How the horror satire 'Get Out' became an unlikely Oscar darling

By conventional Hollywood standards, "Get Out" shouldn't be an Oscar darling. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is usually averse to horror movies, and almost never rewards films that come out early in the year. What's more, the academy typically favors industry stalwarts, not first-time filmmakers like writer-director Jordan Peele.

But "Get Out" broke all the rules, earning four nominations including best picture, best director and best original screenplay, marking another twist in a highly unusual yearlong path from last year's Sundance Film Festival to the Oscars red carpet. The movie is the first February release to earn a best picture nomination since "The Silence of the Lambs" won the top prize in 1992.

The unexpected success of the $4.5-million socially conscious thriller, released by Universal Pictures, is more than just a quirky Hollywood anomaly. It serves as a reminder that studios, even in a seemingly ossified system, can find