The epic horror-sports drama, produced by Jordan Peele, Him, is here—and fans are enjoying the nerve-rending story of the dark side of football. The film centers on a generational college quarterback, Cameron Cade (Tyriq Withers), who is lured into something dark and grueling surrounding the retired legend Isaiah White (Marlon Wayans).
For those who were hooked by the unsettling film, Him, it’s likely they’re searching to fill the new void with equally compelling sports dramas worth watching. Incredible movies like Black Swan, which delivers the physical and mental toll of ballet, and Friday Night Lights, which delivers a story of small town obsessions and the crushing burdens placed on teen athletes, are just two brilliant, equally captivating watches that would be great for fans of Him. Compiled on this list are sports drama favorites that, like Him, offer powerful stories that delve deep into themes of sacrifice, ambition, and a love of sport.
1
‘Million Dollar Baby’ (2004)
This Oscar-winning boxing drama is one that goes from a story of the ultimate triumph to an exploration of love, sacrifice, and the question of mercy. Million Dollar Baby follows a 31-year-old waitress from Missouri, Maggie Fitzgerald (Hilary Swank), who has a dream of becoming a professional boxer.
Million Dollar Baby is a classic underdog tale that sadly turns into a tragedy unlike any other. While Him is a horror film, and Million Dollar Baby is a high drama, the two films share unique and devastating moments. Just as Him hints at the realities of football’s physical carnage, Million Dollar Baby explores physical helplessness and the potent loss of dignity. Additionally, the two movies share a mentor-protégé bond, and while one is quite sinister and the other exceptionally loving, both relationships highlight the deep influence coaches have on their athletes’ fate, making Million Dollar Baby a must-see for those who enjoyed Him.
2
‘The Novice’ (2021)
The Novice is quite a recent movie and stands as an underrated indie gem. The film centers around college freshman, Alex Dall (Isabelle Fuhrman), who joins her university’s novice rowing team and becomes obsessed with making the varsity boat at all costs.
The Novice is a bold look at obsession, delivering a story that shows the pursuit of athletic excellence as a kind of self-inflicted horror. The indie film is basically Him, but without the slightly supernatural edge to it. Those who enjoyed Him will likely immediately recognize the parallels between the two films as they both share protagonists who push themselves to the extreme in acts of self-punishment. The two films also share a kind of relentless and horrific tension that is not often seen in sports movies, which keeps viewers on the edge of their seats. With The Novice‘s focus on the horrors of a driven athlete, it’s a definite good time for those who appreciated the movie Him.
3
‘Black Swan’ (2010)
This dark psychological drama captures the world of professional ballet, and like any sport, it comes with trials—trials that Black Swan delivers with a haunting intensity. The movie follows sheltered, perfectionist ballerina, Nina Sayers (Natalie Portman), who, while living in New York City, lands the leading role in Swan Lake.
Black Swan may not feature a sport very similar to football, but it does capture a performer’s intense drive that leads to a sacrifice of the body and mind. The movie deeply resonates with many of Him’s themes of sport and psychological horror—serving as the ballet equivalent of the trials witnessed in Him. Both films hauntingly straddle the line between nightmare and reality, using a competitive and trying environment as a stage to showcase the horrors found in real-life sports. For any fans of Him who adore its psychological intensity, they are sure to be mesmerized by Black Swan‘s haunting experience.
4
‘Foxcatcher’ (2014)
Foxcatcher is a haunting true story that paints a picture of manipulation, ambition, and a heavy toll that inevitably leads to madness, guised in sports glory and patriotism. The film centers on the ultimately unfortunate relationship between Olympic wrestling champion Mark Schultz (Channing Tatum) and eccentric multimillionaire John du Pont (Steve Carell).
Spiritually, Foxcatcher wields the same essence of horror that the film Him has. Both stories feature a lured young talent who is hypnotized by a charismatic but dangerous mentor figure. Both show the mentee, secluded in their training, with a hope that the promise of greatness is real—only to realize, far too late, that they are trapped in a gilded cage. Like Him, Foxcatcher also delves into the theme of identity erasure, showcasing its protagonist being molded and consumed by someone who is hopelessly delusional. Though it may not be a traditional sports movie, Foxcatcher’s moody atmospheric style mirrors Him‘s slow-building horror and psychological complexity, which fans of the horror film are sure to adore.
5
‘Concussion’ (2015)
This biographical drama is set in the early 2000s and delivers the true story of Dr. Bennet Omalu (Will Smith), the Nigerian-American forensic pathologist who identified Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) in former football players.
Concussion grounds some of the horror scenes seen in Him, into a brutal reality. Concussion has a factual backbone on the toll of football injuries, providing a non-fiction version of Him‘s terrible nightmare. At the heart of the intense movie Him lies the question: Is the entertainment of football worth the cost of young men’s minds and lives? Concussion excellently highlights the same question, before answering with outrage and hard science. For anyone who appreciated the horrors seen in Him, this powerful drama stands as a fantastic watching experience that exposes the real-life consequences of a game too often glorified, even at its players’ expense.
6
‘The Program’ (1993)
The Program is a behind-the-scenes glimpse of the fictional Division I college football team, the ESU Timberwolves. The film follows several players from different backgrounds, each doing their best to cope with the pressures of playing football in different ways.
While dramatizing how a prestigious college team can become a powder keg of ethical compromises, The Program also exposes the moral shortcuts that push both players and coaches to extremes. Within the intriguing horror film, Him, there is a troubled player forced under extreme pressure in the name of fame and glory, and The Program only confirms that there is often a personal cost to success. The excellent drama brilliantly reveals the dark underbelly of ambition, delivering a story that doesn’t offer easy redemption, and stands as the perfect watch for those who enjoyed Him‘s darker tone.
7
‘Varsity Blues’ (1999)
This coming-of-age sports drama masterfully blends drama with high-energy game sequences. Set in a football-obsessed small town in Texas, Varsity Blues centers around the West Canaan High Coyotes and their players’ struggle dealing with a controlling coach.
Varsity Blues may not carry the high-intensity horror that Him does, standing instead as a more youthful, humorous watch, but it does condemn the same toxic win-or-die culture seen within football. Seen in Him is a protagonist who is an ambitious generational talent, and within Varsity Blues, the film highlights the pressures of living up to such expectations and weighted titles. The youthful drama may have its heartthrob moments, but for fans who liked Him, Varsity Blues is a raw and enjoyable watch that dives into the dangers of pressure, the cost of winning, and the reckless choices made in the name of glory.
8
‘Friday Night Lights’ (2004)
Friday Night Lights is an acclaimed drama based on H.G. Bissinger’s non-fiction book and features a post-rock soundtrack and a cinéma-vérité style. The movie chronicles a season with a powerhouse Texas high school football team, the 1988 Permian High Panthers.
While sharing Him‘s fascination with the intense psychological pressure that young athletes face, Friday Night Lights also asks the daunting question of what happens when the thing that defines you is taken away. The sports drama may not be a horror movie like Him, but it’s equally thrillingly tense and bleak. Both films deconstruct the myth of sports heroes, assuring fans of Him, an enjoyable watching experience that showcases the heavy price on the body and soul of “champions.”
9
‘North Dallas Forty’ (1979)
This darkly comic drama is based on ex-player Peter Gent’s novel, and isn’t shy about tackling topics of womanizing, rampant drug use, and the harsh corporate mentality behind the sport’s great camaraderie. North Dallas Forty centers around a battered wide receiver for the fictional North Dallas Bulls, Phil Elliott (Nick Nolte), as he faces the brutal price of the game.
Much like the intense horror film, Him, North Dallas Forty delivers a story on the “genuine meat grinder” that is sometimes football. After its debut in the ’70s, North Dallas Forty became a revolutionary watch due to its portrayal of players as broken commodities meant to be exploited. Both films feature mentors using their power and hero worship to lure players into danger with the offer of achievement. For fans who found the realities of Him‘s depiction of athletes being poked, prodded, and scrutinized compelling, are sure to be captivated by North Dallas Forty, showing that even after so many years, not much has changed.
10
‘Any Given Sunday’ (1999)
Any Given Sunday strips away the glamour of football, revealing the behind-the-scenes truth of the life and death struggle of modern-day gladiators and those who lead the charge in professional football. The movie follows young third-string quarterback Willie Beamen (Jamie Foxx) and the battle-worn coach of the Miami Sharks, Tony D’Amato (Al Pacino).
Much like Him, Any Given Sunday reveals the brutal business of football. Both films wield that win-at-all-costs energy, and, in Him‘s case, the mantra of “no guts, no glory” is transformed into a terrible reality, revealing the cost of ambition. While Him questions a superstar’s unchecked power, Any Given Sunday offers viewers a quick reminder that even legends are one hit away from losing it all. For its unflinching honesty about substance abuse and the dehumanizing side of an elite sport like football, Any Given Sunday is sure to engage fans of Him, as it mirrors much of the story’s horror-infused realities of the game.
