Jordan Peele Signs First-Look Deal With Universal
Jonathan Barkan
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After the unbelievable success of Get Out (review), Jordan Peele probably had an enormous wealth of opportunities at his fingertips. That film was made on a budget of less than $5 million and it has since drawn in nearly $175 million worldwide, making it the the best performing film at Blumhouse Productions and it also broke The Blair Witch Project‘s record of an original film from a debut director. It’s a stunning set of achievements, matched by the near-universal critical acclaim that the film has received.
Due to the success, Peele’s Monkeypaw Productions has now locked into a two year first-look deal with Universal, who already have their eyes set on a social thriller that he will write, direct, and produce, according to THR. The film will reportedly have a budget of five times what Get Out cost, so Peele will have a much larger playground in which to create his film.
Universal chairman Donna Langley gushes, “Through extraordinary imagination and fearless humor, Jordan has proven himself to be a game-changer who is driven to tell stories that are as commercially entertaining as they are disruptive and provocative. The entire Universal family takes great pride in his incomparable filmmaking debut, and feel fortunate that this studio will be Jordan’s home for many years to come.”
Through this deal, Peele will be working on and with under-represented people, both in front of and behind the camera. He’ll also still get to work with Jason Blum and Blumhouse on smaller budget films.
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