Horror fans are surely going to want to see Jordan Peele’s new movie, Us, no matter what—but what if we told you it had also had a crazy link to The Lost Boys?
In an interview with Uproxx, the writer/director explained that there’s a diegetic link between his film and that film and it’s almost too awesome for words. To explain it is a minor, minor spoiler, but trust us: We wouldn’t post this before the movie was released if we thought it would hinder your enjoyment of the movie at all. In fact, this probably makes it better. Either way, just in case...
For reasons we won’t get into, featuring characters we won’t reveal, Us begins in the year 1986 on the boardwalk of Santa Cruz, California. The Lost Boys takes place in a fictional town called Santa Carla, but was shot in Santa Cruz. We’ll let Peele and Uproxx take it from there.
Peele: The Lost Boys, yeah! We shot in Santa Cruz and the first scene of our movie is there.
Uproxx: Oh, it’s the same beach?
Peele: It’s the same beach, it’s the same amusement park. And it’s even 1986.
Uproxx: The Lost Boys came out in 1987, right?
Peele: But there is a reference to The Lost Boys shooting by the carousel. They’re walking down the Santa Monica boardwalk and the mother says, “You know they’re shooting a movie over there by the carousel.”
You read that right. There’s a throwaway line at the beginning of Us revealing that it takes place at the same time and place as the filming of The Lost Boys. Why? Well, again, once you see the movie there are plenty of theories one could link to this fact. But even if it’s just a fun Easter egg, we think it’s very cool. Here’s The Lost Boys scene that was being filmed as the reality of Us was happening a few yards away.
Us opens this Friday and we’ll have much more soon.
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