Taika Waititi Admits He’s Envious of Jordan Peele’s ‘Get Out’
Taika Waititi opens up about the one film he wishes he’d made, sharing his admiration for Jordan Peele’s acclaimed thriller and its impact on the industry.
Creative rivalry has always been part and parcel of the arts, with plenty of stories about musicians, painters, and filmmakers quietly sizing up each other’s work. For Taika Waititi, the acclaimed New Zealand director, there’s one film in particular that’s left him feeling a bit green with envy.
Waititi’s run in Hollywood has been nothing short of impressive. Between 2014 and 2016, he made a name for himself with offbeat comedies like What We Do in the Shadows and The Hunt for the Wilderpeople, both of which he wrote and directed. These films earned him heaps of praise and set him up for a major leap into the big leagues with Thor: Ragnarok. That film, with its wild humour and retro visuals, raked in nearly a billion dollars and gave superhero flicks a much-needed shake-up.
From Indie Darling to Blockbuster Director
After his Marvel success, Waititi switched gears with Jojo Rabbit in 2019, a dark comedy set during World War II. The film, starring Scarlett Johansson, was a hit with critics and scored six Oscar nominations, including a win for Best Screenplay. Around the same time, he directed episodes of The Mandalorian for Disney, while Jordan Peele, another rising star, lent his voice to a character in Toy Story 4.
But it’s Peele’s work behind the camera that really caught Waititi’s attention. When asked about his favourite film of the past decade, Waititi didn’t hesitate.
“My favourite film of the last 10 years was (Peele’s groundbreaking horror) Get Out. As a filmmaker, I’m very jealous because it’s such a smart idea.”
He went on to say,
“And often, the films these days, there’s no really good idea behind them. It’s just like, I’m going to do a character study, and I’m going to do a film with a divorce. I’m going to do a film about a kid who doesn’t know his dad – which is all my films – but, you know, to have, like, a concept that, oh, these people are body snatching African Americans, and this guy has been, like, basically catfished into this community is just really cool.”
‘Get Out’ and Its Lasting Impact
When Get Out hit cinemas in 2017, it quickly became a word-of-mouth sensation. The psychological thriller, starring Daniel Kaluuya and Allison Williams, was made on a shoestring budget of $4 million but pulled in $250 million worldwide. The film’s clever take on social issues and its twisty plot have since landed it at the top of many critics’ lists for the best films of the century. Peele’s screenplay even earned him an Oscar, cementing his reputation as one of Hollywood’s most inventive directors.
Following Get Out, Peele kept the momentum going with the chilling Us and the sci-fi thriller Nope, again featuring Kaluuya. Each project has further established Peele as a filmmaker with a knack for blending genre thrills with sharp social commentary.
Waititi’s Next Moves
Waititi’s own career has had its ups and downs. While Thor: Love and Thunder didn’t quite win over critics in 2022, it still pulled in massive box office numbers. Since then, he’s been busy as an executive producer on the TV adaptation of What We Do in the Shadows and is reportedly working on new scripts for both Star Wars and Flash Gordon. He’s also wrapped up filming a lead role in the upcoming fantasy Fing!, which follows a pair of librarians on a quest inspired by their daughter’s favourite books.
Despite his own achievements, Waititi’s admiration for Peele’s work is clear. Sometimes, even the most successful creatives can’t help but wish they’d come up with someone else’s brilliant idea first.