Jordan Peele is no stranger to making historical pieces of art. In 2019: Us shattered previous horror movie box office records, and now Peele is becoming the first Black director to have their own attraction at a major theme park.
Ahead of Nope’s Friday release, a pivotal set piece known as Jupiter’s Claim Amusement Park has made its way to Universal Studios Hollywood, where it will now live permanently alongside various iconic sets like the Norman Bates house from Psycho and the Back to the Future town square.
The set was taken right from the movie and meticulously put back together on the backlot, which now features merchandise and various photo ops. While the plot details are still slim, it’s clear from the trailers that there is some sketchy stuff happening at this so-called amusement park.
Visiting Jupiter’s Claim set from @nopemovie. Simply amazing, @JordanPeele. I have no idea what I’m looking at beyond the obvious, but there’s so many deeper meanings I can’t wait to find out about. pic.twitter.com/6Jl691gb5D
— Ryan Parker (@TheRyanParker) July 19, 2022
Jon Corfino, vice president of Universal Creative, told The Hollywood Reporter the importance of the mysterious set. “There’s really two essential locations [in Nope], and this is a big one. It all kind of starts here and ends here, so people are going to want to come back after they’ve seen the film.”
Earlier this month, Peele confirmed the move, citing his childhood trips to Universal as a driving force behind his cinematic endeavors. “I remember visiting Universal Studios when I was 12 years old and being mesmerized. That experience reinforced my passion and drive to someday join in on the meta-magic of ‘backlot life.’ Since then, I’ve been fortunate enough to direct three movies for Universal. It is a privilege to honor these collaborations with my studio partners, crew members and cast, and to be able to share Jupiter’s Claim with fans.”
Hopefully aliens are not included in future studio tours!
(Via GQ and The Hollywood Reporter)