Jordan Peele doesn't just make movies. He makes homework.
After you walk out of a theater showing a Peele project, you aren't just thinking about where you parked. You're thinking about the teacup. You're thinking about the gold scissors. You're thinking about the "Bad Miracle."
But right now, the biggest mystery isn't hidden in a frame of film. It’s the release calendar. If you’ve been keeping track of jordan peele movies and shows, you know things have been... quiet. Maybe a little too quiet for a guy who basically revived the social thriller single-handedly.
Universal originally had his fourth directed feature set for Christmas 2024. Then it slid to October 23, 2026. And then, in a move that sent Film Twitter into a genuine spiral, it vanished from the 2026 slate entirely.
Honestly? That’s okay. In an era where studios pump out sequels like a factory line, Peele’s refusal to rush is the best news we’ve had all year.
The Evolution of the Peele-verse: From Sketch Comedy to Cultural Trauma
It is still wild to remember that before Get Out, Jordan Peele was "the guy from Key & Peele."
The pivot from "Continental Breakfast" to "The Sunken Place" shouldn't have worked. But it did because Peele understands that comedy and horror are two sides of the same coin. Both rely on timing. Both rely on a build-up of tension followed by a sudden, visceral release.
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The Directorial "Big Three"
When people talk about jordan peele movies and shows, they usually start here:
- Get Out (2017): The $4.5 million masterpiece that grossed $255 million. It didn't just win an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay; it changed how we talk about "polite" racism.
- Us (2019): A denser, more ambitious swing. It traded the surgical precision of Get Out for a sprawling, metaphorical nightmare about the people we leave behind in our pursuit of the American Dream. Lupita Nyong'o’s dual performance is still one of the biggest Oscar snubs of the decade.
- Nope (2022): This was Peele’s "big" movie. It was his Jaws. It tackled the spectacle of trauma and our obsession with "capturing" the impossible, all wrapped in a sci-fi Western skin.
Each film got bigger. Each film got weirder. And each film divided the audience more than the last. That's the mark of an auteur. If everyone agrees your movie is "fine," you probably didn't say anything worth hearing.
Why Everyone is Panicking About the Fourth Film
So, what happened to the 2026 movie?
The industry reality is messy. The 2023 strikes pushed everything back, sure. But reports from late 2025 suggest Peele is still "honing" the script. He told Conan O’Brien on his podcast that his next project "could be my favorite movie if I make it right."
"If I make it right" is the key phrase there.
Peele isn't interested in being a mid-tier director. He’s chasing a legacy. While his untitled fourth film is currently "TBA," his production company, Monkeypaw Productions, has been anything but idle.
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The Producer Era: Him and Monkey Man
If you’re looking for his DNA in the meantime, you have to look at what he’s producing.
Take Him (2025), for instance. Directed by Justin Tipping and starring Marlon Wayans, it’s a "sports horror" film about an aging football star and a rookie. It sounds like a weird niche, but that’s the Monkeypaw brand. They took Dev Patel’s Monkey Man (2024) and gave it a theatrical life it might not have had otherwise.
Peele is essentially acting as a curator for "the new weird."
The Television Hits and Misses
We have to talk about the TV side of jordan peele movies and shows because it’s where the track record gets a bit more complicated.
The Twilight Zone reboot (2019–2020) was... polarizing. Some fans loved the updated social commentary. Others felt it was too "on the nose" compared to Rod Serling’s original allegories. It lasted two seasons before being canceled.
Then you have Hunters and Lovecraft Country. Peele served as an executive producer on these, and they felt much more in line with his cinematic voice. Lovecraft Country in particular was a masterpiece of "Black Horror," blending Jim Crow-era reality with H.P. Lovecraft’s cosmic monsters. Its cancellation after one season remains a sore spot for many fans.
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But even the "misses" are fascinating. They show a creator willing to fail while trying to say something big. I’d rather watch a failed Jordan Peele experiment than a "safe" studio sitcom any day of the week.
Breaking Down the "Peele Style"
What actually makes a Jordan Peele project? It’s not just "scary stuff."
- The Subversion of the Ordinary: A spoon hitting a teacup. A pair of scissors. A "Wacky Waving Inflatable Arm-Flailing Tube Man." He takes mundane objects and turns them into triggers for anxiety.
- The "Look": Working with cinematographers like Hoyte van Hoytema (Nope), Peele has created a visual language that feels expensive and expansive.
- The Casting: He has a knack for finding "the" performance. Daniel Kaluuya became a superstar through Peele. Keke Palmer gave a career-best performance in Nope.
What’s Next for Jordan Peele?
The mystery movie is still looming. Rumors have linked everyone from Regina Hall to Daniel Kaluuya (again) to the project, but nothing is confirmed.
What we do know is that Peele is also venturing into video games with OD, a collaboration with Hideo Kojima. This might be why the movie is taking longer. He’s exploring a new medium that relies entirely on atmospheric dread—something he’s already mastered in film.
Actionable Steps for Fans
If you're waiting for the next big drop, here is how to stay ahead of the curve:
- Watch the Monkeypaw Shorts: Peele has been backing several short films lately (like Moshari or Neverland). These are often testing grounds for future feature-length ideas.
- Listen to "Quiet Part Loud": This Spotify podcast series produced by Peele is a masterclass in audio horror. It deals with a disgraced radio host and a supernatural sound. It’s the closest thing to a "hidden" Peele movie you can find.
- Track the September 2025 Releases: Keep an eye on the reception of Him. Its success or failure will likely dictate how much "creative freedom" (read: budget) Universal gives Peele for his next directorial outing.
The wait for the next jordan peele movies and shows isn't a sign of trouble. It’s a sign of a perfectionist at work. In a world of "content," Jordan Peele is still making cinema.
Keep an eye on the trades as we move further into 2026. Once that fourth film gets a new date, it’s going to be the only thing anyone talks about for months.
Next Steps:
- Check out the Monkeypaw Productions website for the latest updates on their independent short film slate.
- Re-watch Nope with the "Gordy’s Home" context in mind—it changes the entire perspective of the third act.
- Look for the OD game trailer if you want to see how Peele's horror translates to interactive media.