Louis Theroux has built a long career exploring some of the most unusual and controversial belief systems around the world. Over the years he has immersed himself in communities ranging from the Westboro Baptist Church to Zionist settlers in the West Bank, examining extreme ideologies and the people who promote them.
In his latest documentary, Inside the Manosphere, Theroux turns his attention to the influential figures shaping a growing online subculture centred on masculinity and gender dynamics.
The film explores the so-called “Red Pill” movement, an online ideology that has gained traction in recent years, particularly among younger male audiences. Critics argue that parts of this movement promote rigid and highly adversarial views of gender roles.
Through interviews and on-the-ground reporting, Theroux examines how these ideas are being shared and amplified across social media.
Among the personalities featured in the documentary are Harrison Sullivan (HSTikkyTokky), Myron Gaines, Justin Waller and Sneako, alongside archival clips of their followers and the widely known Tate brothers. Together, they present a range of controversial opinions about relationships, masculinity and power.
Theroux’s film explores how these online voices are shaping conversations far beyond the internet, highlighting the real-world influence of a digital ecosystem that continues to grow. The documentary raises several key themes and questions about the movement and its impact. Here are some of the main takeaways.
One recurring theme in the documentary is how some figures within the manosphere define male value in terms of success, wealth and influence.
During one scene filmed in Miami, two young fans of Justin Waller discuss their interpretation of these ideas with Waller and Louis Theroux. They explain that, in their view, men are expected to build value through achievements such as financial success, social status and personal discipline.
The conversation contrasts this with their belief that women are often valued primarily for appearance within these online discussions. One of the young men summarises the perspective by saying “men aren’t supposed to be happy,” suggesting that hardship and sacrifice are considered part of male development in some of these communities.
Theroux uses exchanges like this to explore how these ideas are interpreted by followers and how they shape expectations about masculinity and success.
Of course, this mindset disregards any type of mental health consideration, encouraging young men to push feelings down as to not appear 'weak' or 'feminine.
This begs the question - what is the end goal of the manosphere?
In the final section of the documentary, Theroux speaks with online creator Sneako, who openly describes himself as both a Donald Trump supporter and a conspiracy theorist.
Sneako discusses a range of theories about global power structures and the influence of elites. During the conversation, he also repeats claims suggesting that Jewish people hold disproportionate control over global systems — statements widely recognised as antisemitic conspiracy narratives.
He also believes that 'satanists rule the world.' Towards the end of the documentary, Theroux digs into how anti-semetic all of the men he interviewed are, until he gets to Sneako. That's when the young content creator goes even deeper in the matter, revealing that he believes female celebrities are satanists, hence their 'short skirts,' and that the end is near.
Theroux places these remarks within a broader context by including archival clips from other figures associated with the online space, including the Tate brothers and Harrison Sullivan, which show similar rhetoric circulating across different platforms.
The documentary presents this material as an example of how conspiracy-based explanations sometimes intersect with discussions within the manosphere.
Another key theme highlighted in the film is the role of attention and online engagement.
Theroux documents several moments where influencers create deliberately provocative content designed to attract views and viral clips.
In one scene, Harrison Sullivan (HSTikkyTokky) describes the strategy as “clip farming”, referring to creating short, controversial moments intended to circulate widely on social media.
The documentary suggests that, in the online economy, attention functions as a form of currency, with higher engagement leading to larger audiences, monetisation opportunities and greater influence.
At various points in the documentary, they are shown displaying violent behaviour against members of the public that is used for online fodder, knowing that the more extreme you are, the greater chance of garnering a large amount of viewers.
In a digital world where attention is a currency, the men Theroux speaks to are willing to find any way they can to draw more eyes towards them. Even if it means spreading violent and hateful sentiments to impressionable minds, even if it means echoing fascist viewpoints, even if it means acts of physical violence – attention is the bottom line.
The documentary also examines how some influencers discuss pornography and adult content.
In one exchange, Harrison Sullivan describes pornography as “disgusting” and “loser shit.” However, Theroux notes that Sullivan also runs a business that manages OnlyFans creators, prompting discussion about the apparent tension between his public views and his business activities.
Elsewhere, the film shows how adult content creators frequently appear on podcasts linked to the manosphere, particularly on the Fresh & Fit podcast, hosted by Myron Gaines.
One of the men Theroux talked to gets violent when talking about potential future children, saying that if his son were to be gay he would disown him, 'or worse'... He then extends his statement to his future daughter, saying that if she was ever a sexworker she would get disowned too.
During these segments, creators are often invited to discuss relationships, dating expectations and lifestyle topics in front of a predominantly male audience. Theroux presents these interactions as part of a broader conversation about how women are portrayed and discussed within the space.
Reaction to Inside the Manosphere has been mixed among critics.
Writing in The Telegraph, critic Benji Wilson said the documentary was unsettling to watch as a parent of teenage boys, writing: “As a father of teenage boys, Louis Theroux's film had me quivering behind the sofa. I was gobsmacked and appalled by the extent to which this regressive spiral has been packaged and sold via international tech platforms that should know better. The appeal of the manosphere to insecure, damaged men shows no sign of waning.”
Other reviewers felt the documentary could have explored the subject more deeply. The Guardian's Lucy Mangan argued that while Theroux adopted a more direct approach than in some previous films, the programme gave limited attention to the broader consequences of online misogyny, writing: “It’s refreshing to see him dial down the ignorant-ingenue approach and go harder than usual. But there is too little examination of how online misogyny affects those who didn’t choose to be part of it. Why doesn’t he focus more on the impact on women?”
Together, the responses reflect the broader debate surrounding both the influence of the manosphere and how best to examine it.
The reality of gender-based violence echoes directly the rise in popularity of this Manosphere.
In Ireland, reports of violent crimes against women increased by 54% between 2016 and 2023, rising from 6,390 reports to 9,876 involving offences such as assault, harassment and attempted murder.
Women’s Aid recorded 46,765 disclosures of domestic abuse in 2024, the highest in the organisation’s history. This represented a 17% increase in disclosures compared with the previous year.
Support services are also seeing increased demand. A national charity assisting women affected by prostitution and trafficking reported a 75% rise in people accessing its services in 2024.
While Inside The Manosphere is a pretty chilling watch, it begs many important questions we must ask ourselves as a society.
Where did the Red Pill community stem from? What role has social media played in the increasing popularity of such a community? How come major platforms, that have virtually infinite financial resources, are not censuring these offensive theories that have been proven to have real-life implications? How can parents protect their childen from such degrading online content? How can we help men and boys stuck in the 'Red Pill' mindset? How can we help women victims of gender-based violence?
