Marlon Wayans has long been a force to be reckoned with in the entertainment industry, largely because of his peculiar knack for comedy. Though his films have rarely been critically acclaimed, he’s a widely recognized and distinguished figure in the industry. Audiences have come to love and admire his distinctive style of comedy, the characters he has brought to life, and his larger-than-life stories.
However, his average score among critics on Rotten Tomatoes is roughly 32%. Most recently, Wayans’ movie Him only received a Rotten Tomatoes score of 31%. That raises an interesting question: why have audiences been craving a sixth Scary Movie so feverishly? It’s because Wayans holds a certain power over Hollywood – namely that he has become a master at creating cult classics.
Marlon Wayans’ Plea to Fans
Universal Pictures
After the recent release of his horror movie HIM, Wayans took to Instagram to address the negative reviews the film has since garnered, stating:
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.
Criticism of films has become increasingly intense, largely due to the influence of social media. Seemingly, audiences aren’t taking films at face value, i.e., a medium to simply enjoy. What was once a happy-go-lucky activity with friends has quickly evolved into a quest for deeper meaning and a search for potential plot holes in all films. Evidently, viewing films through a cynical lens is becoming increasingly common, and this trend is more apparent with the rise of social media. It’s this generation’s fatal flaw. Now, just about anyone with a movie ticket can hop online and share their thoughts, resulting in damaging audience/fan reviews and sometimes even affecting box-office earnings.
Fans who enjoy “bad” films often face backlash, which can push them to follow mainstream reviews and hop on the bandwagon of negativity. Wayans’ post is a public plea for viewers to challenge this new norm of movie-viewing and urges fans to see films for themselves. After all, any movie Wayans makes has a high potential of one day becoming a cult classic, despite the negative reviews.
Comedy and horror films have historically been resistant to negative critical reviews, especially in the long run. They’ve always been perceived as “low-brow” by critics, having been sparingly nominated for Oscars or similar awards, and are often dismissed in the film world. However, they’re the two genres that frequently earn the title of “cult classic” later in their tenure, and not even critics can diminish the current demand that’s on the rise.
Audiences Want “Bad” Movies Again
Dimension Films
Amid an onslaught of dramas, or films considered “revolutionary” and thought-provoking, general audiences are growing tired of every film being the “talk of the town,” so to speak. There’s an obvious craving for fun, original horror films, and recent box-office successes such as Sinners and Weapons are testaments to this.
Cult classics are films that audiences retroactively analyze and re-evaluate long after release. They’re ahead of their time, defying what’s popular and challenging the norms of their generation. What was once seen as outrageous to past viewers becomes turn-key and hilarious. There’s something about cult classics that’s incredibly comforting. It’s as if, once enough time has passed since a film’s release, a collective acceptance emerges that allows us all to appreciate its flaws, even more so with the rise in streaming.
Streaming has allowed for the emergence of newfound cult classics, such as Jennifer’s Body, as well as a resurgence of appreciation for films already considered cult classics, like the Scary Movie franchise. Discussions surrounding a Scary Movie reunion have been ongoing, and with the latest news of Anna Faris and Regina Hall making their Scary Movie return, fans are now more eager than ever for more cult classics to return, especially knowing it can be done.
All of this being said, while social media may aid in the rise of negativity within the film industry, there are, as with anything, positives. The demand for cult classics is primarily among younger generations, who yearn for the more authentic and unique content they grew up with. It certainly helps that this is also being fueled by endless clips of early 2000s movies on social media platforms, one of which is TikTok. Wayans’s cult classic 2004 comedy, White Chicks, has had numerous trending sounds over the years on the platform, fueling a yearning and chatter among fans for a sequel. So, while social media has in many ways complicated the process of new movies becoming cult classics, it has breathed new life into older ones. Could Him be the next Jennifer’s Body? Only time will tell. Him is playing in theaters now.
Release Date
September 18, 2025
Director
Justin Tipping
Writers
Justin Tipping, Zack Akers, Skip Bronkie
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Tyriq Withers
Benny Mathis
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Marlon Wayans
Connor Dane
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