Most of us have, at some point, imagined what it’d be like to be a superstar—but Hollywood has never let us forget: fame always comes with a price.
In HIM, the latest psychological horror from Jordan Peele’s Monkeypaw Productions, that price is steep. The newly released teaser trailer makes it clear: wishing for football stardom might just be a monkey’s paw. Between the physical toll, cult-like devotion, and fame-fueled madness, director Justin Tipping (Kicks) isn’t pulling any punches.
Starring former college wide receiver Tyriq Withers (Atlanta, I Know What You Did Last Summer), HIM follows Cameron Cade, a rising quarterback whose identity is wrapped in football. On the eve of the professional scouting Combine, he’s attacked by an obsessed fan, suffering what could be a career-ending brain injury.
Just when it seems all is lost, Cam gets a lifeline: his idol Isaiah White (Marlon Wayans), an eight-time championship-winning quarterback and cultural icon, offers to train him at his secluded compound. There, Isaiah lives with his influencer wife, Elsie White (Julia Fox; Uncut Gems). But what starts as a dream opportunity slowly spirals into a nightmare. The deeper Cam goes into Isaiah’s training, the more warped—and violent—the mentorship becomes.
The trailer wastes no time setting the tone. Stadium lights, cheering fans, and athletic glory dissolve into helmet collisions, cryptic rituals, masked cheerleaders, and blood-streaked training sessions. “In this game, violence is rewarded,” Isaiah says with a sneer. “So learn to enjoy it.”
Wayans, best known for his comedic roles, is almost unrecognizable here—menacing, magnetic, and fully committed to the darkness. It’s a turn that’s already turning heads.
Rounding out the cast are Tim Heidecker, Jim Jefferies, Grammy-nominated Tierra Whack (in her film debut), and Julia Fox. The screenplay comes from Justin Tipping, Zack Akers, and Skip Bronkie—the creators behind the podcast Limetown.
The teaser poster also hits hard: a blood-splattered football trapped in glass, paired with the haunting tagline, “Greatness demands sacrifice.” It’s giving high-stakes horror energy, and then some.
From the jump, HIM doesn’t just subvert the sports drama genre—it rips it wide open. The film blends the raw intensity of football with the psychological dread of horror, all while examining ambition, identity, and the dangerous cost of chasing greatness.
Whether you’re a horror buff, a sports fan, or just here to watch Marlon Wayans completely reinvent himself, HIM is not the movie to sleep on.
HIM hits theaters on September 19, 2025.
The full trailer is coming soon—stay tuned.