Is Nope Based on a True Story? Is It Based on Skinwalker Ranch?
by Mathelene
Updated May 04, 2023
Nope (2022)
Nope is a 2022 American neo-Western science fiction horror film written, directed, and produced by Jordan Peele under his and Ian Cooper's Monkeypaw Productions banner. The movie stars Daniel Kaluuya and Keke Palmer as horse-wrangling siblings who attempt to capture evidence of an unidentified flying object.
Other cast members include Steven Yeun, Michael Wincott, Brandon Perea, and Keith David. Palmer and Kaluuya joined the cast in February 2021, and Yeun in March. Peele revealed the title Nope in July 2021. Filming took place in northern Los Angeles County between June and November 2021.
Nope premiered at the TCL Chinese Theatre in Los Angeles on July 18, 2022, and was released in theaters in the United States on July 22, 2022, by Universal Pictures. The movie has grossed $171 million worldwide and received critical acclaim for its screenplay, performances, themes, cinematography, visual style, musical score, and Peele's direction. The American Film Institute also named Nope one of the top ten films of 2022.
Is Nope Based on a True Story?
"No, 'Nope' is not based on a true story. Jordan Peele announced the movie in November 2020, without revealing the title. In different interviews, Peele said Peele drew inspiration from various movies such as King Kong, Jurassic Park, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Signs, and The Wizard of Oz.
In an interview, Peele mentioned that the film stemmed from his desire to create a spectacle that would draw the audience back to the cinema halls. He stated, 'I wanted to create something that the audience would have to come see.' The film deals with spectacle and the good and bad that come from this idea of attention. Peele also mentioned that several scenes in 'Nope' feature the poster of Sidney Poitier’s 1972 Western 'Buck and the Preacher' in the background.
This was the first film Peele ever saw with a black cowboy in it, and he noted that Hollywood's romanticized view of a very brutalized era had perpetuated the myth that cowboys were just white guys running around, which is not true. While 'Nope' is a horror epic, Peele intended for some points in the movie to elicit a very audible reaction in the theater, saying, 'Hopefully, when we go see it, we’re going to hear a lot of "Nope!"
What is Nope Based on?
Jordan Peele's latest film, "Nope," explores his signature brand of horror and delves into themes such as the pursuit of fame, the darker side of exhibitionism, and the nature of wild animals. The movie also includes small details that viewers may have missed.
Throughout the film, untameable beasts play a significant role in the narrative. The plot follows siblings OJ and Emerald Haywood who are struggling to keep their father's horse training business afloat after his mysterious death. However, their problems escalate when a flying extraterrestrial predator makes their property its home base, thanks to their neighbor Ricky "Jupe" Park, a former child actor and current theme park owner.
Is Nope Based on Skinwalker Ranch?
No, Nope is not Based on Skinwalker Ranch. Skinwalker Ranch is located in Utah's Uinta Basin and has been known to host strange phenomena like UFO sightings and "High Strangeness" events since the 1950s. The History Channel has a series called The Secret of Skinwalker Ranch, which explores the oddities that happen on the ranch.
However, there are theories that the film, Nope, shares a premise similar to incidents that have occurred at the infamous Utah ranch. While there is no evidence that Nope is directly based on Skinwalker Ranch, many people on social media have made the connection. It's possible that the film was at least partly inspired by the stories and legends surrounding Skinwalker Ranch.
Nope Plot
In Agua Dulce, California, the Haywood family operates a horse training and handling business for film and television productions. Tragedy strikes when Otis Haywood Sr. is killed by a falling nickel from an airplane. Months later, his children, OJ and Em, are fired from a TV commercial after their horse, Lucky, reacts violently to its reflection. To keep the business afloat, OJ sells some horses to Jupe, who runs a Western theme park called Jupiter's Claim.
The Haywoods notice their horses vanishing and violently reacting to an unknown presence and discover a UFO that has been taking their horses and spitting out inorganic matter. They decide to document and sell evidence of the UFO's existence and recruit Angel to set up surveillance cameras. The UFO arrives again and abducts Clover and a decoy is snatched from Jupiter's Claim. Em attempts to recruit cinematographer Antlers Holst to help them record the UFO, but he declines.
Angel reveals that a cloud captured on camera never moves, which OJ suspects are the UFO's hiding place. Jupe plans to use Lucky as bait to lure out the UFO, but it arrives early and devours Jupe and the audience. OJ confirms that the UFO is a highly territorial predatory organism, which he names "Jean Jacket". The group devises a plan to bait Jean Jacket with tube man props and an electric field. However, a paparazzo is thrown from his electric motorcycle and devoured by Jean Jacket.
Holst is also devoured, but the group manages to capture footage of Jean Jacket using a hand-cranked IMAX camera. Angel survives an attack by being wrapped in barbed wire. OJ intentionally looks directly at Jean Jacket to allow Em to escape and release a balloon mascot that causes Jean Jacket's death. With proof of Jean Jacket's existence, Em and OJ continue their family legacy.
Nope Summary
Nope is a 2022 science fiction horror film written, directed, and produced by Jordan Peele. The film follows horse-wrangling siblings OJ and Emerald as they attempt to capture evidence of an unidentified flying object that has suddenly appeared over their small town. As they investigate, they uncover a larger, more sinister conspiracy at play, with the flying object serving as just one piece of a much bigger puzzle.
Along the way, they must also contend with a group of menacing balloons and other eerie phenomena that seem to defy explanation. The film explores themes of fame, exhibitionism, and the power of spectacle, while also delivering Peele's signature brand of horror and suspense.
Nope Ending Explained
In conclusion, After initially being hesitant, OJ convinces Em and Angel to make another attempt to capture the monster on camera. With the realization that the creature, now named Jean Jacket by OJ, is a territorial predator, OJ believes he knows how to deal with it. Antlers, a cinematographer, also joins the team after seeing news of the people disappearing at the theme park and agrees to help capture the monster on film.
Their plan involves OJ drawing the monster out on horseback, while Angel sets up electricity-powered inflatable men around the ranch property to track the monster's movements. Antlers has a camera that runs on a crank, so it won't be affected by the monster's interference. However, their plan is jeopardized when a TMZ reporter shows up and crashes, forcing OJ to go check on him and putting himself in danger.
The monster eats the reporter, but OJ lures it into the line of Antler’s camera, successfully capturing footage of the monster on camera. However, Antlers ruins everything by pursuing the monster for the perfect shot, resulting in both him and his camera being eaten, and the footage being lost. The monster attacks again, but Em and OJ manage to escape. OJ sacrifices himself to draw the monster away from Em, who flees to the abandoned theme park.
There, she releases a giant inflatable balloon version of Jupe, a character from her childhood, to lure the monster over a wishing well. Using the well's old-fashioned crank camera, Em takes photo after photo, finally capturing photographic proof of the monster. The monster tries to swallow the balloon, but it blocks its airway and pops, killing the creature. OJ is unharmed and rides back to the theme park. Em and OJ's happy ending is complete with the hope that they can sell their photo for money.
Nope Review
Jordan Peele's films, such as "Get Out" and "Us," are known for their hidden messages, metaphor, and socio-political commentary, and his latest film, "Nope," is no exception. The movie takes its time to build a world around two siblings and their drastically different energies, set against the backdrop of a crumbling ranch, open sky, mountains, and landscape.
The plot involves strange sightings in the sky that turn deadly, and the siblings try to capture it on camera for money. Nope works as an immersive thriller that explores survival in the broader sense, with various theories and interpretations. Despite being a slow burn, the outstanding cinematography by Hoyte Van Hoytema, the incredible sound effects, and the heart-racing motorcycle-driven set pieces keep you glued to the screen.
The movie offers some of the most memorable sibling moments in cinema, and the use of "Nope, not today" is an ode to bad days and bad decisions. Overall, Nope is a captivating and trippy movie that should be watched on the big screen for its impressive world-building.
Nope Trailer
Is Nope Based on a True Story - FAQs
No, Nope is not based on a true story.
Nope explores themes such as the pursuit of fame, the darker side of exhibitionism, and the nature of wild animals.
No, Nope is not based on Skinwalker Ranch.
Nope premiered at the TCL Chinese Theatre in Los Angeles on July 18, 2022, and was released in theaters in the United States on July 22, 2022, by Universal Pictures.
The movie has grossed $171 million worldwide and received critical acclaim for its screenplay, performances, themes, cinematography, visual style, musical score, and Peele's direction. The American Film Institute also named Nope one of the top ten films of 2022.