Jordan Peele Switches From Comedy To Horror With His First Directorial Project

2015 Creative Arts Emmy Awards - Arrivals
Getty Image

Keegan Michael Key and Jordan Peele barely gave a month’s notice before ending their Comedy Central run. Although fans will miss Key and Peele, a quick departure may have been wise. It’s always best to go out on top and leave an audience wanting more. The lingering wave of goodwill will push these guys towards bright futures and leave the door open for revisiting old sketches in movie form.

In the meantime, the two fellas will go their separate ways. A current Internet movement would have Key stepping into leading romcom roles, but what’s next for Peele? He’s stepping into the director’s chair for a horror film, which will explore race in America. Peele namedrops a genre favorite as inspiration:

Multi-talented star Jordan Peele has signed on to write and direct the racially-themed horror-thriller Get Out for Blumhouse Productions and QC Entertainment, it was announced Monday. Get Out follows a young African-American man who visits his Caucasian girlfriend’s family estate.

“People know me for my work in comedy, but now I’ll get to focus on my passion for writing and directing horror films. Like comedy, horror has an ability to provoke thought and further the conversation on real social issues in a very powerful way. Get Out takes on the task of exploring race in America, something that hasn’t really been done within the genre since Night of the Living Dead 47 years ago. It’s long overdue,” said Peele.

Peele will pen the script and helm the flick, but (as of now) he won’t star in the movie, and his premise is not only timely but (as he says) way overdue. Racial subtext in horror movies hasn’t received in-depth treatment in some time. After all, over 20 years have passed since Candyman hit theaters.

(Via The Wrap)

×