Nope is no longer the biggest spectacle everyone is paying attention to. Following a strong start for Jordan Peele's latest horror thriller, the UFO film was knocked out of the sky following a steep second-weekend decline combined with the arrival of the highly anticipated DC League of Super-Pets. With the film playing in 3,807 North American theaters, it now sits just behind the animated superhero flick, earning $18.55 million over the three-day period for a fall of 57.9% from its opening weekend domestic cume of $44 million.
The fall of Nope financially mirrors what happened to Peele's second film Us back in 2019, only it continues to lag behind its predecessor by a hair. Us also took a fall following a strong opening weekend, though its 53.3% tumble is still considerably better than that of Peele's latest outing. The big hit came on Friday with a 70% drop from its premiere, again placing it behind the pace of Us financially. It's a steep drop even for a horror film, outpacing Scott Derrickson's The Black Phone from earlier this year which only suffered a 48.2% decline. Despite the fall-off, Nope is still a yep as far as money is concerned. The film has now grossed over $80.5 million domestically, soaring past its reported $69 million budget. Considering that it's not part of an established franchise, that's no small feat even if Peele is a household name.
Compared to other films from acclaimed individuals, like the recently released Elvis from director Baz Luhrmann, Nope is still keeping a good pace with it actually outperforming the Austin Butler-led giant by around $10 million if you factor in the Fourth of July weekend. Critically, Nope has been well received, albeit with some detractors due to how much it differs from the likes of Us and Peele's first box office smash Get Out. Its extensive, marketing campaign plus the goodwill earned from Peele's frequent fresh takes on the horror genre ultimately turned the film into a must-see for many, however.
Nope still has a long way to go, but it still seems likely to justify its price tag in the long run, even after such a fall. The film stars a Peele favorite in Daniel Kaluuya alongside KeKe Palmer as ranch-owning brother and sister OJ and Em who attempt to capture footage of a UFO after seeing a mysterious craft flying over their ranch. All the while, the nearby Jupiter's Claim, owned by traumatized child star Ricky 'Jupe' Park (Steven Yeun), tries to exploit the UFO for fame and fortune.
Alongside the three, the film also stars Brandon Perea, Barbie Ferreira, Keith David, and more. Nope is currently in theaters and in IMAX. Check out the trailer below: