Jordan Peele’s production company Monkeypaw has taken a serious hit ahead of the theatrical release of HIM, Justin Tipping’s new horror movie that critics are calling a major flop. Despite months of hype and marketing that leaned heavily on Peele’s name and style, the film has opened to brutal reviews and a shocking 32% score on Rotten Tomatoes.
That’s very low for a movie tied to such a respected brand, and even Jordan Peele, who has given us masterpieces like Get Out. Now, it’s true that Peele is in no way associated with the script or direction of HIM, but the film’s critical reviews and RT score are pointing to trouble. Especially since critics slammed the movie as incoherent, atrocious, and disturbing.
Carla Hay of Culture Mix said,
Watching the atrocious horror movie Him is like being forced to watch someone’s wretched psychedelic fever dreams about making American professional football look demonic. This incoherent mess is embarrassing for all involved.
Bilge Ebiri of Vulture said,
The movie at times plays like a high-budget student film: It’s eager to impress us with technique. And it does, at least until we realize that there’s not much else going on.
Frank Scheck of THR noted,
Him certainly tries to be disturbing. Too hard, in fact.
Even early box office predictions from Variety suggest the film might witness merely $15M opening, far below expectations for a movie carry ing Jordan Peele’s branding. HIM
Jordan Peele’s Marketing Game is Stumbling Since $35M Film Monkey Man
It seems Jordan Peele has become one of the biggest names in modern horror for his directorial films like Get Out, Us, and Nope. Because otherwise, when it comes to the films he only writes and produces, his marketing game doesn’t seem to be as strong. That has become clear with films like Monkey Man, Candyman, and now HIM.
Monkey Man was an ambitious project that had action, emotion, and Dev Patel in the lead, which also got a theatrical release in India. Yet, the movie failed at the box office, earning barely $35M (via Box Office Mojo). While the script and themes didn’t sit well with audiences in India, the marketing overall proved to be a failure in terms of the global audience.
Jordan Peele’s team didn’t highlight Patel’s unique vision, and Universal struggled to create the same buzz Peele usually gets with his directed works. And it’s not just with Monkey Man. Prior to Dev Patel’s film, even the 2021 horror mystery Candyman, which was not only produced and marketed but also written by Peele, suffered the same fate.
The movie barely earned $77M at the worldwide box office, despite being a direct sequel to the 1992 cult classic by the same name. And now, with HIM, the same issue seems to be repeating itself. But considering how the posters, trailers, and ads highlighted Jordan Peele’s connection to the film, it’s now set to test his influence as a brand-name in Hollywood.
After all, Peele’s brand has power, but if every new film sold under his name fails to live up to the hype, people will stop buying into it. Candyman, Monkey Man, and now HIM are warning signs that Jordan Peele’s marketing strategy needs a serious rethink before more damage is done to his reputation.
Jordan Peele’s Brand Name Will Not Be Enough After Disappointing HIM Debut
Meanwhile, it makes sense why the marketing team for HIM majorly leaned on Jordan Peele’s producer credit, especially in light of his success as a horror filmmaker with Universal. Plus, the trailer for Justin Tipping’s film revealed how the film shares many traits with the horror movies that Peele directs, including a focus on Black characters.
But after all the hype surrounding HIM and Jordan Peele, if the film fails at the box office like his two previously produced movies, then his brand name might no longer be the same in the industry. After all, Peele’s image is already starting to crack under the weight of early reviews, leading the horror flick to score only 32% on Rotten Tomatoes.
Plus, based on the early box office predictions, it has also been suggested that HIM might open with a mere $15M. This whole thing matters because Jordan Peele has already faced two marketing flops in a row. So now, people are beginning to notice that not every movie connected to Peele is a hit. And when a film like HIM that’s leaning hard on his brand disappoints, it damages trust in his brand.
The table contains basic details on HIM:
However, Jordan Peele’s creative genius as a director is still intact. No one doubts his talent when he’s behind the camera, but producing is different. If Monkeypaw keeps putting out projects that don’t deliver, his name as a producer will soon lose value. At some point, Peele’s name alone won’t be enough to sell a movie.
Share your opinions on HIM. Will you watch it in theaters?
HIM will release in US theaters on September 19, 2025.