Monkeypaw Productions is an American independent film and television production company founded by Jordan Peele in 2012.[3] It is known for producing horror films, such as Get Out, Us, Candyman, Nope, and Wendell & Wild, as well as other films, such as Keanu and Monkey Man.
 Monkeypaw Productions vanity plate; a heavily simplified version is used as its logo | |
| Company type | Privately held company |
|---|---|
| Industry | Film, television |
| Founded | 2012 |
| Founder | Jordan Peele |
| Headquarters | Los Angeles, California , United States |
Key people |
|
| Website | monkeypawproductions |
On October 1, 2019, the company signed a 5-year exclusivity deal with Universal Pictures.[4]
Overview
editIn 2012, Jordan Peele launched Monkeypaw Productions and released the comedy series Key & Peele on January 31 on Comedy Central.[5] When the series ended in 2015, Peele and Keegan-Michael Key wrote the script for the action comedy film Keanu which was released on April 29, 2016, by New Line Cinema and Warner Bros. Pictures.[6]
On September 21, 2015, it was announced that Peele would write and direct his directorial debut feature film Get Out, a social horror film starring Daniel Kaluuya and Allison Williams which was released on February 24, 2017, by Universal Pictures.[7] Following the success of the film, Peele signed a two-year, first-look deal with Universal. The deal was made with the intention of highlighting stories and creatives from marginalized communities.[8]
On November 3, 2015, it was reported that Henry Selick was developing Wendell & Wild, a stop motion animated horror comedy film based on an unpublished book by Selick and Clay McLeod Chapman.[9][10] The film was set to star Key and Peele, the latter also being a writer and producer on the film.[9] In March 2018, the film was picked up by Netflix.[11] The film premiered at TIFF on September 11, 2022, and was later released on October 28, 2022.[10]
On May 16, 2017, it was announced that the company and Bad Robot were producing a horror television series titled Lovecraft Country for HBO and Warner Bros. Television Studios. The series was based on and served as a continuation of the 2016 novel of the same name by Matt Ruff. The pilot was written by Misha Green, who served as the showrunner for the series. Peele, J. J. Abrams and Ben Stephenson served as executive producers.[12] The series premiered on August 16, 2020.
On May 8, 2018, it was announced that Peele would write and direct his second feature film Us, a horror film starring Lupita Nyong'o, Winston Duke and Elisabeth Moss. The film was released on March 22, 2019, by Universal Pictures.[13] In 2019, Us was featured in a maze for Universal's Halloween Horror Nights and in 2022 as part of the terror tram.
On November 9, 2020, it was announced that Peele would write and direct his third feature film Nope, a science fiction horror film starring Daniel Kaluuya, Keke Palmer and Steven Yeun was released on July 22, 2022, by Universal Pictures. The original set of Jupiter's Claim, the fictional theme park featured in the film was added permanently as a part of Universal Studios Hollywood's Studio Tour. The set became the first Studio Tour attraction to open the same day as a film's release.[14] In 2022, Nope was featured at Universal's Halloween Horror Nights as part of the terror tram with Us.
On September 1, 2021, Monkeypaw and Peele signed a multiyear TV deal with Universal Studio Group ending a previous first-look deal with Amazon Studios. The deal brought both film and television output under a partnership with Universal.[15]
On March 20, 2023, it was announced that Peele would write and direct his fourth feature film. It was scheduled to be released on December 25, 2024, by Universal Pictures, but was removed from Universal's schedule due to the 2023 Hollywood labor disputes, before being rescheduled to October 23, 2026.[16][17][18]
Feature films
editFilms
edit| Release date | Film | Director(s) | Distributor |
|---|---|---|---|
| April 29, 2016 | Keanu | Peter Atencio | Warner Bros. Pictures |
| February 24, 2017 | Get Out | Jordan Peele | Universal Pictures |
| August 10, 2018 | BlacKkKlansman | Spike Lee | Focus Features |
| March 22, 2019 | Us | Jordan Peele | Universal Pictures |
| August 27, 2021 | Candyman | Nia DaCosta | |
| July 22, 2022 | Nope | Jordan Peele | |
| September 2, 2022 | Honk for Jesus. Save Your Soul. | Adamma Ebo | Focus Features |
| October 28, 2022 | Wendell & Wild | Henry Selick | Netflix |
| April 5, 2024 | Monkey Man | Dev Patel | Universal Pictures |
Upcoming films
edit| Release date | Film | Director(s) | Distributor |
|---|---|---|---|
| September 19, 2025[19] | Him[20] | Justin Tipping | Universal Pictures |
| October 23, 2026[18] | Untitled film[21][22] | Jordan Peele | |
| — | The People Under the Stairs[23] | — | |
| — | Sinkhole[24] | — | |
| — | Suicide by Sunlight[25] | Nikyatu Jusu |
Short films
edit| Release date | Film | Director(s) | Distributor(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| March 13, 2022 | Moshari[26] | Nuhash Humayun | Little Big Films Monkeypaw Productions Left Handed Films |
Television series
edit| Year | Series | Creator(s) | Network |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2012–2015 | Key & Peele | Keegan-Michael Key Jordan Peele |
Comedy Central |
| 2018–2021 | The Last O.G. | John Carcieri Jordan Peele |
TBS |
| 2019 | Weird City | Charlie Sanders Jordan Peele |
YouTube Premium |
| Lorena | Joshua Rofé | Amazon Prime Video | |
| 2019–2020 | The Twilight Zone | Simon Kinberg Jordan Peele Marco Ramirez |
CBS All Access |
| 2020–2023 | Hunters | David Weil | Amazon Prime Video |
| 2020 | Lovecraft Country | Misha Green | HBO |
| 2024–present | Scare Tactics | Scott Hallock Kevin Healey |
USA Network |
Podcasts
edit| Year | Podcast | Creator(s) | Network |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Quiet Part Loud | Jordan Peele Mimi O'Donnell Win Rosenfeld |
Spotify |
| Chutzpah: Hunters Presents True Stories of Resistance | Jordan Peele David Weil |
— |
Books
edit| Publication date | Book | Author |
|---|---|---|
| November 26, 2019 | Get Out: The Complete Annotated Screenplay | Jordan Peele |
| October 3, 2023 | Out There Screaming: An Anthology of New Black Horror | Various Authors |
| September 3, 2024 | Us: The Complete Annotated Screenplay | Jordan Peele |
Video games
edit| Year | Title | Developer | Publisher | Platforms |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TBA | OD | Kojima Productions | Xbox Game Studios | — |
References
edit- ^ Fleming, Mike Jr. (October 12, 2017). "Jordan Peele's Monkeypaw Sets Win Rosenfeld As President". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved August 28, 2020.
- ^ "Monkeypaw Productions". www.monkeypawproductions.com. Retrieved November 22, 2021.
- ^ "Jordan Peele". Variety. February 23, 2017.
- ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony (October 1, 2019). "Jordan Peele & His Monkeypaw Productions Ink Exclusive 5-Year Deal With Universal". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved February 13, 2022.
- ^ Kaitlin Reilly (March 15, 2018). "Key & Peele Are Getting The Band Back Together… In Hell". Refinery29. Vice Media Group.
- ^ Pedersen, Erik (January 12, 2016). "Warner Bros Moves Key & Peele Starrer 'Keanu' Back One Week – Update". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved May 5, 2017.
- ^ Pederson, Erik (October 4, 2016). "'Get Out': Universal Dates Jordan Peele's Blumhouse Chiller & Unleashes Trailer". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved May 5, 2017.
- ^ Kit, Borys (May 3, 2017). "'Get Out' Filmmaker Jordan Peele Signs First-Look Deal With Universal". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved May 5, 2017.
- ^ a b Flores, Terry (November 3, 2015). "Henry Selick, Key & Peele Developing Animated Feature 'Wendell and Wild' (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved August 26, 2022.
- ^ a b Hodges, Jake (September 4, 2022). "'Wendell and Wild': Release Date, Trailer, Cast, and Everything We Know So Far". Collider. Retrieved November 9, 2022.
- ^ Fleming, Mike Jr. (March 14, 2018). "Netflix Wins Stop-Motion Animated 'Wendell And Wild': Henry Selick, Jordan Peele, Keegan-Michael Key Aboard". Deadline. Retrieved August 26, 2022.
- ^ Fleming, Mike Jr. (May 16, 2017). "'Get Out's Jordan Peele Teams With WBTV, HBO & Bad Robot For 'Lovecraft Country' Drama Series; Misha Green Writing". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved May 16, 2017.
- ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony (January 8, 2019). "Jordan Peele's 'Us' To Hit Theaters A Week Later After Landing SXSW Opening Night Slot". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved January 8, 2019.
- ^ Jupiter's Claim from Jordan Peele Movie 'Nope' Comes to Universal Hollywood's Studio Tour
- ^ Porter, Rick (September 1, 2021). "Jordan Peele's Monkeypaw Productions Moves Overall TV Deal to Universal". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved September 1, 2021.
- ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony (March 20, 2023). "Universal Dates Two Movies From Jordan Peele's Monkeypaw For 2024". Deadline. Retrieved March 27, 2023.
- ^ Stenzel, Wesley (December 22, 2023). "Jordan Peele's next movie pulled from 2024 release calendar". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved December 29, 2023.
- ^ a b D'Alessandro, Anthony (June 17, 2024). "Jordan Peele's Fourth Directorial Lands October 2026 Theatrical Release". Deadline. Retrieved June 17, 2024.
- ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony (May 9, 2024). "Universal Sets Fall 2025 Release Of Monkeypaw's Him Starring Marlon Wayans". Deadline Hollywood. Penske Media Corporation.
- ^ Kroll, Justin (June 9, 2022). "Monkeypaw Lands Psychological Horror Pitch 'Goat'". Deadline. Retrieved September 28, 2022.
- ^ "Coming Soon". Monkeypaw Productions. February 17, 2024. Retrieved February 17, 2024.
- ^ Squires, John (March 20, 2023). "Jordan Peele's Fourth Movie Will Release for Christmas 2024". Bloody Disgusting!. Retrieved March 27, 2023.
- ^ Sneider, Jeff (October 30, 2020). "Exclusive: Jordan Peele Mounting 'The People Under the Stairs' Remake at Universal". Collider. Archived from the original on November 17, 2020. Retrieved November 16, 2020.
- ^ Jordan Peele, Issa Rae Team for Sci-Fi Horror Movie 'Sinkhole' at Universal
- ^ Nikyatu Jusu Confirms Her Next Horror Film For Monkeypaw & Universal Is "Expansion" Of Black Vampire Short 'Suicide By Sunlight'
- ^ Jordan Peele, Riz Ahmed to Executive Produce Nuhash Humayun's Live-Action Short 'Moshari' (EXCLUSIVE)