In July 2022, on the heels of the premiere of his third feature “Nope,” Jordan Peele went viral when he responded to a tweet calling him the greatest horror director of all time. “Sir, please put the phone down I beg you,” the writer/director wrote. “Sorry. I love your enthusiasm, but I will just not tolerate any John Carpenter slander!!!”
That’s just one of many examples of Peele professing his love for classic horror cinema. Even before he established himself as one of the industry’s top filmmakers, Peele was always open about his love for the sometimes taboo genre. In recent years, he has used his newfound status as a darling of the horror community to wax poetic about the many scary subgenres he enjoys. From 1980s slashers to meticulously crafted contemporary psychological horror, Peele’s appreciation for the art of the scare only seems to increase as his filmography grows. And the filmmaker is far from a passive viewer: Peele’s films are littered with references to famous horror mainstays, and his online fans have a field day unpacking the various homages.
Peele’s trajectory to becoming one of the most acclaimed directors currently working in Hollywood is not something many would have predicted ten years ago, when he was one half of the Comedy Central sketch series “Key & Peele.” Co-created by Peele with his fellow “Mad TV” alum Keegan Michael Key, the show ran for five seasons to critical acclaim, snagging two Primetime Emmy Awards and a Peabody. For a lot of people that would be a career peak, but it was just the beginning for Peele.
In 2012, Peele founded Monkeypaw Productions, which produced “Key & Peele” and has since grown into a powerhouse production company — responsible for supporting work of Black directors like Spike Lee (“BlacKkKlansman”) and Nia DaCosta (“Candyman”). In 2016, Monkeypaw produced “Keanu”: a film Peele co-wrote and starred in with Key. In 2017, Monkeypaw produced Peele’s directorial debut, 2017’s “Get Out.” A frightening, funny thriller that critiqued clueless white liberalism through classic horror movie conventions, the movie was an immediate critical smash, and has only grown in esteem since. The Best Picture nominee won a coveted spot in critic’s poll of the 100 best films of all time in 2022.
And Peele hasn’t rested on his laurels; his follow-up’s “Us” and “Nope” received similar critical acclaim, lauded as some of the best films of their respective years. His fourth feature, currently untitled, is heading to cinemas on Christmas Day, 2024. No other information about the movie — including the plot or who is in it — has been announced, but it’s a safe bet that no matter what, it’ll get people talking.
If you’re a new horror fan looking for a primer or simply seeking to round out your knowledge of the genre, you could do a lot worse than watching Peele’s favorite films. Keep reading for a roundup of 17 movies that have inspired the “Nope” director.
“It Follows” (2014)
Before production on “Us” began, Peele gave his lead Lupita Nyong’o a list of the best horror films of all time for her to watch in order to understand the horror genre. One title was “It Follows,” David Robert Mitchell’s 2014 horror film about a young woman being stalked by an entity that targets young people that have sex. The movie additionally appeared on Peele’s March Madness bracket of his favorite horror films for the YouTube channel “Fear: the Home of Horror.” —WC
“Dead Again” (1991)
Another selection from Peele’s shortlist of nine horror films, 1991’s “Dead Again” was directed by Kenneth Branagh; contary to the Shakespere adaptations Branagh’s most famous for, the film is a thriller, starring Emma Thompson as a woman whose lost her memory. In his horror March Madness video, Peele said he loved the film, calling it a “special movie” for him. —WC
“A Tale of Two Sisters” (2003)
The highest grossing Korean horror film of all time, “A Tale of Two Sisters” focuses on a girl who returns home after a stay at a mental insitution, where she and her sister are tormented by their stepmother and mysterious spirits haunting the house. Loosely adapted from an old Korean folktale, “A Tale of Two Sisters” was one of the films selected by Peele for his nine movie horror shortlist during production on “Us.” —WC
“The Birds” (1963)
Peele is often compared to thriller master Alfred Hitchco*ck, and his favorite film from the British director is his late masterpiece “The Birds.” Starring Tippi Hedren, the movie focuses on a peaceful island community that is suddenly put in danger when the wildlife birds grow murderous for reasons never explained. Speaking about the Hitchco*ck comparison, Peele admitted to feeling mixed about it because “He’s kind of a creep,” but admitted that “On the artistic level, I love being compared to the man who brought me ‘Psycho,’ ‘The Birds,’ ‘Rear Window,’ ‘Vertigo.'” —WC
“The Babadook” (2013)
In hindsight, Jennifer Kent’s feature directorial debut “The Babadook” is one of the most influentional horror films of the century, helping to kick off the “elevated horror” trend that seemingly lead to more classics, like Ari Aster’s “Hereditary.” The Australian film — which follows a widowed mother and her son as they get haunted by a sinister figure from a children’s book — left a mark on Peele, who put it on his list of nine films for Nyong’o to watch during production of “Us.” In his horror March Madness video, Peele said the movie “scared the pants off me.” —WC
“Funny Games” (1997)
Another foreign film from Peele’s shortlist of nine horror movies, “Funny Games” caused walk-outs during its Cannes premiere, but has since mostly been reevaluated as a bold entry the ’90s best horror movies. Michael Haneke’s Austrian film stars Arno Frisch and Frank Giering as two young men who hold a normal family hostage and tortures them with cruel sad*stic games, in a commentary of onscreen violence that directly taunts the audience for watching. —WC
“Martyrs” (2008)
French film “Martyrs” focuses on a young woman (Mylène Jampanoï) going on a rampage of revenge to find those responsible for kidnapping and torturing her as a child. The film’s graphic content prompted walkouts when it originally premiered, and only went direct-to-video in the United States, but has its equal share of admirers. Peele is one of them, putting the film on his shortlist of horror movies during the production of “Us.” —WC
“Halloween” (1978)
Peele has attracted attention in recent weeks for praising John Carpenter online, but he has always been open about his love for the “Halloween” director. Peele often cites Carpenter’s slasher classic as one of his favorite movies, and once revealed that he thinks Michael Myers is the greatest horror villain ever.
“He’s not even evil; he’s just curious,” Peele said about the character. “You know you can’t talk him out of whatever he wants to do. He always does that thing where he’d stab somebody and turn his head – which is the international symbol for ‘fascinating’.” —CZ
“Jaws” (1975)
Many critics were quick to point out the influence that “Close Encounters of the Third Kind” had on “Nope,” but that doesn’t make it Peele’s favorite Steven Spielberg movie. While ranking his favorite horror movies in a video released in 2022, Peele said that Spielberg’s shark attack film is “debtably the greatest film of any genre.”
“The most beautiful revelation, he said, “was the audience’s imagination is far more powerful than what you show them.” —CZ
“A Nightmare on Elm Street” (1984)
It’s almost impossible to consider yourself a serious horror fan without showing some serious affection for “A Nightmare on Elm Street.” Peele said that Wes Craven’s iconic slasher movie “kept me awake for a decade of my life.” He praised the film’s incredible character design as he named it the greatest horror movie of all time in his 2022 horror movie bracket. —CZ
“Under the Skin” (2014)
Peele has always been the most outspoken about his love of classic horror films, but that doesn’t mean he can’t be impressed by contemporary masterpieces as well. He previously listed Jonathan Glazer’s sci-fi horror film “Under the Skin” as one of the more visually compelling films that has stuck with him for a long time.
“‘Under the Skin,’ for me, is a special film,” Peele said. “It has one of those aesthetics that as a filmmaker you watch and you’re like ‘how did Jonathan Glazer even do that?’ Everything looks so specific, the photography is so beautiful, that movie has a perfect score.” —CZ
“Rosemary’s Baby” (1968)
Peele has long been open about the influence that “Rosemary’s Baby” had on him as a filmmaker. He told Criterion that his exploration of race in “Get Out” was partially inspired by the way Roman Polanski’s film explored motherhood.
“Rosemary uses her instincts as a new mother to protect herself and her child,” he said. “On a subtle level, her personality and point of view are helping her out. And it’s the same with Chris. His blackness is what allows him to perceive that something sinister is going on.” —CZ
“Critters” (1986)
Peele has done a lot to help elevate horror’s reputation as a genre, but that doesn’t mean he can’t enjoy the lowbrow. When asked about his favorite B-movie in 2019, Peele opend up about his love for Stephen Herek’s “Critters.”
“In retrospect, [it’s] fairly bad,” he said. “But it gave me a wrong sort of feeling. Those little things were so mischievous and so…evil. They had those evil-ass faces.” —CZ
“The Shining” (1980)
Close watchers of Peele’s films shouldn’t be surprised to hear of his affection for Stanley Kubrick’s “The Shining,” considering how often he references shots and themes from the film. In a 2022 interview, Peele said that the image of Shelley Duval running away from the snow-covered Overlook Hotel with a knife in her hand is his “favorite horror movie shot of all time.” —CZ
“C.H.U.D.” (1984)
Peele’s work has often been compared to Douglas Cheek’s exploration of homelessness, as told through the story of the Cannibalistic Humanoid Underground Dwellers. A VHS tape of the film is seen in an early, Easter egg-laden shot in “Us.” And “C.H.U.D.” director’s daughter, Hanna Cheek, recalled Peele showing his enthusiasm for the film when he visited their house.
“At my house, we had a manhole cover from the set, and I remember Jordan being really excited,” she said. “He was definitely clear that it was in his arsenal of favorites.” —CZ
“Let the Right One In” (2008)
Tomas Alfredson’s vampire romance is often cited as one of the great horror triumphs of the 21st century, with fans praising the director’s ability to seamlessly blend horrifying elements with a very human coming-of-age story. Peele certainly agrees, calling it “one of the most beautiful horror movies of all time” and listing the iconic pool shot as one of his favorite horror movie images ever. —CZ
“Alien” (1979)
Considering how many sci-fi horror movies that Peele loves, it should hardly be surprising that he ended up making a UFO movie. Always one to appreciate good creature design, Peele told the YouTube channel “Fear: The Home of Horror” that Ridley Scott’s “Alien” might be the best-designed movie ever made, tied only with Craven’s “A Nightmare on Elm Street.” —CZ
