Jordan Peele is back with his latest thriller Nope, which topped weekend box office sales when it opened in theaters.
Universal’s suspenseful horror film grossed a total of $44 million, according to Deadline.
Thor: Love And Thunder was consequently relegated to second place at the box office, while Minions: The Rise Of Gru fell close behind but still stayed in the top three.
Number one: Nope was number one in box office sales for its opening weekend with $44 million
While $44 million may not seem like a whopping number, according to Variety, it’s the highest opening box office sale for an original film since Jordan’s previous hit Us (2019).
The filmmaker is also behind Get Out (2017), which grossed approximately $255 million worldwide on a budget of just $4.5 million.
Us had a slightly higher budget of $20 million and, interestingly, also grossed a similar total of $255 million in theaters worldwide.
With Nope focusing on the extraterrestrials, the budget for creating hypnotic UFOs and supernatural contacts increased a bit to $68 million.
Original Story: The plot follows two siblings who run a horse ranch and discover a new life form in the skies
The sci-fi thriller focuses on two siblings who run a horse ranch on the edge of the California desert and, according to an official synopsis, “are witnesses to an eerie and terrifying discovery.”
In addition to Jordan jumping behind the camera, the cast includes Keke Palmer, Get Out Star, Daniel Kaluuya, The Walking Dead’s Steven Yeun and Brandon Perea.
In an interview with Today, Jordan spoke about working with Daniel again on Nope, having previously worked with him playing the lead in Get Out.
Thriller: Jordan Peele directed Nope and also worked behind the camera for previous hits like Get Out (2017) and Us (2019)
Starring: Daniel Kaluuya plays one of the main roles in the film and has previously worked with Jordan as the lead in Get Out
“I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, he’s my favorite actor to watch and work with,” said the talented director. “He’s just so dedicated, you know, so focused, such a pro. This is my star.”
The actor-comedian also opened up about the film itself. “All my films are about human nature and something that I fear is part of our DNA and scares me,” he added.
Although Nope received a CinemaScore of B, the film is still aiming for a big hit.
Jim Orr, Universal’s president of domestic sales, said he was more than pleased with this weekend’s sales, according to Variety.
“We’re thrilled with the results this weekend,” he said. “Jordan Peele is an incredible talent. His films are complex, thought provoking and incredibly entertaining.’
The man behind the camera: Director Jordan Peele looked dapper at the premiere of Nope in Hollywood in early July
Amazing cast: Former Walking Dead star Steven Yeun also got a big role in the latest thriller
According to The Numbers, Thor: Love And Thunder ranks second, making $22 million and causing a 53% drop.
Minions: The Rise Of Gru has also held a steady place in the top three since debuting in theaters over the weekend of July 4th. The animation is also from Universal and grossed $17 million, down 34%.
Where The Crawdads Sing dropped to number four, Top Gun: Maverick is still in the top five just below.
Still on top Since the film debuted on the 4th of July bank holiday weekend, Minions: The Rise Of Gru has held the third spot in box office sales this weekend
Number two: Disney’s Thor: Love And Thunder has a second spot in box office sales after being number one last weekend