as a director is still young, and it's conceivable he will have better films around the corner. But it’s hard to deny that the man delivered a force of a first movie. The Oscar-winning mystery thriller is not only chock full of social commentary, but it’s also full of nail-bitingly tense moments, making it quite possibly one of the best horror movies of the last ten years. The movie might have been critically well-received, but as it turns out, not everyone loved it or what the film had to say. As a matter of fact, the director says he still gets hate about his directorial debut, and he explains why. 

Peele recently appeared on The Daily Show with Trevor Noah to promote his most recent directorial effort, this year’s Nope, and the upcoming horror podcast Quiet Part Loud, produced by his production company Monkey Paw. The show’s host asked the director if he felt pressure to continuously create the best horror films since Get Out was so well-received and loved by moviegoers. The line of questioning prompted Peele to reveal that some people hate his first movie, and he thinks he knows why; they don’t like the agency his first success gave him. He said: 

Noah dug into this line of thinking a bit deeper. The host asked Peele if he believes what “pisses people off” is the truths about society he exposes in the types of stories he tells, such as his tendency to “weave” themes of race and gender within the fabric of a horror film. The actor-turned-director seemed to agree with the talk show host, joking about Get Out being a documentary before stating that his films try to depict the nature of the real world. Peele also explained Nope, which divided some critics, came from wanting to speak about the danger of spectacle. He continued: 

What makes Jordan Peele so exciting as a director and potentially so divisive is the same thing: his willingness to take big swings while pointing at the uglier sides of human nature. Whether you hate his movies or think they’re the best films ever made, it’s impossible to argue that they aren’t saying something interesting about the human condition. But why take my word for it? Nope hits streaming on November 18th. All you need to make up your own mind is a Peacock subscription. 

The narrative podcast Quiet Part Loud is the next horror project coming from Peele’s production company, Monkey Paw. The Podcast stars Tracy Letts (The Big Short), Arian Moayed (Succession), Christina Hendricks (Mad Men), and Taran Killam (Killing Gunther). The story will focus on a conservative talk show host who has been de-platformed after spreading xenophobic messages to his listeners post-9/11. Peele, who is executive producing, has been quoted as saying, “they’re aiming to make the scariest podcast ever.” 

Podcast and Jordan Peele fans can find out when The Quiet Part Loud drops on Spotify on November 15th. Until then, horror fans might be interested in our list of upcoming horror movies. 

Spoiler Warning: There are some massive Nope spoilers in the following article, so please exercise caution if you have not yet watched Jordan Peele’s alien movie.

There is a good chance that if you go up to anybody who has seen Nope and mutter the word “Gordy,” they’ll put their hands over their mouth or say something to the effect of “Man, that was brutal.” The scene in question, which depicts a chimpanzee snapping and viciously attacking his co-stars on the fictional Gordy’s Home TV sitcom, makes for one of the more unsettling and terrifying sequences in Jordan Peele’s masterful UFO movie. 

As disturbing and horrifying as it was in the 2022 theatrical release, a deleted scene showing the motion-capture actor portraying the enraged primate included with the Nope home release somehow makes the entire spectacle all the more terrifying.

The deleted scene, titled “Terry Attack,” is essentially the same sequence that was shown in the regular movie, but instead of a CGI Gordy going off the rails in a flashback showing how a younger version of Steven Yeun's character experiencing a traumatic event, it features motion-capture actor Terry Notary dressed up like the chimp with fake teeth, a party cap, a bloody sweater, and arm braces that allow him to walk like a primate. 

There is just something unnerving about seeing a talented actor like Terry Notary lose himself in his portrayal of an off-the-hinges chimpanzee, and it adds another layer of terror to the already horrifying display. The Nope deleted scene also does a tremendous job of showing how much of the flashback sequence was shot practically, with the only CGI being that of the Gordy model replacing Notary’s imitation in post-production. 

In the behind-the-scenes documentary titled “Shadows: The Making of Hope,” also included with the Nope home release, Peele suggests that when he was coming up with the scene, which was the first thing he and his crew shot at the start of production, he wanted to find the balance between horror and sympathy for the animal.

Watching the raw footage of Notary lose's depiction of the character, it’s not all that difficult to feel sorry for the chimp, even though he kills one person and disfigures another. This can be attributed to Peele’s argument throughout the movie about the exploitation of the natural world as well as Notary’s incredible performance.

Prior to providing the motion-capture work for Gordy in Nope, Terry Notary worked on some of the biggest movies of the 21st Century, with a list of credits that includes Avatar, the third and fourth Avengers movies (he portrayed Cull Obsidian and Groot’s movements), and the more recent installments in the Planet of the Apes franchise. That being said, it's easy to see how the talent and prolific actor was able to add so much to the scene.

The “Terry Attack” deleted scene and “Shadows: The Making of Nope” making-of documentary are just two outstanding bonus features included with the Nope home release by Universal Pictures Home Entertainment available at retailers like Amazon. The movie is also set to join other new movies streaming when it debuts November 18 on Peacock Premium. 

Jordan Peele has been labeled the king of psychological horror since Get Out was released in 2017. Films like Us and Nope appeared to cement that status. But it’s not one that Peele has been comfortable with. Starting as a comedian on shows like Mad TV and Key & Peele, the director has more to offer the moviegoing public. Being put in the horror box by both fans and critics led to the Get Out director labeling the suggestion a trap.

The celebrated director’s work is held in high regard by critics and fans for their messages, which he found intriguing. Peele mentioned to The Verge that the prestige label wasn’t something he sought as he felt his work was more specific to his perspective rather than nuanced with its social commentary. The Oscar-winning screenwriter vented his frustration about being stuck with the label.

He’s done with the prestige labels. Like any creative, Peele wants to create without any meaning or pressure being heaped upon his work. The filmmaker is just into making weird movies with a personal touch. He rebuffed a fan calling him the best horror director. So not seeing his films as sophisticated horror falls right in line with his previous statements. It makes sense considering his first notable film Keanu was a buddy comedy. He just doesn’t want to be known as just the horror guy.

But this discourse surrounding Peele and the meaning behind his work pops up every time a new film comes out. Nope was no exception to this perception even splitting critics in the process. That movie's leading lady Keke Palmer got to witness these divisive online discussions firsthand. The Lightyear star thought the feedback from others had more to do with their personal feelings than Peele’s movies.

Even Palmer can feel the personal connection between Peele and his films. He already talked about the running theme of orphans in his films as seen in Nope and his recent film Wendell and Wild. So, each film is an extension of Peele rather than being the high-concept horror most critics and moviegoers have labeled.

After scoring his third box office hit with the sci-fi blockbuster, Jordan Peele switched gears with Wendell and Wild, a stop-motion animated film. The film allowed the filmmaker to merge his love of horror with his comedy roots. Viewers get to see schoolgirl Kat Elliott fight to save her town while battling her demons – figuratively and literally.

It is currently unknown what project Jordan Peele has in store next. You can watch Nope through an Amazon Prime Video subscription until his next project is announced. After you stream the sci-fi horror film, go and watch Wendell and Wild with a Netflix subscription.

Wendell & Wild is the latest cinematic offering to be the beneficiary of Jordan Peele's creativity. While the Get Out and Us filmmaker didn't actually helm the movie, his fingerprints can still be felt over it, given his touch as a producer. Henry Selick's stop-motion film is actually quite similar to Peele’s past fare, as it mixes fright and fear with social commentary. But the connection between the Netflix film and Peele's live-action movies goes beyond those things. According to the Oscar-winning director, there is a "running theme" that it shares with his other productions.

The Netflix animated film is a dark but sweet coming-of-age story. The Wendell & Wild cast is stacked, and Lyric Ross plays the lead character, a young teen named Kat. The punk rock-loving protagonist has a rough upbringing, which started with the premature deaths of her parents. During an interview, the Nope director explained how the orphan storyline is a through-line of sorts within his filmography:

It's always interesting to hear the Key & Peele alum share insight like this. It's true that each of one his movies thus far features a main character with no parental influence amid their creepy situation, and that affects their storyline in an adverse way. As Jordan Peele mentioned, his main characters were left to find their own way in the world. That was somewhat true for Us' Addy/Red, played by Lupita Nyong'o (whose research required her to watch 10 horror movies). Just like Kat, Addy faced her demons while doing battle with Red (despite the incredible twist).

In Wendell & Wild, the titular brothers add a bit of horror and comedy to Kat’s “finding-yourself-after-a-tragic-loss” storyline. This is a story that really adds new meaning to the notion of "confronting your demons." Peele further explained to Vanity Fair just how the two characters play into the orphaned schoolgirl's journey and mindset:

What's really great about the film is that it allows the Black female character to be vulnerable while she attempts to combat her childhood trauma. It tackles everything head-on without playing into the “strong Black female” trope. It's impressive that Jordan Peele is able to tell such diverse stories while still managing to create a seamless sense of creative continuity through his productions, thanks to their themes.

Of course, the animated film comes on the heels of the blockbuster success of Jordan Peele’s Nope. His next directorial effort is unknown, but Peele has been teasing a potential sequel to his latest. In the meantime, check out Wendell & Wild using a Netflix subscription and see how it compares to Peele's other his movie and TV projects.

There have been a lot of great stop-motion movies released over the years like Coraline, James and the Giant Peach, and The Nightmare Before Christmas, to name only a few. Henry Selick, the director of those three movies, and several others, has a new animated film called Wendell & Wild that is now streaming on Netflix. The new animated movie looks, feels, and sounds a whole lot like his previous works thanks in part to its story, animation style, and the talented voice cast. Speaking of which…

If you have watched the movie, or at least plan on checking it out, there’s a good chance you are wondering where you’ve seen and heard the Wendell & Wild cast before. Well, no need to go digging through graves or summoning demons, because we have a breakdown of the stars and some of their biggest on-screen accomplishments prior to appearing in what looks like one of the most unique 2022 movies…

Keegan-Michael Key (Wendell)

Before we dive into Kat Elliot and the actress who is bringing the magically-inclined 13-year-old to life, let’s first talk about the two titular characters featured prominently in the film's trailer. The first of those characters, Wendell, is voiced by Keegan-Michael Key, one half of the team behind the Comedy Central sketch series Key & Peele.

Key has a great deal of experience as a voice actor that he brings to the Wendell & Wild cast, including multiple appearances in the Hotel Transylvania movies, roles in Disney productions like Toy Story 4, The Lion King (the 2019 remake), Pinocchio, and Chip ’n Dale: Rescue Rangers, to name only a few. He’s also no stranger to Netflix movies as he appeared in Dolemite Is My Name, Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey, The Prom, and The Bubble in the past few years.

Jordan Peele (Wild)

Also voicing a prominent role is Jordan Peele, who made a name for himself in the comedy world with his longtime creative partner Keegan-Michael Key on sketch programs like Mad TV and then Key & Peele, among others. In the new movie, Peele provides the voice of Wild, the second demon brother who tries to make a deal with the film’s young heroine.

Though he has cut back on acting gigs the past few years to pursue behind-the-scenes roles with his incredible horror movies like the Academy Award-winning Get Out, Us, and Nope, Peele has a great number of live-action and voice performances to his name. There are titles like Keanu (which he co-wrote), Storks, Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie, and shows like Bob’s Burgers, Big Mouth, and Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp, to name just a few.

Lyric Ross (Kat Elliot)

Providing the voice for Kat Elliot, the precocious 13-year-old girl at the center of Wendell & Wild’s story, is Lyric Ross, who has been a part of some of the biggest shows on broadcast TV the past few years, with more on the way.

Prior to landing a starring role in the new Netflix animated feature, Ross was cast as Deja Pearson on the long-running NBC drama series, This Is Us, first as a recurring character and then as one of the main figures in the final few seasons. Ross also appeared on Chicago Fire and Sirens in the years leading up to her first steady job. She is next to set to appear on Ironheart, though her exact role on the upcoming Marvel series has yet to be revealed

Angela Bassett (Sister Helley)

Taking on the role of Sister Helley, one of nuns at Kat’s school, is none other than Golden Globe winner Angela Bassett, who is no stranger to the world of voice-acting.

The list of Bassett’s best movies includes What’s Love Got to Do with It, Waiting to Exhale, Black Panther, Mission: Impossible — Fallout, and many, many more. In addition to all of those live-action roles, Bassett has lent her voice to a number of animated film projects over the past few decades, including the 2020 Pixar movie, Soul, Meet the Robinsons, Curious George 3: Back to the Jungle, and Our Friend, Martin. She’s also participated in animated TV series like BoJack Horseman, The Simpsons, and What If…?, in which she reprised the role of Ramonda, the Queen Mother of Wakanda. She’ll once again take on the role in the upcoming Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.

James Hong (Father Bests)

The legendary James Hong shows up in Wendell & Wild as Father Bests, the priest at Kat’s school who is equally devoted to his students and keeping the institution up and running.

Throughout his career, which goes back to the mid-1950s, Hong has appeared in hundreds of films ranging from cult classics like Big Trouble in Little China and Blade Runner, to animated projects like Mulan, Jackie Chan Adventures, and the Kung Fu Panda movies and TV spin-offs. In the past few years, Hong has popped up in titles like Everything Everywhere All At Once, Turning Red, Star Wars: Visions, and much, much more.

Ving Rhames (Buffalo Belzer)

Ving Rhames, the voice of Arby’s who's been in dozens upon dozens of iconic movies, joins the cast as Buffalo Belzer, a prominent figure in the movie’s underworld.

Throughout his career, Rhames has been a staple of the Mission: Impossible film franchise, given commanding performances in movies like Pulp Fiction, Con-Air, Bringing out the Dead, Dave, and Don King: Only in America, which earned him a Golden Globe in 1998. Like much of the Wendell & Wild cast, Rhames has a great deal of experience in the realm of animation, with voice roles in Lilo & Stitch, The Proud Family, The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius, and several others.

Sam Zelaya (Raúl)

And then there is Sam Zelaya, who takes on the role of Raúl, an outcast at Kat’s school. Prior to landing a role in the new movie, Zelaya’s only acting credit was in the 2022 soap opera short film, Poppets.

This is just the main portion of the Wendell & Wild cast, as there are all sort of surprises that await in the stop-motion animation movie. 

When it comes to modern moviemakers, one who's talked about a lot is Jordan Peele. While there have been some amazing directors who are legendary for so many reasons, such as Steven Spielberg or Martin Scorsese, Jordan Peele is slowly working his way up there as one of the best directors in Hollywood right now.

However, Peele has done plenty more than just directing. From acting to writing to producing, it seems Jordan Peele has done it all. With several films and TV shows under his belt, both old and new, I dedicated this list to him to talk about where you can stream some of the best Jordan Peele movies and TV shows, from his sketch show, Key and Peele, to his horror flicks, like Get Out.

Mad TV (2003 – 2008)

If you wanted to see the beginnings of Jordan Peel’s sketch comedy career, look no further than Mad TV. This late-night sketch comedy series, which ran for several seasons until 2016, was based on the humor of Mad Magazine, featuring fake commercials, mock movie trailers, impersonations and so much more.

From 2003-2008, Jordan Peele was a part of the cast of Mad TV, where we got to see the origins of his comedic skills, despite leaving the show on bad terms. Mad TV always competed against Saturday Night Live, but the cast and audience were more diverse than the older series. Plus, Jordan Peele in Mad TV is a sight to behold, and it’s always fun to think of how far he’s come. 

Rent/Buy Mad TV on Amazon.

Key and Peele (2012 – 2015)

I can’t have a Jordan Peele list without mentioning this great show. Key and Peele was a sketch comedy series that was created by Jordan Peele and actor Keegan-Michael Key. For years, they created some hysterical sketches and became household names for their comedy.

Key and Peele is iconic for a reason. Their sketches are absolutely hilarious and Key and Peele’s chemistry worked so well. It’s no wonder the show was so successful during its run. I hope one day Keegan-Michael Key appears in one of Peele’s new horror films – I’d love to see these two collaborate again.

Stream Key and Peele on Hulu.
Rent Key and Peele on Amazon.

Toy Story 4 (2019)

You just have to love those Pixar films, and Toy Story 4 is a great addition to them. In Toy Story 4, we see the continuation of Andy’s beloved toys, now in Bonnie’s possession, as they're taken on a crazy road trip that results in them meeting old faces, exploring new places, and more.

Jordan Peele plays Bunny in this film, a stuffed bunny at a carnival, and guess what? Keegan-Michael Key reunites with him to play Ducky, a stuffed duckling, at the carnival as well. Not only are their characters hilarious, but you get that same funny energy from the two of them that only Key and Peele could bring. All of the Toy Story films are great, but I especially love the fourth. And now with Toy Story 5 confirmed, we just might see these two again.

Stream Toy Story 4 on Disney+.
Rent Toy Story 4 on Amazon.

Get Out (2017) (Director, Writer, Producer)

The first feature film that Jordan Peele ever directed was Get Out, and boy did he deliver. Get Out follows the story of Chris and Rose, a young couple who go to meet her parents for the first time. But, when Chris arrives at her family’s cabin, strange things start to happen that make him want to get out.

The film was nominated for several awards for a reason, including a win for Peele at the Academy Awards for Best Screenwriting. The story is full of interesting plot twists, amazing acting, and some really cool deeper subjects that you don’t always get in a scary film. Get Out is a great horror flick with so many cool behind-the-scenes facts, and deserves all the praise that it’s gotten, and Peele, who directed, wrote, and produced the film, did a fantastic job. If you haven’t seen Get Out, do yourself a favor and watch it now. It’s honestly one of the best Blumhouse horror films, and something that everyone needs to see.

Stream Get Out on Amazon Prime.
Rent/Buy Get Out on Amazon.

Us (2019) (Director, Writer, Producer)

The second film that Jordan Peele has directed thus far is Us, starring Lupita Nyong’o and Winston Duke. In Us, the Wilson family decides to go away for a nice vacation at a family cabin. Soon, their break away is interrupted when doppelganger versions of themselves appear and try to murder them.

Peele hit it out of the park again with Us, creating an amazingly brilliant horror film with a great story and amazing themes. Lupita Nyong’o was spectacular as Adelaide Wilson, starring as two different versions of herself, and the rest of the Us cast rocked it as well. It’s certainly one of the best free movies to watch right now.

Stream Us on Tubi.
Rent/Buy Us on Amazon.

BlacKkKlansman (2018) (Producer)

Jordan Peele didn’t direct or write this film, but he did produce BlacKkKlansman. In this Spike Lee-directed film, we follow the true story of the first African-American detective in the Colorado Springs police department, who sets out to infiltrate and expose the local Ku Klux Klan chapter.

The cast of BlackKkKlansman is to die for, with actors like Adam Driver, John David Washington, and more leading the charge with their amazing talents. The story itself is very interesting, with plenty of twists and turns, so much so you sometimes forget this is based on a true story.

Rent/Buy BlacKkKlansman on Amazon.

Keanu (2016) (Writer and Producer)

Keanu is a brilliant example of what happens when Jordan Peele and Keegan-Michael Key come together to write and produce. In Keanu, we follow the tale of two cousins who infiltrate a street gang in order to retrieve their stolen kitten, Keanu.

It’s as silly as you would expect it to be. Buddy action films are always fun, but when it’s these two, I feel like the fun levels go up extremely. You get to see them work together again and show off their great comedic timing, while also enjoying a hysterical film. Plus, you get to see a little kitten throughout Keanu. It’s a win-win situation.

Rent/Buy Keanu on Amazon.

Candyman (2021) (Writer And Producer) 

2021’s Candyman was a great addition to Jordan Peele’s resume. A sequel to the 1992 film of the same name, this movie instead follows a painter who wishes to find out the secrets of the legendary “Candyman,” but in doing so, he ends up finding way more than he ever asked for and it costs him more than he ever thought it would. 

Personally, I actually really liked this sequel way more than the original, and I have a feeling it's because Jordan Peele both wrote the story and produced the film. You can tell how much love was put into it in an effort to make a truly satisfying sequel, and the story is just fantastic. Also, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II is truly astounding in the lead role. I could watch him in horror movies over and over again. 

Stream Candyman on FreeVee (via Amazon).
Rent Candyman on Amazon.

Nope (2022) (Director, Writer, Producer)

Nope (2022) (Director, Writer, Producer)

Nope debuted in 2022 to stellar reviews from critics. In this film, a brother and sister start to notice strange happenings in their small town, and decide to take it upon themselves to figure out what’s going on – with the help of some friends. 

With a stellar Nope cast featuring Keke Palmer, Daniel Kaluuya, Steven Yeun and more, Nope was a fantastic addition to Peele’s horror resume. Could we possibly get a Nope sequel? Only time will tell. 

Stream Nope on Peacock.
Buy/Rent Nope on Amazon.

Honk For Jesus, Save Your Soul (2022) (Executive Producer)

Peele didn’t direct or write this film, but he did bring his producing skills to the comedy, Honk For Jesus, Save Your Soul. In the movie, starring Regina Hall and This Is Us cast member Sterling K. Brown, we follow a pastor and his wife as they try to rebuild their church following a scandal that rocks their world. 

The film itself is full of funny moments and you just can’t help but admire the chemistry between Hall and Brown. But from the moment you watch the film, you can tell that Peele had some influence, as the comedy style is very much like his. 

Stream Honk For Jesus, Save Your Soul on Starz.
Rent/Buy Honk For Jesus, Save Your Soul on Amazon.

Wendell & Wild (2022) (Writer, Producer) 

We have the latest stop motion film to grace our television screens, Wendell & Wild. Directed by Henry Selick but co-written with Peele, this film tells the story of two demon brothers who are trying to get to the Land of the Living. And, in order to do so, they enlist the help of a thirteen-year-old-girl. 

I’ll give you two reasons to watch this film. First, it’s coming from the same man who directed Coraline, one of the best stop motion films ever. Secondly, it’s co-written by Peele, as mentioned before, but the biggest reason is that Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele are co-starring in it! It’s the return of Key & Peele! It really is one of the best stop-motion films in a long time, and one of the best animated films of 2022, as well as the brilliant Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio.

Stream Wendell & Wild on Netflix.

Monkey Man (2024) (Producer) (Coming Soon)

While Peele is still working on his fourth film as director, he has stepped into the producer's chair once again to produce Monkey Man, directed by Dev Patel. The new film follows a young man working at an underground fight club who decides to get revenge on a group of leaders – the same people who caused his mother’s death. 

Monkey Man so far has received tons of praise, with Dev Patel receiving a standing ovation at 2024’s SXSW, so it’s clear Peele’s magic has struck true again with his involvement in this movie as producer. Peele even spoke highly of the director at SXSW, saying that Patel put his “soul, energy, mind” and body into making the film:

“No one has put their soul, energy, mind, body into a film than this man. And he has done it for us to enjoy this film.”

It’s coming to theaters soon as part of the 2024 movie schedule, so be sure to check it out once it releases on April 5, 2024. 

These last few years have been crazy for Peele, so I'm eager to see what he is going to do next. His next film is confirmed with no set release date, but Peele has opened up about it and says that it could be his “favorite movie if done right.” 

We’ll be keeping an eye out for any news on his next big film. You can bet that as he releases more stuff, I am going to recommend you watch it all. He just doesn’t miss. 

If you’re looking for movies to watch this upcoming Halloween, Jordan Peele may fulfill your wish. We already know that when Jordan Peele made the spooky film Us, he was inspired by his own fear of doppelgängers. However, the Oscar-winning filmmaker had other sources of inspiration. Us star Lupita Nyong’o shared what movies she was asked by Peele to watch to prepare for her role, and now our Halloween watchlist is complete. 

Every horror movie director needs the inspiration to draw on, and why not allow yourself to be inspired by the best horror movie classics? Lupita Nyong’o, who played a woman named Adelaide on vacation with her family, only to be confronted by doppelgängers, shared on Instagram a video of the 10 films Jordan Peele told her to watch to prepare for the role. 

The first movie Nyong'o mentioned was Alfred Hitchcock’s The Birds, which is about a woman who, after buying a pair of lovebirds for a lawyer she meets, sets terror in motion when a bunch of crows in a nice town goes berserk. In an interview with E! News, Peele said he was inspired by The Birds because of the idea of terror happening in an ordinary area, just like how Adelaide and her family didn’t expect trouble to happen while vacationing at the Santa Cruz Boardwalk.

The second film Nyong’o shared was The Shining, the tale of an author who becomes the caretaker of the Overlook Hotel and descends into madness. As Adelaide’s doppelgänger looks directly at the camera as we see how far her insanity has risen, Jack Nicholson’s character does the same thing to make audiences uncomfortable. A brilliant detail you might have missed in Us was that the twin daughters of Adelaide’s friend are positioned together the same way that the creepy Grady sisters were in the Stephen King adaptation, as well as Adelaide’s husband Gabe using a baseball bat as a weapon the way Shelley Duvall’s character did in The Shining.

Another film the Black Panther actress mentioned was Dead Again, which is about a private investigator trying to solve the mystery of an amnesia-stricken woman who shows up on the doorsteps of an orphanage. Traces of this mystery thriller can be found in Us, in that Adelaide has a mysterious past that ends up having to do with the appearance of the doppelgängers. A fourth horror film mentioned that was once nominated for Best Picture like Jordan Peele’s Get Out was The Sixth Sense. While The Sixth Sense and Us give us an eerie vibe in scenes when a little boy sees disturbing spirits, I’m sure that movie helped inspire Peele to come up with Us’s twisted ending.

The Kenyan-Mexican actress also saw A Tale of Two Sisters, which has a shocking ending of its own with a series of ghoulish occurrences. Funny Games is a no-brainer that it would inspire Us, especially the scene when the family is taken hostage by the doppelgängers in their home, just like in Funny Games when two golfers broke into a family’s vacation home to make them play a series of sadistic games for no apparent reason. Now we can understand where Us got its terror from. Lupita Nyong’o’s raspy voice in the scene was the icing on the cake of that terror.

Let the Right One In makes Twilight look like a kid's movie with its story about a human falling for a vampire always on the hunt for blood. This Swedish film and Us both have in common how far people will go to build a genuine connection like how Adelaide and her terrifying lookalike have a connection whether they like it or not.

Pascal Laugier's Martyrs aimed to push the envelope with intense reactions just like Us did. No wonder it was scarier than Peele’s Get Out. It Follows allowed writer/director David Robert Mitchell’s imagination to run wild of a woman followed by a dark entity after a sexual encounter, just like how Adelaide was followed by her doppelgänger at every turn. Last, but certainly not least, The Babadook offered audiences a relatable experience in a horror-stricken world about a woman’s grief taking the form of a nightmarish figure in its attempts to consume her. Jordan Peele wanted audiences to have a relatable experience watching Us in seeing the evil inside of you instead of pointing the finger at someone else.

It’s no wonder that Lupita Nyong’o was freaked out filming Us, as well as audiences being freaked out by her. These movies are likely to stop anyone from going to sleep. Her performance playing both Adelaide and her doppelgänger would be on my list of Oscar snubs of that year. Now we all have a Halloween watchlist to keep us occupied this month. Feel free to watch Jordan Peele’s movies and TV shows on your streaming platforms as well to find those classic horror movie Easter eggs.

There are a number of parallels that can be seen when comparing Jordan Peele's Nope and Steven Spielberg's Jaws, and that very much includes the fact that both movies change the way that audiences look at the world around them. The beloved 1975 summer blockbuster forever altered the way that we see the ocean, and Peele's 2022 hit has people a bit more wary about strange cloud formations. Case in point: when Midnight Mass creator Mike Flanagan spotted a lone puff of vapor in the sky this morning, he immediately thought of the Get Out/Us filmmaker and tagged him on social media.

You can check out the pair of photos that Flanagan posted on Twitter below, and you'll immediately understand why his brain immediately clicked to the latest Jordan Peele movie:

In Nope, brother and sister OJ and Emerald Haywood (Daniel Kaluuya, Keke Palmer) find their family ranch terrorized by an extraterrestrial presence, and this alien has a rather clever method of camouflage: it creates a tiny little cloud in the sky and sits within it until it is ready for its next meal (be it horse or human). It looks wholly innocuous... until all the clouds around it drift away and it stays in exactly the same place. When you see that, it's eerie as hell.

Mike Flanagan's photos are most definitely reminiscent of what's featured in Jordan Peele's horror movie. While I'm sure that there is a natural phenomena that would explain why a little cloud would be sitting all by its lonesome in the sky like this one, fresh memories of Nope instantly earmark it as disturbing and creepy, and I'm hoping that the Doctor Sleep writer/director took proper precautions after snapping his pics. 

Following its successful run on the big screen this summer (where it earned $169.1 million worldwide), Nope is now making its way to the home video market. It is currently available for digital rental at outlets including Amazon Prime Video, Vudu, and Google Play. For all of you physical media collectors out there, the 4K, Blu-ray, and DVD copies of the film will be available in stores just in time for Halloween on October 25.

Nope is one of the best Jordan Peele movies yet, and it's possible that the filmmaker isn't quite done with the world, as he has been asked about the idea of an extended cut and also teased the idea of a sequel involving a cut character. We'll have to wait and see what the future holds, and hopefully it won't be too long until Peele has a new entry to feature in our Upcoming Horror Movies guide.

Mike Flanagan's latest work, the upcoming Netflix series The Midnight Club, will be available to stream starting October 7.

This Halloween’s festivities are afoot with 2022's Universal Horror Nights recently kicking off, but unless you are local with allegiance to Los Angeles and Orlando, there’s an ever-present question about which one of the two U.S. theme parks is the best place to enjoy all the scares each year. While there seems to be an inherent skew in favor of Universal Orlando’s Halloween Horror Nights being the best of the two, especially since the Florida location has more houses and scare zones, Hollywood has numerous unique attractions that perhaps makes it go chainsaw to chainsaw with Orlando this year in particular.  

I’ll have you decide where you go, but as a regular of Team Hollywood, I found there to be a few extra reasons why the West Coast could be the way to go this season. Let’s get into it: 

The Jordan Peele-Inspired Terror Tram

First off, coinciding with the release of Jordan Peele’s Nope this summer, a portion of the actual Nope set, Jupiter’s Claim, arrived to Universal Studios’ backlot in July. Along with Jupiter’s Claim being a new addition to the Studio Tour whether it’s spooky season or not, the location is an integral part of the seasonal Terror Tram attraction in 2022, which is only available at Hollywood’s Horror Nights. 

If you’re a horror fan these days, chances are you’re also a Jordan Peele fan. Although I was a tad bummed to learn the entire Terror Tram experience doesn’t completely take after his filmography as I went through it, the attraction always makes for an intriguing trip through the studio backlot, also involving the set of Psycho, and this year was no exception. It features the return of Hollywood Harry and a dive into Peele’s world of the Tethered from Us as guests go through Jupiter’s Claim. Though I’ll admit the scare experience isn’t necessarily cohesive, especially in contrast to last year’s Terror Tram themed after The Purge, the Jordan Peele mashup was a fun addition to the journey I most certainly would have missed at Orlando. 

The Death Eaters Scare Zone At Hogwarts

In years past, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter was a safe haven during Horror Nights to get away from all the scary monsters and such in the rest of the park for a little while. But in 2022, Universal Hollywood added something called the “Death Eaters Encounter” within this section of the park. What that means is there are Death Eater scarers lurking around as you go through Hogsmeade for some Butterbeer and such. With them, a lot of green smoke and general eeriness. They previously appeared in Universal’s Islands Of Adventure park, which is separate from the park that hosts Horror Nights in Florida. 

The Death Eaters Encounter is just that, an encounter. Walking through, you’ll likely be approached by one of Lord Voldemort’s followers, wearing masks and waving their wands in an effort to catch you off guard and remind you that the Wizarding World has plenty of darkness to it. The addition to Hollywood isn’t major, but I think it signals the added potential of the West Coast Horror Nights finding different ways to draw out scares in ways Orlando doesn’t. Here’s hoping Voldemort himself shows up next year! 

There’s A Full The Weeknd: After Hours Nightmare Bar

In my ranking of all the 2022 Hollywood Horror Nights houses, I named The Weeknd’s After Hours Nightmare house the most inspired attraction of this season. The house is available at both Hollywood and Orlando parks, but a bar inspired by the house is only happening in Hollywood. The bar is situated next to the Jurassic World attractions on the Lower Lot of Universal Studios Hollywood, not too far from the actual After Hours attraction.

The exclusive addition to Hollywood is a moody location that furthers the vision of The Weeknd’s haunted house at the theme park this year, and the menu is pretty noteworthy as well. There are four different The Weeknd-inspired cocktails, Pizza Fries and your choice of three different kinds of seasoned fried: Bleu Cheese Buffalo, BBQ and Truffle Parmesan & Black Garlic. 

The cocktails include “After Hours Nightmare,” which comes with a grenadine-filled syringe and a tequila-based drink with peach, lime and raspberry flavors. Then there’s the “Blinding Lights” with lighted ice cubes (of course) along with vodka, sour apple liqueur, lime juice and club soda. The other two are “Out of Time,” a rum-based blue cocktail and “Save Your Fears,” which has vodka, grapefruit, lime juice and a tajin rim. If you need to fuel up with munchies and some liquid courage, the limited time bar at Universal Hollywood will make you feel fancy and on theme. 

Particularly Great Original Houses 

The above are really just cherries on top to the big awesome Universal Hollywood Halloween Horror Nights attractions to check out this year. Yes, it’s their original houses. Overall, there are four original houses that are not in Orlando in Hollywood, but three of them really stuck out to me. 

First off, Hollywood has one based off the cult classic Killer Klowns From Outer Space returns after its debut in 2019. It’s Hollywood’s most lighthearted (yet still very creepy) house. On Orlando’s side, the closest to its tone is their original Bugs Eaten Alive, which is on the bottom of CinemaBlend’s own ranking of Orlando’s 2022 Horror Nights houses. Beyond Killer Klowns, I was especially scared by La Llorona: The Weeping Woman and Scarecrow: The Reaping. Those two houses were incredibly scary and cleverly put together, and no, you can’t walk through them in Orlando’s park. 

Every year it’s been obvious that Orlando is the better option for Horror Nights, if not for the sheer amount of more things the park offers during spooky season. But now more than ever, Hollywood is showing that it can contend next to the bigger park and really put on a great event for scary season. Between the exclusive Terror Tram, the use of the Wizarding World, a full bar based on The Weeknd attraction and especially spooky mazes, the West Coast is on its way to move up the ranks. You can get your tickets for Universal Hollywood Horror Nights now, which runs until October 31.