If “Us” and “Get Out” are any indication, Jordan Peele has a handle on what is truly terrifying. Horror is a natural medium for social commentary, and the filmmaker consistently hits the mark in that regard. “Nope” fits in perfectly as the latest example of that distinctive Peele pattern, but that almost wasn’t the case for his upcoming film. In a recent interview, the director revealed the original title and discussed the movie’s themes as well as the thought process that prompted him to choose a different title.
The Original Title For Jordan Peele Nope Made The Movie Themes Clearer
Jordan Peele reveals the origin story behind the #NOPEMOVIE title, and tells us the title he almost went with… pic.twitter.com/j6NHJ23Zpm
— Rotten Tomatoes (@RottenTomatoes) July 15, 2022
Ever since the movie’s first teaser poster came out, fans have been excitedly theorizing about the possibility that Peele’s newest feature would involve aliens. All those money shots of Daniel Kaluuya chasing a UFO appear to have proven this, but the initial title that Jordan Peele had in mind could have put an end to all the speculations up until that point.
In a Rotten Tomatoes interview, the writer/director discussed how “Nope” might have been called “Little Green Men”. Although that would make more of an obvious reference to the idea of aliens, it’s actually a double entendre that refers to the more general themes his plot aims to address.
Peele admits that the film was titled “Little Green Men” during the scriptwriting phase. Peele revealed the inspiration behind the title:
“You know, I’m always talking about something human, a human flaw. And there was something about our connection with spectacle and money and our monetization of spectacle. And so, the ‘little green men’ that I started talking about was the little green men on the money.”
It’s easy to draw comparisons given the extended footage, which shows the movie’s lead characters seeking to go viral by recording footage of the UFO. However, there’s a legitimate reason why Peele changed his strategy. He continues by joking, “It sounds like some kind of Redbox 2003 Jeff Fahey vehicle … there’s lots of names that I was circulating in my head. And at the end of the day, the film felt singular. And ‘Nope’ was the only thing that I could say to describe it.”
In addition to Kaluuya, the cast includes Keke Palmer, Steven Yeun, Barbie Ferreira, and others. “Nope” will release in theatres on July 22.
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