Him Opens to Mixed Reviews as Jordan Peele-Produced Football Thriller

Him, a Jordan Peele produced football horror thriller directed by Justin Tipping, opened in U.S. theaters on September 19, 2025, to largely mixed and often negative reviews from critics. The film, which stars Tyriq Withers as rising quarterback Cameron Cade and Marlon Wayans as legendary veteran Isaiah White, centers on Cade’s descent into violence and psychological manipulation after a career threatening injury and an invitation to train at White’s isolated compound.

The plot follows Cade, an aspiring "greatest of all time" quarterback, who suffers a potentially career ending brain injury on the eve of the professional scouting combine. White, an eight time champion and cultural icon, offers to mentor him at a desert compound he shares with his wife Elsie, played by Julia Fox. As training intensifies, the film portrays escalating rituals, aggressive conditioning and a cultlike atmosphere that transforms White’s charisma into something darker, according to the studio synopsis and reviews.

Critical reaction has tended toward disappointment, with many reviewers faulting the film for style over substance. Rotten Tomatoes reported a 29 percent Tomatometer score at opening, though...