Jordan Peele is one of a shrinking group of filmmakers who can sell tickets off his name alone–not by directing or writing comedy, which is how he originally got mainstream attention, but by directing horror films. His debut, Get Out, netted him an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay. His follow-up, Us (2019), also received wide critical acclaim. But his third film Nope, currently in theaters, is more divisive than either of those.
Nope still had a great opening ($44 million in its opening weekend). But unlike Peele’s previous films, there’s not really a massive plot twist. It’s slower paced, and the narrative deliberately meanders a bit. Put simply, Nope is an alien invasion film. But it is also a monster movie, a piece of historical fiction, a revisionist Western, and a commentary on Hollywood exploitation–and arguably exploitation of workers as a whole. There’s a lot going on, and it’s the sort of movie that would benefit from a rewatch.
It’s also a movie packed with references, Easter eggs, and nods to not only the message Peele is trying to slowly unravel throughout the film, but to his other work, as well. Here are 10 Easter eggs and references you might have missed in Jordan Peele’s Nope.
Warning: What follows is filled with spoilers for Nope, so make sure you’ve seen the movie before continuing on.
