The film stars Tyriq Withers (I Know What You Did Last Summer) as young American football quarterback Cameron ‘Cam’ Cade, who is invited to train with his idol – legendary quarterback Isaiah White (Marlon Wayans) – as he attempts to recover from a potentially career-ending injury.
What seems like a great opportunity soon develops into something very dark, with the film going to some pretty bonkers places as Cam is put through a series of increasingly tough tests and it becomes clear that there are sinister forces at play.
It all culminates in a shocking reveal that Cam could achieve footballing immortality in return for drinking Isaiah’s blood – as part of a longstanding ritual that sees the skills of the best players of all time passed down to the next in line through this rather unorthodox means.
When he realises he must take part in a fight to the death with Isaiah to claim the GOAT (Greatest of All Time) status and continues this lineage, Cam understandably baulks at the prospect, before going on a rampage that sees him kill a number of people and refusing to sign the contact that would make him the next GOAT.
It’s pretty explosive stuff, but according to director Justin Tipping, he shot several versions of the ending before deciding which one to go for. And although he said they’re all “the same movie in essence” when it comes to themes and messaging, at one point there was the possibility of going in a very different direction.
“I mean, there’s a version where in the Faustian deal he says, yes,” he explained in an exclusive interview with RadioTimes.com. “Totally different movie.
“And there’s something about us collectively landing on this version that felt more darkly hopeful or cathartic and fun and f**ked up – which was kind of in step with ‘here’s this fancy professional league, here’s all the things that come with the seduction of players into a league in spite of maybe their own health.'”
Still, there’s one ending which star Marlon Wayans is looking forward to showing the world in due course.
“I can’t wait for the alternate ending,” he said. “I still say I love the way it ended, but there’s this little Easter egg that we have that you’ll get when it gets to streaming. And you know, that’s my favourite ending, because it does it all… I’m not going to give anything away.”
“I think that’s the cool thing about making movies,” added Tyriq Withers. “I think it’s all a creative process, and it’s a group of filmmakers coming together to tell a story. And the beautiful thing about a story is it can end a thousand different ways. And this is what we landed on.
“It was exciting – because you film it and you just don’t know what you’re gonna get until you’re in a screening room and you get to watch it.”
Him is now showing in UK cinemas.
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