![Key Metrics for Social Media Marketing [Infographic]](https://www.socialmediatoday.com/imgproxy/nP1lliSbrTbUmhFV6RdAz9qJZFvsstq3IG6orLUMMls/g:ce/rs:fit:770:435/bG9jYWw6Ly8vZGl2ZWltYWdlL3NvY2lhbF9tZWRpYV9yb2lfaW5vZ3JhcGhpYzIucG5n.webp "Key Metrics for Social Media Marketing [Infographic]")
.jpeg "Who’s Who in Jordan Peele’s Sci-Fi Horror")
July has been a month of blockbuster releases and with Minions: The Rise of Gru, Thor: Love and Thunder, and The Gray Man, keeping people entertained in the first half of the month, the next on the list is Jordan Peele’s science fiction horror film, Nope.
Nope is Jordan Peele’s third full-length movie, adding to his previous work of horror movies that have evolved into societal critiques. For his critically acclaimed and financially successful 2017 directorial debut, Get Out, he won multiple awards. He was once again nominated for an Academy Award for Best Picture for producing Spike Lee‘s BlacKkKlansman (2018) and then produced, wrote, and directed the highly popular horror movie Us. He also wrote and produced Nia DaCosta‘s Candyman, which proved to be a hit with critics and audiences last summer. Nope represents Jordan Peele’s eagerly anticipated return to directing. It is a story of two sibling ranchers, OJ and Emerald Haywood, who are owners of the only Black-owned horse ranch in Hollywood and are enjoying success in a remote Californian ravine. But things soon take a turn when a mysterious force suddenly starts to take over their airspace. It doesn’t take much time for the inhabitants of the isolated location to start feeling terrible disturbances both within and outside them. Bizarre inflatable tube men have lined the desert, blood trails are found on windows and horses and people are pulled into the ominous sky. As the threat keeps the area within its grip, a startling discovery is made about aliens which the sibling duo takes as an opportunity, and with a mismatched crew, they are set on having unquestionable video evidence of aliens that can bring them fame and money while avoiding being abducted by the said aliens.
The movie’s specifics have mostly remained a secret in the months building up to its debut. The creepy but enigmatic early trailers kept the identity of the phantom evil in the sky a secret for a while. But as the release date nears, Peele expands on the concepts and specifics of Nope‘s narrative. With the movie, Peele planned to create a “spectacle” that would indulge the viewers in the cinematic experience of being amid a UFO and the forces behind it. But that’s not all there is; Nope also focuses on the unstable relationship of the two siblings and restoring their connection. Interestingly, this still doesn’t reveal much but instead, reframes the plot and hints at what fans are already aware of rather than giving away highly detailed information about the various storylines in Nope. Nope will certainly have fans going into the movie expecting a lot of surprises which Peele always delivers as is evident from Us and Get Out’s constant twists and turns that kept the viewer on their toes throughout.
Nope will be available to enjoy on July 22 in theaters during the summer blockbuster period, and you can keep reading below for a cast and character guide for one of the most anticipated summer releases of the year.
Daniel Kaluuya as OJ Haywood
The lead character of OJ Haywood in Nope will be played by Daniel Kaluuya, who starred in the role of Chris in Get Out. The initial teaser made it abundantly evident that OJ is the grumpy one in the sibling duo, but that grumpiness isn’t baseless. In contrast to Emerald, OJ has never left the family business, even though his family has a rich history of being the only Black-owned horse trainers in Hollywood. While their father continues to age, he has been working hard and caring for the ranch, while Emerald has stepped in with a lot of charm but little background or guidance to properly support it. For OJ who has spent his life caring for the ranch, the horses are his true companions and Kaluyya worked hard on understanding and showing that side of the character. As per Peele, Kaluuya’s insight into his character compelled Peele to unlock deeper things about OJ to make it richer and well-thought-out.
With his portrayal in Get Out, Daniel Kaluuya became a household name and earned him an Oscar nomination for Best Actor. Since his appearance in Get Out, Kaluuya has grown to be one of the most well-liked and in-demand actors. He also appeared in the ensemble cast of Marvel’s Black Panther as W’Kabi, Steve McQueen‘s Widows as the intimidating villain Jateeme Manning, co-led Melina Matsoukas‘ Queen & Slim in the role of Slim, and won the Best Supporting Actor Oscar for his portrayal of Fred Hampton in Shaka King’s Judas and the Black Messiah.
Keke Palmer plays the eccentric Emerald ‘Em’ Haywood, the other half of the sibling duo. Where OJ comes off as the irritable one, Em is the exact opposite of it. When Emerald returns, everything is in disarray. It certainly prompts more inquiries into OJ’s experiences without Emerald and the reasons for her initial departure. Otis Haywood (Keith David), the ailing father passes away mysteriously and suddenly and that is what undoubtedly made Em return to the ranch. Palmer believes that she is truly lucky to play a character like Em who is cool, spunky, and doesn’t take herself too seriously but still has that edge to her. She is passionate and fearless in pursuing what she wants, and her astounding charm is enough to get people to not only listen to her but follow her too. It is Em who considers the alien presence as an opportunity, persuading OJ that the UFO needs to be filmed guaranteeing they’ll get what no one else has ever gotten, and then trying to make it happen throughout the movie.
Keke Palmer is an American actress, singer, and television personality. The multi-talented actress is best recognized for her roles in Scream Queens, her own Nickelodeon series True Jackson VP, Akeelah and the Bee, Hustlers, and many more. She is also well-known for her work as a host and musician. She has a busy 2022 with roles in Lightyear from Disney and Pixar, The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder on Disney+, the Big Mouth spin-off Human Resources, and played the title role in the Sundance drama, Alice.
Steven Yeun as Ricky “Jupe” Park
Get out of this world at Jupiter’s Claim (jupitersclaim.com)
Steven Yeun plays the enigmatic Ricky Park. He is a former child actor and reality TV star who now owns a theme park called Jupiter’s Claim. From the trailers, it is clear that he is the show’s director and wears a dazzling suit, engaging the audience with his quirks and questions. However, it is unclear how he is related to or connected to the Haywood siblings. Unsettling and ominous images of Jupiter’s Claim, Ricky’s Western-themed amusement park, may be found on a recent promotional website. Visitors can play games to earn “Jupe Jangles” on the site, which has sections for attractions including a theater, bank, The Winkin’ Well, and general shop. However, on occasion, the website will go dark, and the upbeat layout will transform into something considerably more ominous. The website gives us the location setting for Ricky’s character, and it presents an interesting look at Nope’s world.
Steven Yeun’s role as Glenn on The Walking Dead helped him become well-known. Yeun has since made appearances in other high-profile movies. He has appeared in movies including 2018’s Burning, Sorry to Bother You, Bong Joon Ho’s Okja, The Humans, well as Minari from 2020, for which he received an Oscar nomination for Best Actor. Yeun additionally served as the lead voice actor for Invincible, an animated superhero series on Amazon that has received several accolades. Upcoming projects for Yeun include the Netflix dramedy series Beef, where he stars opposite Ali Wong, and the sci-fi thriller Mickey7 where he’ll be reuniting with Bong Joon Ho.
Brandon Perea as Angel Torres
Brandon Perea will be playing Angel Torres, a tech wizard assisting the Haywoods in making a fortune by offering solid evidence of the existence of UFOs, or perhaps revealing it all as an elaborate hoax of terrifying visions. Brandon Perea is an American actor and his face will probably be recognizable to viewers of comic books or mystery-themed television. He is still just starting in his career, but Perea played Alfonso Sosa in the Netflix drama series The OA and quickly became a fan favorite. Before getting a role on The OA, Perea made a few cameos in How Far, Logic‘s “One Day” music video, and Dance Camp, a YouTube Red Original Movie. Recently, he played Dr. Jonathan Tyme during an episode of Doom Patrol in 2020. After that, he was cast as Arjay in American Insurrection.
Michael Wincott will play Antlers Holst, a grizzled UFO believer who just like Torres helps the siblings’ record video of the creatures who had been terrorizing their home. He is a film director who Emerald refers to as “the only person in the world” who can secure the necessary shot needed. Veteran Canadian actor Michael Wincott performed on Westworld, one of the most talked-about tv programs in recent years. Wincott’s Old Bill part in Westworld took him to a whole new level of fame, but he had been producing consistently excellent work for many years before that. He played Guy Gisborne in the 1991 film Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, Rochefort in The Three Musketeers in 1993, Top Dollar Man in 1994 classic The Crow, and has many other well-renowned works. He is a welcome addition to the cast of Nope because of his track record as an antagonist due to his deep raspy voice, and it would be interesting to see how Jordan Peele might use the role to create an engaging effect.
Other cast members include Barbie Ferreira, Donna Mills, Eddie Jemison, Fynn Bachman, Keith David, Wrenn Schmidt, Oz Perkins, Terry Notary, Andrew Patrick Ratson, Jennifer LaFleur, and Devon Graye.
