First-time director Jordan Peele, one-half of the comedic duo Key and Peele, had the time of his life messing with our heads this past spring with the horror-satire “Get Out.” The clever film packed plenty of tension, but also found a way to skewer and make critical insights about the race relations in America. “Get Out” wasn’t just a horror comedy, but it was filled with political fireworks that made it a lot more nuanced and thought-provoking than your average B-movie flick.
Moreover, it was a treat to see such a brilliant treatise become a box-office phenomenon. According to The Wrap, Peele’s film has amassed $252 million worldwide on a mere $4.5 million budget. These figures make “Get Out” the most profitable movie so far this year. A considerable achievement that was most likely helped by the incredibly positive word-of mouth from both critics and audiences towards the film. A 99% Rotten Tomatoes rating has helped make it one of the most critically acclaimed movies of the year. In fact, last month, “Get Out” topped an Awards Daily poll, conducted by yours truly, that amassed more than 100 critics lists to come up with the best movies of 2017 so far.
Peele’s film wasn’t the only low-budget indie blockbuster of the year. M. Night Shyamalan‘s comeback vehicle “Split” was close behind in second place with a worldwide tally of $277 million, against a $9 million budget and $30 million in marketing costs. Another impressive success story.