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Nope (film)

Nope is a 2022 American science fiction horror film written, directed, and produced by Jordan Peele.

By Ethan Anderson| Reviewed by Olivia Bennett, Standards & Fact-Checking Lead| Updated July 27, 2026|2 min read| Fact-checked

Nope is a 2022 American science fiction horror film written, directed, and produced by Jordan Peele. It stars Daniel Kaluuya and Keke Palmer as siblings who try to document a mysterious aerial phenomenon over their family horse ranch in California.

Plot

The film follows the Haywood siblings, OJ and Emerald, who run a horse-ranch business and become obsessed with documenting a strange presence in the sky. The story develops into a battle to understand and survive the entity while also exposing it on camera.

Production

The film was written, directed, and produced by Jordan Peele and released in 2022. It is an American production distributed by Universal Pictures.

Cast

The principal cast features Daniel Kaluuya as OJ Haywood and Keke Palmer as Emerald Haywood. Supporting roles include Steven Yeun, Michael Wincott, Brandon Perea, and Keith David.

Setting and filming

The story is set in inland California, near Agua Dulce. IMDb identifies Firestone Ranch in Agua Dulce, California, as a filming location associated with the Haywood Ranch.

Key facts

  • The film follows siblings OJ and Emerald Haywood as they try to capture evidence of an unidentified flying object above their ranch in Agua Dulce, California.
  • Jordan Peele wrote, directed, and produced the film.
  • The cast includes Daniel Kaluuya, Keke Palmer, Steven Yeun, Michael Wincott, Brandon Perea, and Keith David.
  • Rotten Tomatoes lists the film as sci-fi, horror, mystery, and thriller.
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Canadian context

No direct Canada-specific subject matter is established in the available sources, but Nope received wide international attention, including among Canadian audiences as a major 2022 studio release.

Frequently asked questions

What is the movie Nope about?
It follows two siblings who run a horse ranch and try to document a mysterious, dangerous phenomenon in the sky above their property in California.
Who directed Nope?
Jordan Peele directed Nope.
What does the ending of Nope mean?
The ending is generally read as the siblings surviving and proving the creature exists, while also emphasizing the film’s themes about spectacle, trauma, and the cost of trying to capture the impossible. The film’s final images are intentionally open to interpretation.
Who stars in Nope?
The main cast includes Daniel Kaluuya, Keke Palmer, Steven Yeun, Michael Wincott, Brandon Perea, and Keith David.
Is Nope a horror movie?
Yes. It is widely classified as a science fiction horror film, and also appears in mystery and thriller categories.
Where was Nope filmed?
IMDb lists Firestone Ranch in Agua Dulce, California, as a filming location connected to the Haywood Ranch setting.

References

  1. Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nope_(film)
    Supports: Director, premise, cast, and basic film identification.
  2. Rotten Tomatoes — https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/nope
    Supports: Genre classification, director, release year, synopsis, runtime, and cast.
  3. IMDb — https://www.imdb.com/title/tt10954984/
    Supports: Director, stars, and filming location in Agua Dulce, California.
  4. Roger Ebert — https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/nope-movie-review-2022
    Supports: Critical context for the film's themes and interpretation.
  5. Collider — https://collider.com/nope-explained-jordan-peele-movie/
    Supports: Interpretive discussion of the ending and thematic reading.