Lupita Nyong’o Is Open to Returning for a Sequel to ‘Us’ — If Jordan Peele Decides to Make One

Tambay Obenson

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The open ending of Jordan Peele’s box office horror hit “Us” left viewers with questions, leading to hopes and rumors that a sequel would likely follow. However, when asked about returning for any potential sequel during the film’s premiere in March of this year, “Us” star Lupita Nyong’o — who does double duty as the film’s matriarch and her monstrous “Tethered” double — was emphatic in her response: “Thank you very much, no. No.”

In an interview with IndieWire this week, Nyong’o was initially just as firm in her opposition to starring in another “Us” movie. However, after some further discussion around the strength of a potential script, and who else might be involved, her opinion appeared to evolve.

“Well, never say never, because the minute you say ‘no,’ that’s exactly what’s going to happen,” she said. “So maybe I’ll say, absolutely, yeah, just so that karma doesn’t come to bite me in the butt.”

Peele has never said that there will be an “Us” follow-up, but he did admit that he could be convinced to return to an “Us” universe to tell another story.

“Sure! It’s a fun one,” Peele said in a March interview with Polygon. “There’s a lot going on there. The ‘Us-verse’… I like that.”

And should he return to his established “Us-verse,” Peele certainly has much material to work with, to avoid any retreads of the original film.

Nyong’o told IndieWire that shooting “Us” took an emotional toll on her even as she treasured the experience. “It cost me a lot, but it also offered me a lot, and I grew so much,” she said, adding that she told Peele that she would never again don the red jumpsuit worn by the Tethered character in the film.

“I lied, because I’ve worn it twice since we wrapped,” she said with a laugh. “I wore it once to do some stint with Trevor Noah, and then just recently, when I went to visit Horror Nights and I wanted to surprise some of the unsuspecting guests.”

And so here’s the dilemma, as it stands: While she loved the film’s open ending and would prefer to shut the door on that world, she hinted that — should he want her to return for a sequel — she would certainly consider it.

“Ultimately, I really do love the work we created together, and how imaginative it is,” Nyong’o said. “Obviously, I’m in love with Jordan’s mind and the work that comes out of it. And in this case, that includes the role that he bestowed on me.”

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