Jordan Peele calls Him a horror movie that is different from all others, details revealed

Jordan Peele is all praise for director Justin Tipping when it comes to his horror movie, Him. The film shows Peele returning with another genre fare, but only as a producer. He has been working on this project through his Monkeypaw Productions since 2022. Back then, it was a spec script dubbed GOAT written by Skip Bronkie and Zack Akers.

Later, Tipping was brought on board as a co-writer and director for this feature film, with a central cast of Marlon Wayans and Tyriq Withers. He took the responsibility to bring this sports-themed horror to life with an elevated absurdism. The film's plot synopsis, as per IMDb, reads:

"A young athlete descends into a world of terror when he's invited to train with a legendary champion whose charisma curdles into something darker."

As the film is approaching its theatrical release, Peele gave a verdict on what Tipping's work entails.

“Justin Tipping is an incredible visionary. His ability to create this unique horror film within the world of professional sports is like nothing else I’ve ever seen in my life,” said Peele about Tipping.

Peele's words spark hope for Tipping's sophomore feature directorial effort, which is scheduled to release in theaters next month by Universal Pictures.

What is Him, produced by Jordan Peele, about?

Him, the 2025 horror movie, will follow a young American football player hoping to be the GOAT (greatest of all time), but he doesn't realize that fame and power come with some sort of sacrifice.

Justin Tipping's film taps into this dramatic hook to capture the struggle between ambition and obsession and presents it with an unfiltered and unapologetic bluntness. The trailers offer more than a glimpse of what we're about to experience in his work, but before that happens, Jordan Peele sheds light on what the film is primarily about.

"This film is about the relationship between a student and his hero. [In this movie], HIM means the GOAT, the one person who deserves respect among all others. This film begs the question, 'What are you willing to sacrifice?'" explains Peele.

Director Justin Tipping also revealed some details about his creative process in the recent promotional videos, shared by Universal Pictures. He said,

"I knew exactly what to do with this film. I could feel it in my bones. I wanted to mesh two different languages to try to create a new one. We're leaning into psychological horror. So, there are moments that are really dark and terrifying."

He further added,

"Beat by beat, it just keeps getting more intense. Some people might want to look away, and that's okay. Just take a deep breath because it just goes full madness."

Tipping's film introduces Marlan Wayans, known for his comedic roles, in a terrifying avatar. He turns his legendary quarterback character into a dictatorial figure who seems less interested in teaching his pupil and more invested in squashing his ambitions. While speaking about playing this character with Complex, Wayans said,

“I was able to be unhinged because this movie was a journey of trust. I finally had a producing team, a director, and a cast that allowed me to be unhinged.”

Other than Marlan Wayans and Tyriq Winters, the HIM cast also includes Julia Fox, Tim Heidecker, Jim Jefferies, Maurice Greene, Naomi Grossman, Tierra Whack, and Guapdad 4000.