It’s a strong start for the sophomore horror film release from director Jordan Peele. His new movie “Us” which looks at a family’s battle with their doppelgangers is on pace to make $70 million for its box office debut.
A report from Variety indicates that the movie’s budget was just $20 million. Despite what seems like a small budget by blockbuster horror film standards, Peele’s imagery and storytelling have brought audiences in. The new film has also received rave reviews from many critics, leading to a 94 percent aggregate rating at Rotten Tomatoes website.
The new horror film topped “Captain Marvel” with double it’s $35 million take for the latest weekend, per Box Office Mojo. However, the Marvel film has been the top film of 2019 so far and raked in over $321 million so far domestically. It’s also earned $900 million gross revenue.
It’s also believed that word of mouth after South by Southwest Film Festival showings have helped Peele’s second film succeed. His debut movie, “Get Out,” also received critical acclaim and even awards nominations. It also led to Peele winning the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay, leaving critics and audiences ready to see what was next for the actor/comedian turned director, writer, and producer.
“Us” stars fellow Academy Award winner Lupita Nyong’o in one of the lead roles. It tells the story of the Wilsons as they come face-to-face with identical versions of themselves (doppelgängers) during a family vacation. It also gets the audience thinking while still delivering the scares. Also starring in the film are Winston Duke, Elisabeth Moss, and Shahadi Wright Joseph.
Nyong’o and Duke will be back on the screen soon as they’re part of the cast for “Avengers: Endgame,” a movie expected to top all films for 2019. Still, the fact that “Us” has performed so well early on, probably shows that Jordan Peele has plenty more to deliver to audiences in the future.
