A Deal With the Devil?

The HIM teaser trailer has hit the internet! Jordan Peele’s mysterious latest project is about a football player who is obsessed with being elite. He’ll do anything to achieve success, but his ambitions make him the target of dark supernatural forces.

As with most teasers, this one doesn’t reveal many plot specifics. Tyriq Withers plays Cameron, a rising star who is mentored by Isaiah, an aging elite quarterback portrayed by Marlon Wayans.

There aren’t many football horror movies. There are plenty of scary flicks about cheerleaders, but few that focus on the players. The Faculty (1998) is one of the few examples. Football and horror is a combination of my favorite sport and favorite genre, so I welcome it.

In fact, it’s relatively rare for horror movies to focus on *any* sport. Graduation Day, a 1981 slasher about a girls track team, is one that comes to mind. There’s also the gruesome gymnastics sequence in Final Destination 5 (2011).

I’m not sure why sports horror is so rare. Competitive athletics has plenty of horror potential. HIM has an opportunity to give us something fresh.

Quick Takes on the HIM Teaser Trailer

0:00-0:40 – The beginning does a great job imitating the look and feel of one of those “inspirational” commercials. If I didn’t know better, I would think this was an advertisement for an athletic shoe or sports drink.

It starts with a motivational message but quickly gets toxic, with the voiceover declaring that the only way to become elite is to have “no sleep” and “no days off”. This is insane and impossible, but I’m sure that’s the point.

0:50-0:56 – “What am I willing to sacrifice?” A mysterious costumed figure stands behind Cameron and brings his weapon down toward him. My guess is that Isaiah made a deal with the Devil (or some other evil supernatural force) in exchange for stardom. If so, is he encouraging his protege to do the same, or warning him against it?

1:01-1:04 – A mysterious figure in a cowboy costume standing in a field. This is one of the many bizarre and possibly demonic images in the trailer.

This reminds me a little of bit of the cowboy characters in Nope, except what this figure is wearing appears to be a cheap outfit from a costume shop, not real cowboy attire. No idea what this has to do with the plot, but I find it intriguing.

1:07-1:11 – Cameron at a night club with a group of guys, including a man wearing a mask that resembles an old fashioned leather football helmet. Are these guys the secret to Isaiah’s success? Maybe they won’t take his soul if he gives them Cameron?

The trailer gives an eerie, intense vibe. This could be one of the year’s creepiest horror movies. HIM will tackle theaters on September 19th, 2025, just in time for the new NFL season. It’s produced by Peele and directed by Justin Tipping.

Here’s the HIM teaser trailer: