Jordan Peele is having a great year so far and it doesn’t seem to be slowing down anytime soon. His successful directorial debut in Get Out has earned over $200M worldwide just over this weekend! Not only is this the highest grossing film debut for a writer-director, but this makes Peele one of six black directors with $200 million-grossing films. He’ll be joining the likes of F. Gary Gray, Tim Story, Keenan Ivory Wayans, John Singleton and Clark Johnson.

The box office isn’t what matters here though. What I, an aspiring black writer-director, took away from this was opportunity. A door opened by a black man for other people of color in an industry that has closed so many doors on that same group of people. This allows black writers/directors/actors/etc. to stick to their truths; hopefully now Hollywood sees that authenticity and good film making both go a long way over appropriating and just trying too hard. Back in March Peele had this to say on the matter:

“The power of story and the power of a well-crafted film or television show is really all you need to speak to people,” Peele said. “I think Hollywood is sort of catching up to that. We’re at the beginning of a renaissance where people are realizing black films can not only work at the box office, but they can work because there’s been a void.”

It was recently announced by THR that Peele signed a first-look deal with Universal Studios. This deal includes a social-thriller follow-up to this year’s wokest movie (yeah I made that word up, fight me) and several other projects as well.

We’re rooting for you Jordan Peele and are so very proud of your success here at GoC. I thank you.

Get Out is still playing in select theaters & hits stores nationwide May 23rd!

Sources: Huffington Post & THR.