Not only was Jordan Peele's Get Out critically acclaimed and a huge hit in 2017, it also inspired one of the strangest memes with the #GetOutChallenge. Jordan Peele rose to fame with Key & Peele, where he and comedy partner Keegan-Michael Key (The Predator) created some hilarious comedy sketches. The show ran for five seasons and led to other acting work for the duo, but Peele's love of the horror genre soon led to him teaming with Blumhouse to direct Get Out.
Get Out was pitched as a horror thriller with a strong social message. The story follows a young black man named Chris (Daniel Kaluuya) who travels to meet the family of his white girlfriend and slowly uncovers a horrifying secret. The movie was praised for its slow-burning suspense, fantastic performances and for tackling uncomfortable themes head on. Get Out would become a surprise smash hit, grossing over $255 million worldwide and Peele would win an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay.
Get Out features any number of great sequences, such as Chris slipping into the "sunken place," for the first time. Another memorable moment is when Chris sneaks out for a cigarette and is confronted by groundskeeper Walter sprinting at him with terrifying speed, only to make a turn moments before running into him. It's an expertly staged jump scare and would also inspire the Get Out Challenge meme.
The Get Out Challenge is pretty straightforward, with people filming themselves running full speed at a camera like Walter does, before breaking off at the last moment. People shot videos in locations like parks or supermarkets, and even Lupita Nyong'o got in on the fun, filming a Get Out Challenge video from the set of Black Panther featuring Daniel Kaluuya himself. Jordan Peele himself would even take on the challenge during an episode of The Tonight Show. The challenge didn't go well for everyone who tried it, however, with some videos featuring challengers slipping or running into the camera by accident.
The Get Out Challenge was an early sign of the way the movie had inspired pop culture, and while the meme didn't last long, it inspired some funny videos. Peele would follow up Get Out with Us, a horror movie about a family confronted by their murderous doppelgangers. The movie was another big success for Peele, who also rebooted The Twilight Zone TV series for CBS All Access in 2019. He also acts as the voice of Bunny in upcoming Pixar sequel Toy Story 4.