Box Office Preview: Jordan Peele’s ‘Us’ Eyes Terrifying $40M-$48M Debut

Writer-director Jordan Peele’s Us looks to do terrifying business in its box office debut this weekend.

The Universal and Monkeypaw Productions release is tracking to take in anywhere from $38 million to $48 million after staging a buzzy premiere at SXSW. Some analysts believe the film could approach, or even cross, $50 million.

The supernatural horror pic is tipped to wrest the domestic box office crown from Captain Marvel, which is heading into its third weekend with more than $800 million in global ticket sales.

Us, starring Lupita Nyong’o, is the second feature Peele has helmed after Get Out, the 2017 horror film that turned into a cultural sensation with commentary on race relations. Get Out bowed to $33.4 million domestically on its way to grossing $176 million in North America and $79.4 overseas million for a total of $255.4 million against a tiny $4.5 million production budget.

Offshore, Us is set to debut in 48 markets this weekend timed to its U.S. launch.

Offering plenty of twists and turns, the pic tells the story of Adelaide Wilson, an African-American woman who returns to her beachside childhood home with her two children and husband, played by Winston Duke (Black Panther). Soon, they come up against terrifying and uncanny opponents: doppelgangers of themselves.

Critics have lauded Us, which currently boasts a near-perfect score of 98 percent on Rotten Tomatoes.

Peele produced the $20 million film via his Monkeypaw Productions alongside creative director Ian Cooper.

In a testament to the massive success of Get Out, no other studio is daring to open a new film nationwide opposite Us.