Marlon Wayans Reveals Why His Horror Film HIM Changed His Career Outlook

by

While actor and comedian Marlon Wayans is famous for the Scary Movie series, he believes his newest film-a horror comedy-is the one that really shifted his career path. Wayans currently stars in , which was released in theaters in September 2025 and received a varied response from both viewers and critics.

In a recent interview with Total Film, Wayans discussed his desire to pursue more challenging and dramatic roles after primarily working in comedy throughout his career. Despite being produced by Academy Award winner Jordan Peele, Him only earned $21.5 million in theaters. The film received a 68% score on Rotten Tomatoes and a 58% audience score. Wayans shared with the publication that he is “desperate” to take on “heavier” roles as he continues his career, even though the movie isn’t performing well in cinemas.

Marlon Wayans plays Isaiah White, a former quarterback for the San Antonia Saviors in Him. The film centers on Isaiah’s difficulties as he prepares to retire from football. Meanwhile, promising young player Cameron Cade (Tyriq Withers) faces setbacks during the draft. Isaiah decides to mentor Cameron, offering him a chance to train with him at his secluded estate. But as Isaiah battles his own insecurities, the situation quickly becomes challenging and unsettling.

The White Chicks star shared his enthusiasm for what’s next in his career, following Him. “I’m not finished yet. I’ve been working for a long time, and people haven’t seen what I’m truly capable of. I haven’t had the chance,” Wayans explained. “I still feel like I can play the main character. This is the part of my career where I can be like Denzel [Washington], Tom Cruise, or Will Smith… You get that chance to really showcase your talent, and I saw this as my opportunity to do just that.”

Wayans is Desparate for Heavy Roles

As Marlon Wayans was saying, it’s about being able to handle the big stuff. He put it perfectly: What do you *do* with someone who’s capable of anything? They just *do* everything! It’s not about little roles or tasks; I want something substantial, something that really challenges me. I need a heavy load, something I can truly carry. Let me prove myself – I’m strong enough, and I won’t buckle under the pressure. I’ve got this!

“I’ve dedicated my life to getting ready for whatever comes next, and often had to *make* those opportunities happen. It’s great that someone finally presented me with this role,” Wayans explained, referring to his part in Him. He also spoke highly of the film’s director, Justin Tipping, who collaborated with Skip Bronkie and Zack Akers on the screenplay.

He went on to say, “I was shocked – ‘You’re just giving this to me? I don’t even need to find my own food?’ But even so, I still wanted to go out and provide, and it felt like a fresh start. It was a declaration of intent. I really wanted to give the best performance of my life in this movie, and I approached it with a ‘GOAT’ mentality. I thought, ‘That’s the level I want to reach – I want to go after it with everything I have.’ And I was like, ‘That’s how I want to perform in this film. I want to, I want to go get it in a desperate fashion.”

Him is currently playing in movie theaters.

Read More

2025-10-01 17:36