Release Date: September 19, 2025
Genre: Psychological Horror / Cult Thriller / Sports Drama
Director: Justin Tipping
Writers: Zachary Drucker, Daniel Linde
Cast:
- Jahi Winston as Cameron Cade
- David Oyelowo as Isaiah White
- Marlon Wayans
- Okieriete Onaodowan
- Tyla Abercrumbie
- Ian Foreman
Production Companies: Monkeypaw Productions (Jordan Peele), Universal Pictures
Producers: Jordan Peele, Ian Cooper, Win Rosenfeld
Distributor: Universal Pictures
Runtime: Estimated ~100–110 minutes
Rating: Likely R (not yet officially rated) for disturbing thematic material, ritual violence, and strong language
Buzz Score: 9/10 (early fan forums)
Reddit Favorite Quote: “This isn’t Friday Night Lights. It’s Friday Night Frights.”
Plot Summary – Friday Night Rituals
QB prodigy Cameron Cade has it all — the stats, the scholarship offers, and a future paved in NFL gold. But when he’s accepted into an elite training camp run by legendary mentor Isaiah White (David Oyelowo), the dream takes a hard left.
Drills turn into rituals. Pep talks sound like sermons. The team chants in Latin. There’s a bonfire sacrifice “for team unity.” Is this a training ground or the front porch of Hell?
And that’s before Cameron starts hallucinating… or are they visions? Team members chant in tongues. Coaches disappear. Mirrors scream. This is Varsity Blues meets Hereditary, and somewhere in the mix, Jordan Peele’s Get Out-style tension lingers under the turf.
What Makes HIM Different?
- Genre Blender: HIM is a unique blend of horror and teen sports drama, with a deep undertone of cult obsession and Black identity, promising a viewing experience like no other.
- Camp Setting: Think “summer football camp” but swap Gatorade for goat blood.
- Psychological Layer: HIM doesn’t rely on jump-scare horror. Instead, it delves into the type of horror that crawls under your skin and taps into your childhood trauma with a cleat, promising a thought-provoking and engaging experience.
- A24 Energy: While HIM is produced by Blumhouse, fans swear it feels like an A24 cousin who hit the gym, promising a high-quality and intense viewing experience.
Reddit Buzz – Already Calling It the “Horror Sleeper of the Year”
u/spiritofbooster: “Why does this give me the same uncomfortable feeling The Ritual gave, but with a Nike sponsorship?”
u/quarterblackdemon: “Marlon Wayans doing cult horror? We’ve come full circle from Scary Movie. This man deserves an Oscar for just not cracking a joke.”
u/padlockedhelmet: “Someone said this is Remember the Titans if the Titans worshiped HIM (yes, the dark one). I can’t stop thinking about that.”
Reddit’s horror thread is vibing hard with the “teenage Black trauma wrapped in Satanic Nike camp“ angle. One user even called it “The Babadook with a bench press PR.“ That might be a stretch… but not by much.
Why HIM (2025) Will Haunt You Long After the Credits Roll
Our Take:
HIM isn’t just a horror film—it’s a gut punch wrapped in rituals, blood, and broken dreams. This is the kind of story that crawls under your skin and festers, especially if you’ve ever dealt with pressure, performance, or the toxic grind of being “the best.“ It weaponizes masculinity, grief, and ambition in a way that’s both terrifying and strangely relatable.
Fans of Hereditary, Midsommar, and Get Out will feel right at home—in the worst way. You’ll watch for the scares, but stay for the lingering unease that messes with your head for days. Peele didn’t just produce a film—he unleashed a nightmare that knows your name.
Why You Should Care
Besides being possibly the first horror film set in a football cult, HIM is also a deeply emotional look at masculinity, legacy, and manipulation. The way Cameron Cade starts questioning his own autonomy — are his dreams his, or was he trained to want them? — hits hard for millennials and Gen Z, dealing with generational expectations.
Also, David Oyelowo as a spiritual-cult-coach-hybrid is already being memed on Reddit. “The Playbook of the Damned,“ one user wrote. We’re expecting Oscar bait in cleats.
Funny Moments (Not on Purpose)
- That one scene where Cameron throws a touchdown mid-possession and the entire team starts chanting backward? Kinda iconic. Kinda ridiculous. Reddit called it “the Exorcist if she were on varsity.”
- A demon-possessed mascot doing pushups after every score? Peak horror absurdity.
- And yes, one coach has a whistle made out of bones. We’re not even kidding.
Related Previews to Check Out
If you’re into horror with a fresh twist, don’t miss:
- Traumatika – September 12 (Surreal body horror with mother-daughter trauma and monsters)
- Exit 8 – August 29 (Japanese psychological horror meets highway paranoia)
- The Conjuring: Last Rites – September 5 (Final chapter of the Warrens’ saga)
Final Snap Judgment
HIM is the horror movie your high school football coach warned you about. Emotionally layered, visually disturbing, and spiritually unnerving, it’s poised to become a cult classic, appealing to fans of Peele, Aster, and demonic pep rallies. Expect cult Twitter and film bros alike to obsess over it.
This fall, the only thing more dangerous than a concussion is saluting the wrong sideline.
Verdict: “He came for greatness. He left with HIM.”
Welcome to the twisted corner of the internet, where sarcasm meets screams. I’m The Freaker — horror junkie, pop culture troll, and the guy who thinks possession movies are better than therapy (and cheaper too). When I’m not binge-watching cursed VHS tapes or judging slasher logic, I’m writing blogs that bleed humor, sass, and unfiltered chaos.
Expect deep dives into horror movies, half-baked fan theories, and more red flags than your ex’s dating history. This blog isn’t for the faint-hearted or the easily offended — it’s for the freaks, the scream queens, and everyone who secretly roots for the villain.
Grab your popcorn, holy water, and a sense of humor.
You’re in The Freaker’s house now — and yes, the walls do bleed.
