Writer, director, and actor Jordan Peele gave fans of his debut horror film Get Out a wonderful Christmas gift by sharing the first peek at his terrifying-looking follow-up Us.
In it, we see Black Panther actors Lupita Nyong’o and Winston Duke and their family attacked by evil mirror-image versions of themselves while out on a beach getaway in Northern California. In the trailer, we see the family’s youngest son encounter his doppelganger while at the shore during the day, with the entire evil version of the family later appearing at night outside their beachside getaway.
Peele’s directorial debut, Get Out, was a massive critical and commercial success, earning him a Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay, and garnering over $176 million at the box office — a pretty penny for any film in such a divisive genre.
Where Peele’s first effort was centered around deep-seated issues of race in America, his second film is focused on more hyperpersonal issues. The mirror-image monsters in the film are called The Tethered and are meant to showcase our own inner battles with ourselves.
“I think the main idea that went into writing this film is that we’re our own worst enemy, and that idea created this monster, The Tethered,” said Peele in an interview with Entertainment Weekly. “I wanted to forge this new mythology that explored our duality and the duality of the characters. To the actors, I knew this was the ultimate fun because who doesn’t want to play two roles in a movie; when you’re tired in one, you get to jump into the other. But I think what was a fun challenge for actors, was finding the connections between the characters and their counterparts.”
Those who have been waiting on pins and needles to see what Peele will come up with next won’t have long to wait — Us is scheduled to hit theaters across the United States on March 15, courtesy of Universal Pictures.
Peele has other creepy things in store for his fans. The director has reportedly been working on a 10-episode version of The Twilight Zone for CBS, with production on the show already well underway.
