Across his three feature films, Get Out, Us, and Nope, Jordan Peele has established himself as one of the most innovative and exciting filmmakers in the business. He’s one of the few filmmakers whose name recognition alone is enough to sell an audience on a movie (as the team behind the upcoming football horror flick Him is undoubtedly hoping). While he has been very active in helping other filmmakers bring their visions to the screen, his own projects tend to take a while.
That’s why the recent news that Universal pulled his upcoming film from their 2026 release calendar is so concerning. Originally scheduled for a December 2024 release, before being moved to October 2026, the as-yet-untitled movie was delayed by two years, and no new release date has been announced. Could Peele’s next film be going the way of so many other canceled projects before it?
Why It’s (Probably) Not Time To Panic
Jordan Peele Should Take His Time With His Next Film
Universal Pictures
Concern over the fate of Peele’s next film isn’t exactly unfounded. Although it may seem like it’s still early in development, studios have certainly not been shy about canceling projects in the past. Universal’s rival, Warner Bros. Discovery, shelved mostly completed films like Batgirl and Coyote vs. Acme, preferring to take the tax write-off rather than box office returns (though thankfully, it seems that Coyote will see the light of day). The movie industry is in a weird place right now, as risk-averse studios don’t want to gamble on anything less than a sure bet.
However, Peele is a filmmaker who still has a great deal of name recognition, and anticipation for his next work never dies down among horror fans. All three of his previous films (all distributed by Universal) made sizable returns on their relatively modest budgets, so Peele has hopefully earned some goodwill from the studio. He’s also proven that he’s not the type to rush the process or crank out a film every year: two years elapsed between Get Out and Us, and another three until Nope was released. While part of the delay was beyond Peele’s or Universal’s control (the 2023 SAG-AFTRA and WGA strikes played a role), it’s possible that all involved want to ensure they take the time to make the best film possible, particularly given the significant anticipation surrounding it. According to a report from World of Reel:
This isn’t the first time Peele’s plans have shifted. He was once targeting December 25, 2024, before scrapping that project in favor of something new. Now, word is that even this second idea might have been tossed aside, with the filmmaker reportedly brainstorming yet another direction as recently as this summer. One insider suggested Peele himself doesn’t yet know what this next movie will be. Not entirely uncommon for a filmmaker of his stature, but it does cast doubt on whether 2026 was ever realistic.
While studios are undeniably wary of risking financial losses, it’s clear there’s still a large audience for the kind of clever, thoughtful horror movies that directors like Peele are known for. The smash success of Zach Cregger’s Weapons for Warner Bros., which grossed nearly $240 million on a $38 million budget, shows that audiences are still willing to turn out for a good scare in theaters. While horror might not get a lot of awards recognition, it’s always been a safe bet at the box office, particularly when it gets the kind of hype that Weapons or any of Peele’s projects have received.
It’s not that there’s no reason to be concerned about the film being pulled from the calendar; any time a release is delayed, its future becomes that much more uncertain. This holds especially true for the current era of Hollywood, where the entire industry has become heavily reliant on major, four-quadrant releases. But it seems highly unlikely that Universal would completely drop a project that has the potential to be quite lucrative. Peele has more than proven himself creatively and commercially, and Universal would be wise to just let him cook. If they decide to let it go, another studio would likely welcome the chance to snatch up whatever unsettling vision Peele is conjuring.
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