If you’d told someone ten years ago that the guy from White Chicks and the guy from Key & Peele would be the duo defining modern psychological horror, they’d have laughed in your face. Honestly. It sounds like a sketch. But here we are in 2026, and the conversation surrounding jordan peele marlon wayans hasn't slowed down a bit since their movie HIM hit theaters last fall.
It was a weird one.
The movie, originally titled GOAT, dropped in September 2025 under Peele’s Monkeypaw Productions banner. It wasn't the box office smash everyone expected. It didn't get the universal praise Get Out did. But that’s exactly why we need to talk about it. When you put a pioneer like Jordan Peele in a room—even just as a producer—with a wild card like Marlon Wayans, you don’t get a "normal" movie. You get something that makes people angry, confused, and eventually, obsessed.
The Jordan Peele Marlon Wayans Connection: Breaking the Comedy Curse
Most people forget that both these guys started in the exact same trenches. Sketch comedy. Wayans was the physical powerhouse of In Living Color, and Peele was the chameleon of MADtv. They both spent decades being told they were "just" funny.
When Jordan Peele moved into horror, he opened a door. Marlon Wayans didn't just walk through it; he kicked it down. In HIM, Wayans plays Isaiah White, an aging, legendary quarterback who is basically the Tom Brady of a nightmare dimension. He’s charismatic. He’s terrifying. He’s... kind of a cult leader?
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The performance is a career-best. Seriously. Critics were mean to the movie—it sat at a rough 28% on Rotten Tomatoes for a while—but they almost all agreed that Wayans was electric. He brought this "unsettling mentor" energy that felt way too real. You’ve probably seen the clips of him screaming about sacrifice in a pentagram on a football field. It’s a lot.
Why "HIM" Divided Everyone
The plot is basically Whiplash meets Rosemary’s Baby. A young QB named Cameron Cade (played by Tyriq Withers) gets a career-ending brain injury and goes to Isaiah’s isolated compound to "heal."
Spoiler: No one is healing.
People hated the ending. They called it "disjointed" and "cartoonish." But if you look at the jordan peele marlon wayans collaboration through the lens of their comedy roots, the absurdity makes sense. They aren't trying to give you a tidy, Blumhouse-style jump scare. They’re poking at the American obsession with greatness.
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- The Sacrifice: The movie asks what you'd give up to be the Greatest of All Time.
- The Twist: There are rumors of an alternate ending where the "soul transfer" theory is much more literal.
- The Vibe: It’s sweaty, violent, and deeply uncomfortable.
Marlon Wayans actually went on Instagram to defend the film, saying some movies are just "ahead of the curve." He compared the initial hate to the way people treated White Chicks or Scary Movie back in the day. He’s got a point. Culture usually takes a minute to catch up when a comedian does something genuinely dark.
Is This the Future of Monkeypaw?
Jordan Peele is in a weird spot right now. His fourth directorial effort was recently pulled from the 2026 schedule. He’s taking his time. In the meantime, his work as a producer on projects like HIM shows he’s interested in elevating other Black voices in the genre, like director Justin Tipping.
Working with Wayans was a smart move, even if the box office ($28 million) was modest. It proved that Monkeypaw isn't just a "Peele-only" brand. It’s a laboratory.
You’ve got to respect the hustle. Wayans took a massive risk here. He could have just made A Haunted House 3 and collected a paycheck. Instead, he worked with Peele to create a character that actually haunts you. Isaiah White isn't a ghost; he's a man who has lost his mind to the pursuit of a legacy. That’s way scarier than a jump scare.
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What You Should Do Next
If you skipped HIM because of the bad reviews, go back and watch it with the lights off. Don't look for a traditional horror movie. Look at it as a character study of an ego.
- Watch for the subtle stuff: The way Wayans uses his physical comedy training to make his movements just slightly too fast or too still.
- Check the background: There are tons of "Monkeypaw" Easter eggs hidden in the compound scenes.
- Listen to the score: Bobby Krlic (who did Midsommar) makes the sound of a football helmet hitting the turf sound like a death knell.
The jordan peele marlon wayans partnership might be the most underrated thing to happen to movies in the last two years. It’s messy, it’s loud, and it’s unapologetically Black.
Stop waiting for the "next Get Out." It’s not coming. Peele is moving into weirder territory, and bringing guys like Marlon Wayans along for the ride is the best thing that could happen to the genre. Go find the Blu-ray or catch it on VOD. See if Isaiah White doesn't make you want to stay off the field for good.