Things aren’t looking pretty over at Jordan Peele’s Monkeypaw Productions. The studio’s latest outing, Him, stumbled into theatres with a projected $10–12 million opening, and critics have been sharpening their knives ever since. The film’s audience reception hasn’t been any kinder. A C- CinemaScore, a 58% user rating on Rotten Tomatoes, and a limp 5.5/10 on IMDb tell the story. Usually, general audiences cut movies a little more slack than critics, but this time they’re marching in step. But Marlon Wayans, who stars in Him, isn’t having any of it.
Just yesterday, Wayans hopped on Threads to remind everyone that critics aren’t the be-all and end-all of cinema. “Just to be clear… I respect critics. Their job is to Critique. I respect their work. It shapes our industry. But an opinion does not always mean it’s everyone’s opinion. Some movies are ahead of the curve. Innovation is not always embraced and art is to be interpreted and it’s subjective. I’ve had a career of making classic movies that weren’t critically recieved and those movies went on to be CLASSICS. So don’t take anyone’s opinion just go see for yourself. Love to all. Him in theaters now,” he wrote.
He’s not wrong that some of his comedies, which include White Chicks, Scary Movie, A Haunted House, and Don’t Be a Menace, were panned on release before finding loyal fans. The problem is Him isn’t exactly a hidden gem waiting to be discovered… nor is it a comedy. It’s messy, it’s confusing, and it’s weird in a way that doesn’t always land. For a movie that clocks in at just 96 minutes, it feels longer, with plot holes so big you’d think the writers had never actually watched a football game.
In some ways, Him nails professional football better than anything that’s come before it. The insider knowledge is there, but then it takes wild turns that make you wonder how NBCUniversal, an actual broadcast partner of the NFL, gave this the green light. Walking out of the theater, you’re less shocked by the ending and more stunned that a studio with such close NFL ties thought this was a good idea.
Peele’s reputation as one of Hollywood’s most daring voices in horror is on shaky ground. His first three films (Get Out, Us, and Nope) were critical and box office hits, but his role here as producer rather than director raises questions about Monkeypaw’s future. The recent layoffs at his company only amplify the concern. What’s worse, Peele’s next directorial project, his highly anticipated fourth feature, was just yanked from Universal’s 2026 release schedule. The script isn’t even finished yet.
So while Marlon Wayans is urging people to “see for yourself,” audiences already have. And the response suggests Peele needs to get back in the director’s chair sooner rather than later if he wants to steady the ship. Right now, Him feels like the kind of fumble that can cost a team the game.
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