Writer/ director Jordan Peele hints at a possible storyline for Nope 2 based on 'Nobody' fan theory. Peele's third feature film, Nope, tells the story of brother and sister team OJ and Emerald Haywood (Daniel Kaluuya and Keke Palmer, respectively) trying to capture footage of what they believe is a UFO idling over their slowly dwindling horse ranch. Audiences and critics enjoyed the horrific spectacle of Nope, compellingly played out alongside the story of a family in crisis. The film has so far grossed more than $115m at the domestic box office and more than $30m internationally.
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As with his previous thrillers Get Out and Us, Peele has his Nope protagonists fighting for survival, with the characters' sense of what they think is happening to them continually being readdressed. Flush with Peele's trademark plot twists, allegorical storytelling, and classic movie references, the film features layers of narrative for audiences to unpick long after the final credits have rolled. Fans of the film have aimed to unravel many of Nope's mysteries, including the specific origin of the alien creature, why 'Lucky' the horse was so lucky, the significance of the appearance of the TMZ reporter on the electric bike, and whether OJ survives the films climactic final battle.
But one particular fan theory may have led to Peele giving away just a hint that a sequel to Nope could be possible. Talking to the New York Times, Peele praised that audiences were paying attention, acknowledging that he cut a character from the final film named 'Nobody.' While not wanting to give the entire game away, the writer/ director did confirm that the stories explored during the events of Nope were not the only tales that exist in that universe and that there may be more to come. During the exchange with the NYT, Peele was asked if he could shed light on the 'Nobody' fan theory:
Moving on, there’s some online chatter about a character who was cut from the film, listed as Nobody on IMDb. Could you talk about this character?
People are doing a lot of interesting detective work, is what’s going on.
They are. Analyzing frame grabs from trailers and the like.
The story of that character has yet to be told, I can tell you that. Which is another frustrating way of saying, I’m glad people are paying attention. I do think they will get more answers on some of these things in the future. We’re not over telling all of these stories.
Peele is no stranger to allowing an audience's fear of the unknown to build mystique and terrifying intrigue into his already masterful storytelling. Often, as a result, adding column inches to the conversation surrounding his films. The teaser posters and trailers for Nope did precisely that, giving away just enough to get audiences hooked on what might await the film's characters. The 2019 reboot of The Twilight Zone, on which the former comedian acted as producer, narrator, and host, is very much of that weird and wonderful school of giving viewers a taste of terror, firstly unsettling them and piquing interest, before the final narrative punch.
Whether alluding to the disorienting 'sunken place' in Get Out, slowly revealing the real identity of 'the tethered' in Us, or the unfolding horror of the alien monster and its true intent in Nope, a new entry into Peele's canon is always embraced with by audiences with devilish glee. With the hint that Nope 2 may be on its way or at least have some grounding in the first film's events, amateur detectives and film fans will be scouring for more clues that could lead to uncovering the potential sequel's secrets. What is guaranteed is wherever the Nope sequel goes, Peele's love of classic film, allegorical storytelling, and teasing an audience to frustration will all be part of the big and glorious show.