Blab Entertainment
Jordan Peeles Next Film: Script Finished, Universal Backed, Casting Pending
Jordan Peele’s fourth feature film is finally stepping out of the shadows after a protracted period of uncertainty. The director’s untitled project has a completed script, Universal Pictures has confirmed its involvement, and the next milestone—casting—will begin in the coming months.
The film’s odyssey began in 2024 when Peele first announced a new venture that was slated for a 2024 release. The 2023 Hollywood strikes, however, threw Universal’s schedule into disarray, and the project was pulled from the studio’s calendar. A tentative October 2026 release was later floated, only to be removed again, according to reports. Peele has floated the idea that the new film could be a sequel to his 2022 science‑fiction horror Nope, but no official confirmation has emerged, and the current project remains untitled and separate from the Nope franchise.
Monkeypaw Productions, Peele’s own studio founded in 2012, has weathered significant internal turbulence. Two rounds of layoffs in 2024 and 2025 trimmed the development team to just four staffers, according to industry sources. Despite the downsizing, Monkeypaw continues to greenlight genre work, most notably Him (formerly GOAT), which is scheduled for 2025. The untitled project is the first Monkeypaw film to enter production after Him, marking a key turning point for the company.
Peele’s creative reach extends beyond cinema. In 2024, he was reported to be collaborating on the upcoming horror game OD, created by renowned video‑game designer Hideo Kojima. While the partnership was confirmed, no release date or specific role has been disclosed. Meanwhile, Universal’s partnership with Monkeypaw dates back to a five‑year exclusivity deal signed in 2019, allowing Peele to release major projects—Get Out (2017), Us (2019), Nope (2022), and Him (2025)—through Universal’s distribution network. The new film will likewise see Universal as its distributor.
Industry analysts view the completion of a script and the confirmation of a studio partner as pivotal milestones. They suggest that, pending casting and logistical finalization, principal photography could commence later in 2026. The film’s budget, genre, and release window remain undisclosed, but Peele’s track record of blending psychological horror with science‑fiction thrills, coupled with the $172 million worldwide gross and critical acclaim of Nope, signals strong commercial prospects.
The project’s development mirrors the broader challenges of coordinating large‑scale productions amid labor disputes and shifting studio priorities. The 2023 Hollywood strikes forced many projects to pause or cancel, and Universal’s decision to remove Peele’s film from its schedule illustrates the ripple effects of those disruptions.
At present, no definitive release date exists. The next public update is expected once casting announcements are made, likely within the next few months. Until then, the film remains an untitled, upcoming endeavor with a finished script and Universal’s backing.
The entertainment community will watch closely to see how Peele’s next project unfolds—whether it will revisit the Nope narrative, how it will fit into Monkeypaw’s evolving slate, and what it will reveal about studios managing production pipelines in a post‑strike environment. For now, fans and industry observers can only anticipate the next steps: casting, pre‑production, and eventually a release that could add another chapter to Jordan Peele’s distinctive filmography.
The film’s odyssey began in 2024 when Peele first announced a new venture that was slated for a 2024 release. The 2023 Hollywood strikes, however, threw Universal’s schedule into disarray, and the project was pulled from the studio’s calendar. A tentative October 2026 release was later floated, only to be removed again, according to reports. Peele has floated the idea that the new film could be a sequel to his 2022 science‑fiction horror Nope, but no official confirmation has emerged, and the current project remains untitled and separate from the Nope franchise.
Monkeypaw Productions, Peele’s own studio founded in 2012, has weathered significant internal turbulence. Two rounds of layoffs in 2024 and 2025 trimmed the development team to just four staffers, according to industry sources. Despite the downsizing, Monkeypaw continues to greenlight genre work, most notably Him (formerly GOAT), which is scheduled for 2025. The untitled project is the first Monkeypaw film to enter production after Him, marking a key turning point for the company.
Peele’s creative reach extends beyond cinema. In 2024, he was reported to be collaborating on the upcoming horror game OD, created by renowned video‑game designer Hideo Kojima. While the partnership was confirmed, no release date or specific role has been disclosed. Meanwhile, Universal’s partnership with Monkeypaw dates back to a five‑year exclusivity deal signed in 2019, allowing Peele to release major projects—Get Out (2017), Us (2019), Nope (2022), and Him (2025)—through Universal’s distribution network. The new film will likewise see Universal as its distributor.
Industry analysts view the completion of a script and the confirmation of a studio partner as pivotal milestones. They suggest that, pending casting and logistical finalization, principal photography could commence later in 2026. The film’s budget, genre, and release window remain undisclosed, but Peele’s track record of blending psychological horror with science‑fiction thrills, coupled with the $172 million worldwide gross and critical acclaim of Nope, signals strong commercial prospects.
The project’s development mirrors the broader challenges of coordinating large‑scale productions amid labor disputes and shifting studio priorities. The 2023 Hollywood strikes forced many projects to pause or cancel, and Universal’s decision to remove Peele’s film from its schedule illustrates the ripple effects of those disruptions.
At present, no definitive release date exists. The next public update is expected once casting announcements are made, likely within the next few months. Until then, the film remains an untitled, upcoming endeavor with a finished script and Universal’s backing.
The entertainment community will watch closely to see how Peele’s next project unfolds—whether it will revisit the Nope narrative, how it will fit into Monkeypaw’s evolving slate, and what it will reveal about studios managing production pipelines in a post‑strike environment. For now, fans and industry observers can only anticipate the next steps: casting, pre‑production, and eventually a release that could add another chapter to Jordan Peele’s distinctive filmography.
