10 must-watch Jordan Peele movies that showcase his genius

Jordan Peele started out with sketch comedy but now he makes some of the most talked-about horror films. He went from making people laugh on Mad TV to making people uncomfortable in the best way possible. His movies don’t just scare you with ghosts or killers.

They mess with your head. They take real problems like racism or class and turn them into something you feel in your gut. You watch his films and you don’t forget them the next day. That’s the difference. He doesn’t rely on loud moments or cheap tricks. He builds tension slowly.

He makes you think while you watch, and even if you laugh during a scene you’re usually silent by the next. Peele’s style shows up in everything he touches whether he’s directing or producing or just doing voice work. His production company Monkeypaw backs projects that follow the same path.

They push boundaries without losing the story. His work with directors like Spike Lee or Henry Selick shows how much he cares about the craft. Jordan Peele doesn’t try to do what everyone else does. He stays in his own lane and that’s exactly why people keep paying attention.

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Must-watch Jordan Peele movies that showcase his genius

1. Get Out (2017) – Director, Writer, Producer

Jordan Peele wrote and directed Get Out with a small budget but a sharp idea. He built a story around racism that doesn’t scream at you but creeps up slowly. His direction gave scenes room to breathe and let the discomfort settle in.

As producer, he shaped the film from casting to pacing. Daniel Kaluuya gave a breakout performance and every detail felt thought through. The movie hit because it feel like a lecture, and yet was smart and made people look closer at everyday interactions. Peele won an Oscar for the script and became a major voice in film.

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2. Us (2019) – Director, Writer, Producer

Peele followed Get Out with something bigger and stranger. Us looked like a home invasion film but unfolded into something deeper. He wrote a story about doubles and hidden systems. The film posed questions about who gets to live on the surface and who gets pushed underground.

As director, he gave Lupita Nyong’o space to show two completely different sides of the same person. As producer, he backed a story that didn’t offer simple answers. The film got people talking because it was full of signs and symbols. Even if you didn’t agree with what it meant, you remembered it afterward.

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3. Nope (2022) – Director, Writer, Producer

Nope didn’t play like a traditional horror film. Peele wrote a story about a brother and sister running a horse ranch that turns into something bigger. He explored how people react to spectacle and how trauma gets packaged for views.

He directed scenes that moved slowly and forced you to look at the sky differently. As producer, he worked on building that strange UFO creature and shaped how it moved and sounded. He cast Keke Palmer and Daniel Kaluuya as siblings who felt real and layered. The film refused to explain everything and that was part of the point.

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4. Candyman (2021) – Writer, Producer

Peele helped write Candyman as a follow-up to the 1992 film of the same name. He didn’t retell the story. He built on it. He focused on how stories get erased and how gentrification rewrites entire communities. The idea of Candyman became less about one person and more about a cycle.

As producer, he supported director Nia DaCosta’s vision and helped bring in moments like the animated puppet sequences. Those scenes filled in the backstory without slowing things down. Peele’s influence is clear even though he didn’t direct. He shaped how the film talks about pain being passed down in ways that never really fade.

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5. Keanu (2016) – Writer, Producer, Actor

Peele co-wrote Keanu with Alex Rubens, and helped take an absurd idea and make it feel grounded. The story followed two average guys pretending to be killers to get a kitten back. He played one of the leads and brought his low-key delivery to most scenes.

As producer, he helped guide the tone so it felt like a feature film and not a long sketch. The film used action movie setups but always found the joke in them. Peele kept the story tight and let the comedy come from the characters. It showed what he could do outside horror.

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6. Wendell & Wild (2022) – Writer, Producer, Voice Actor

Jordan Peele co-wrote Wendell & Wild with Henry Selick and helped build a dark animated world centered around two demon brothers. He voiced Wendell while Keegan-Michael Key played Wild. The characters brought humor but the story carried serious themes.

As producer, Peele helped push the project through Netflix and gave Selick the space to retain his visual style. He made sure the story addressed topics like private prisons and grief without losing focus. The animation felt bold because Peele kept the tone sharp. His role behind the scenes and in the booth helped the film land with both kids and adults.

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7. BlacKkKlansman (2018) – Producer

Peele read Ron Stallworth’s story and immediately saw its potential. He brought it to Spike Lee and helped get it made through his deal with Focus Features. Peele collaborated as producer and worked closely to support the story’s sharpest turns.

He helped shape the final cut and pushed for the real-world ending footage. That decision grounded the story in the present, in a way that it hit harder. Peele trusted Lee’s voice and helped amplify it when it mattered. The film went on to earn an Oscar nomination for Best Picture and proved Peele’s eye for material went beyond directing.

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8. Monkey Man (2024) – Producer

Peele joined Monkey Man after watching an early version directed by Dev Patel. The film needed a distributor and Peele stepped in through Monkeypaw Productions. He worked to give the movie a proper release after other studios passed.

He helped take the film to South by Southwest where it premiered to strong reactions. Peele did not change the content but helped the film reach the right stage. His involvement added weight and visibility without shifting the voice. That move showed how he supports global stories and uses his name to bring attention to films that need a push.

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9. Toy Story 4 (2019) – Voice Actor as Bunny

Peele voiced Bunny in Toy Story 4 alongside Key as Ducky. Their characters were carnival prizes who wanted to be won. They stood out with jokes that played off timing and surprise. Peele brought the same rhythm fans knew from Key & Peele.

The “plush rush” bit became a highlight because the delivery worked without forcing the joke. Peele understood how to hold a beat and land a line. The performance gave energy to new characters in a franchise already packed with stars. It was a short role but one that added something sharp to the overall film.

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10. Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie (2017) – Voice Actor as Melvin

In Captain Underpants, Peele voiced Melvin who was the class tattletale. He played the role with a dry tone and kept the delivery flat. The choice made Melvin’s reactions feel more real in a cartoon world filled with chaos.

Peele didn’t exaggerate the voice and that helped balance the energy around him. It showed he knew how to work within an ensemble without pulling focus. Even though the movie was aimed at kids, the performance hit home with viewers across age groups because of the way Peele interpreted its rhythm and tone. It gave the character enough weight to make him more than just the annoying kid in the background.

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