When it comes to modern horror, few (if any) names command as much respect as that of Jordan Peele. From his breakout debut feature “Get Out” to his big, bold take on aliens with “Nope,” he has earned the respect of audiences everywhere. That’s as a director, though. While we wait for Peele’s untitled fourth film with him in the director’s chair, he’s busy producing more horror features for Universal Pictures. That brings us to “Him.” Directed by Justin Tipping (“Joe vs. Carole”), the studio is very much hoping Peele’s good name can help make this one a hit.
“Him,” a horror film unfolding in the world of professional football, is set to hit theaters on September 19 as the fall season continues to unfold. As of this writing, it’s expected to pull in between $17 and $27 million domestically on opening weekend, per Box Office Theory. It’s opening against Colin Farrell and Margot Robbie’s “A Big Bold Beautiful Journey,” which is expected to pull in between $5 and $10 million, so that won’t exactly be a contender for the top spot. Also arriving that weekend is “The Senior,” a very different football movie, from Angel Studios. Again, not a direct threat.
If it arrives at the higher end of current projections, Universal can probably call this one a win. It would be more or less in the same range as director Nia DaCosta’s “Candyman” ($22 million opening/$77 million worldwide), which Peele also produced. The studio timed the release around the NFL season, which makes sense. It’s also arriving in theaters in time for the spooky season lead-up to Halloween. If all goes well, it could/should hang around for several weeks as folks get into the spirit of the season.
As always, this all comes down to return on investment. While the budget has yet to be revealed, Peele’s Monkeypaw Productions and Universal have generally kept things reasonable. “Candyman” cost $25 million before marketing. They also rescued Dev Patel’s “Monkey Man” from Netflix for less than $10 million. An over/under $30 million budget seems likely here.
Him is relying on Jordan Peele’s good name to drum up interest
The film centers on Cameron Cade (Tyriq Withers), a rising-star quarterback who is attacked by an unhinged fan and suffers a potentially career-ending brain injury on the day before pro football’s annual scouting Combine. His hero and legendary quarterback Isaiah White (Marlon Wayans) offers to train Cam at an isolated compound that he shares with his celebrity influencer wife, Elsie White (Julia Fox). As Cam’s training accelerates, he falls down a rabbit hole that is far more than he ever bargained for.
To be very clear, this is Tipping’s movie. He not only directed it, but co-wrote it as well. But Universal has made sure that Peele’s name is front and center in the trailers and on the posters. Understandably so. The studio is very much hoping his good name can help sell this to audiences who can be hesitant to show up for original movies these days.
While the NFL isn’t directly associated with the film, there is a rabid football fan base out there. Coupled with the horror faithful, that could mean a large potential audience for this one. Even though the summer box office was disappointing this year, horror was a bright spot. “28 Years Later,” “Final Destination Bloodlines,” and “Weapons” were all huge hits. Not to mention “Sinners” from earlier this year. Plus, “The Conjuring: Last Rites” just set a new record with a $194 million global debut.
Competition may be an issue, with the new “Demon Slayer” movie, “The Long Walk,” and “Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale” all arriving this weekend. “One Battle After Another” and “The Strangers: Chapter 2” are just around the corner on September 26. Still, if reviews are strong and buzz is good, the numbers suggest that this movie can absolutely keep horror’s hot streak at the box office alive.
“Him” hits theaters on September 19, 2025.
