Summary
The Monkeysecures a 2025 release date.Stephen King’sThe Monkey, based on the author’s 1980 short story of the same name, follows twin brothers Hal and Bill as they discover a cursed toy monkey in their attic that causes the deaths of people in their community. The brothers throw the monkey away but must reunite when it begins to kill again.The Monkeyhails from director Osgood Perkins (Gretel and Hansel), and stars Theo James, Elijah Wood, and Tatiana Maslany, among others.
Neon now reveals thatThe Monkeywill release in theaters on August 03, 2025. NEON is also handling distribution forLonglegs, Perkins' other upcoming horror flick. With a release date now set for next February, it’s likely that a trailer for the King adaptation won’t arrive for some time.
How Will The Monkey Compare To Other Recent Stephen King Adaptations?
Some Recent King Movies Have Missed The Mark
The Monkeyalready has several positive factors working in its favor. For one, it features a strong cast, with James, especially, a star on the rise due to projects likeWhite LotusandThe Gentleman. Osgood’s involvement as director is also promising given the buzz around his upcoming movie,Longlegs. That film, which stars Nicolas Cage as a serial killer, has featured a stellar marketing campaign and has earned rave first reviews.
Osgood recently teased thatThe Monkeyis lighterand has more elements of comedy to it thanLonglegs.
The Monkey’s talent in front of and behind the camera suggests the film will be among the better King adaptations of the last few years, continuing a trend set by 2023’sThe Boogeyman.The Boogeymanreviewswere generally positive from critics, breaking an unfortunate trend that began in 2020. Before that film, movies likeMr. Harrigan’s Phone,Firestarter, andChildren of the Cornall failed to make much of an impact, as seen in the chart below.
60%
66%
45%
50%
10%
47%
Children of the Corn(2020)
12%
38%
While much of his written work remains beloved, it’s clear thatKing movie adaptationsdon’t always hit the same chord. There’s certainly reason to be optimistic aboutThe Monkey, however, and the film could cement Osgood as a Mike Flannagan-level filmmaker in the horror genre if it andLonglegsboth end up being successful. A trailer forThe Monkeymay not be arriving anytime soon, but, at the very least, the film now has a firm release date.
The Monkey
Cast
The Monkey is a horror film focused on twin brothers who encounter a mysterious wind-up monkey responsible for a series of tragic events within their family. Twenty-five years later, the estranged brothers are compelled to face the cursed toy once again as it resumes its deadly rampage.
