HIM: When Hero-Worship Turns into Horror

HIM: When Hero-Worship Turns into Horror.

Sports and horror don’t often share the same field, but HIM charges full force into that intersection — tackling obsession, hero-worship, and the brutality of American football with a blood-soaked playbook. Directed by Tipping and co-written with Skip Bronkie and Zack Akers, the film dares to ask: what happens when the idols we worship turn out to be monsters?

The answer, judging by the chilling trailers, is nothing short of terrifying. “In this game, violence is rewarded. So learn to enjoy it.”

The Story

When Hero-Worship Turns into Horror. At the heart of HIM is Cameron Cade (Tyriq Withers, Tell Me Lies, Atlanta), a rising quarterback on the brink of stardom. His shot at professional football nearly ends in tragedy after he’s assaulted by an obsessed fan on the eve of the NFL’s Scouting Combine. Just when Cade’s future seems uncertain, a miracle arrives in the form of an invitation to train with his idol: eight-time championship quarterback Isaiah White (Marlon Wayans, in a shocking villainous turn).

Cade retreats to White’s isolated compound, where the line between mentorship and manipulation quickly blurs. What begins as a dream opportunity becomes a punishing nightmare as Cade endures a grueling training regimen that pushes his body — and sanity — past the breaking point. White, Machiavellian and merciless, forces Cade to confront not only his physical limits but also the dark side of hero worship.

The Cast

Marlon Wayans leads the charge in a role unlike anything audiences have seen from him before. Gone is the comic relief of Scary Movie — here, he’s cold, calculating, and frighteningly believable as Isaiah White, a legend whose mask of glory hides something sinister.

Tyriq Withers shines as Cade, embodying both the vulnerability of a young athlete desperate to prove himself and the ferocity required to survive his twisted mentorship. Julia Fox (Uncut Gems) plays Elsie, White’s enigmatic wife, who adds another layer of tension to the claustrophobic setting. Tim Heidecker and Jim Jefferies round out the supporting cast, portraying the swarm of opportunists who gravitate toward young athletes like moths to a flame.

The Themes

At its core, HIM is about the dangers of idolizing false gods. Sports fandom often borders on obsession, and HIM takes that obsession to nightmarish extremes. Cade’s journey is a cautionary tale: the heroes we worship may not be saviors but predators, feeding off blind devotion and desperate ambition.

It’s also a brutal commentary on the culture of football itself — the glorification of violence, the worship of testosterone-fueled aggression, and the endless cycle of breaking down bodies in pursuit of fame. Watching HIM might leave you with the strange urge to smear eye black on your face or slap a stranger on the backside — but make no mistake, this is football in its most deranged, horrific form.

Early Buzz

Even Jordan Peele has teased that HIM “goes to some really terrifying places,” and if the trailers are any indication, audiences should prepare for a relentless collision between sports drama and psychological horror.

Final Thoughts

With its bold genre mashup, powerhouse cast, and disturbing themes, HIM looks poised to be one of the most original horror films in recent years. For anyone who has ever placed an athlete on a pedestal, this film asks one chilling question:

What happens when the person you admire most becomes the person you fear the most?