Jordan Peele’s Nope Is Getting The Same Reaction From Everyone
David Ramirez
Updated on March 10, 2026
Jordan Peele is back but does Nope hold up?
By Michileen Martin| Published
Initially best known as one half of the hilarious comedy duo that brought us Key and Peele, Jordan Peele no doubt surprised a lot of people when he wound up becoming one of the most universally praised horror directors in cinema. He won a Best Original Screenplay Oscar for his directorial debut, 2017’s Get Out, and likewise had critics raving over 2019’s Us. But can he possibly keep up that momentum? With Jordan Peele’s Nope finally here, could it possibly be as good as his previous films? He’s got to make a stinker eventually, right?
Maybe he will make a bad movie one of these days, but according to everyone who’s seen early screenings of Jordan Peele’s Nope, that isn’t today. Nope doesn’t have a Rotten Tomatoes score yet, but the critics are making their thoughts known on social media and if 2018 is any judge, Peele should get himself ready for some more Oscar noms. Reviewers are losing their minds over Nope. Below, you can find some examples.
#NopeMovie is otherworldly yet indescribable. From instances of sheer terror to heartfelt moments btwn the characters, #Nope is an experience that won't be easy to shake off as you find yourself picking your jaw up from the floor. Jordan Peele has done it again! @nopemovie
— Shannon McGrew 🎃🍭 @ Screaming Into the Void (@shannon_mcgrew) July 19, 2022
Nope is nothing like what you’d expect. An entertaining head-scratcher, equal parts confusing and terrifying and, like most of the films by @JordanPeele, offers layers you likely won’t peel back in one sitting. (CONT’D) #NopeMovie
— Chris Killian (@chriskillian) July 19, 2022
#NopeMovie is a resounding YES. See it on the biggest screen you can find. A thrilling and strange spectacle unlike anything else out there. I'll never look at the sky the same way again.
— Nigel Smith (@nigelmfs) July 19, 2022
Many of the reviewers seem to agree that Jordan Peele’s Nope is a breed apart from his previous work. Rather than comparing it to Get Out or Us, critics see it as being heavily inspired by a director who may not be the first name you think of when you think of horror — Steven Spielberg. In particular they point to Spielberg’s early classics like 1975’s Jaws and 1977’s Close Encounters of the Third Kind. You can see some of that insight below,.
With #Nope, Jordan Peele continues his brilliant run crafting detailed, layered, and fascinating horror films, and it's a blast. It's a summer spectacle about spectacle, and while there are many flavors mixed in, it's particularly an excellent tribute to Jaws. Peele is 3-for-3.
— Eric Eisenberg (@eeisenberg) July 19, 2022
So #NopeMovie is absolutely phenomenal in so many ways. Perfectly blends together a sci-fi spectacle w/a story that is also something of a Hollywood reckoning & it blew my expectations away. Gorgeously shot, the sound mix is thunderous & the cast all shines. Love love loved it.
— Heather Wixson (@MMEFXBook is available now!) (@thehorrorchick) July 19, 2022
Jordan Peele’s Nope is his most confident, unfettered, and potentially most divisive vision yet. Swapping the exclamation marks of horror for the question marks of sci-fi, this is less about scares. With hints of Close Encounters, Jaws, and more, #NopeMovie is a real puzzlebox.
— Simon Thompson (@ShowbizSimon) July 19, 2022
The most important thing you need to know about NOPE is it’s crazy different from Get Out & Us. This is Jordan Peele spreading his wings and making big budget Spielberg/esque sci-fi, but with the subtext you’d expect. Enter with an open mind and you’ll be rewarded. #NopeMovie
— Kevin Polowy (@djkevlar) July 19, 2022
Nor is the cast forgotten. Critics lucky enough to see Jordan Peele’s Nope earlier than the rest of us are heaping tons of praise on Keke Palmer and Steven Yeun especially. You can see examples of that below.
#NOPEMovie isn't what you expect and the trailer doesn't give it justice.
Jordan Peele does the unimaginable — again.
RUN, DON'T WALK TO SEE IT THIS WEEKEND.
E-X-C-E-L-L-E-N-T-!
GIVE KEKE PALMER ALL THE AWARDS CONSIDERATION THIS YEAR.
— Ernest Owens (@MrErnestOwens) July 19, 2022
#NopeMovie was a refreshing, original movie that I'm eager to see again – hopefully in a theater, since it looks and sounds great on the big screen. Real fun sense of discovery to it. Steven Yeun's character's backstory was very unsettling and scary. Acting fantastic all around.
— Dead Meat (@deadmeatjames) July 19, 2022
I’ve seen #NopeMovie
I LOVE this amazing cast! It’s Jordan Peele’s biggest spectacle yet. Keke Palmer & Daniel Kaluuya are pitch perfect as a sibling duo, Yeun glows on screen & Perea is a DELIGHT! #NOPE
— POC Culture (@POCculture) July 19, 2022
Jordan Peele’s #Nope is one of the best films I’ve watched this year! It’s frightening & ferocious, but also very funny & unlike any UFO movie you’ve ever seen. It is a wholly unique & VERY entertaining horror epic full of wild surprises & an unforgettable Keke Palmer performance
— Erik Davis (@ErikDavis) July 19, 2022
And in case you think it’s just the reviewers who are going nuts over it, Jordan Peele’s colleagues in comedy are loving Nope too. Funny man Bobby Lee tweeted that the film is a “f—ing masterpiece,” along with giving us a shot of comedian Bill Burr at the premiere right after Lee allegedly abused him with popcorn. You can see that tweet below.
For months, Jordan Peele remained incredibly tight-lipped about Nope, with most teasers and movie posters only hinting at the story. The first poster showed only an unnatural looking cloud in a dark sky with flags trailing out of the bottom. The first teaser did little more than show actors like Palmer and Yeun looking dumbfounded at the sky, without showing what they were looking at. Now we know that the film’s leads Daniel Kaluuya and Keke Palmer star as siblings OJ and Emerald Haywood who recruit Angel Torres (Brandon Perea) and Antlers Holst (Michael Wincott) to help them get evidence of the UFO that killed their father (Keith David).
Jordan Peele’s Nope releases in theaters for the rest of us this Friday, July 22. Written and directed by Jordan Peele; the film stars Daniel Kaluuya, Keke Palmer, Steven Yeun, Brandon Perea, Michael Wincott, Wrenn Schmidt, Keith David, Donna Mills, Barbie Ferreira, and more.
