It would seem that Nope 2 has a pretty good chance of happening. Premiering in theaters in July, the third feature film from director Jordan Peele was a pretty big success at the box office, pulling in more than $149 million. Reviews for Nope were mostly positive and have earned the film a slew of nominations at the upcoming Saturn Awards in October.
Will this success translate into Universal Pictures and Peele teaming back up for a sequel? While nothing is officially in the works at this time, it appears that Peele wants to expand upon the story that he had told with Nope. In a new interview with The New York Times, Peele was asked about a "mystery" character that has people delving into all kinds of fan theories. Peele hinted that there was more to come about that character with more stories to be told within the Nope world.
"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."
Will Nope 2 Bring Back the "Nobody" Character?
The mysterious character in question is a man seen in the trailer for Nope whose scene was not featured in the theatrical release. In the trailer, the man, played by Michael Busch, can be seen casually walking ahead as terrified citizens run in the opposite direction. In the credits on IMDb, he is listed as "Nobody," and what exactly Peele had in mind with the character has yet to be revealed.
In his new interview, Peele spoke about how he developed the film to be best enjoyed on the big screen. The goal was to make an experience for filmgoers that would help remind them how much better some movies can be when watched in theaters. Perhaps thinking that way came with many creative ideas, some of which ultimately did not make the final cut of the film, such as the mysterious character we saw in the trailer. As Peele said:
"Well, I felt like by the time the film came out, the industry was not in need of saving. But it’s good to point out that in 2020, when I was writing this film and everyone was saying that movie theaters as we know them might be gone — for me, the theatrical experience is everything. It’s my link to myself and other people in so many ways and has taught me to love film. So I just wanted to make a movie that people would have to go to the theater to see. In a way, if I was going to tell any story, I would want to tell something that was an escape into an immersive experience."
Nope is still playing in some theaters and is also available on VOD.