Last year was a good year for horror filmmaker Osgood Perkins, who saw his serial killer pic “Longlegs” become a massive hit for NEON. In fact, after its theatrical run, it’s Perkins’ highest-grossing film ever, NEON’s highest-grossing film domestically, and the most successful independent film of 2024.
REA MORE: The 100 Most Anticipated Films Of 2025
A $127 million box office take off a budget of less than $10 million is nothing short of incredible, and Perkins and NEON hope to replicate those numbers with their next team-up, “The Monkey,” in theaters next month. And to drum up hype, NEON has a new trailer for the film. It’s another meticulously edited hype machine similar to the distributor’s “Longlegs” rollout that’s sure to put butts in seats.
Based on a Stephen King short story of the same name, “The Monkey” stars Theo James in what’s looks to be a black-humored tale of murder and mayhem, with a wind-up toy monkey at its center.
Here’s an official synopsis for ‘The Monkey,” courtesy of NEON:
When twin brothers Bill and Hal find their father’s old monkey toy in the attic, a series of deaths start. The siblings decide to throw the toy away and move on with their lives, growing apart over the years.
Along with James, Perkins’ latest also stars Tatiana Maslany, Elijah Wood, Christian Convery, Colin O’Brien, Rohan Campbell, and Sarah Levy.
Support independent movie journalism to keep it alive. Sign up for The Playlist Newsletter. All the content you want and, oh, right, it’s free.
Along with directing, Perkins adapts King’s short story for the big screen. James Wan leads producers via Atomic Monster. Other producers include Michael Clear, Dave Caplan, Brian Kavanaugh-Jones, and Chris Ferguson.
So will “The Monkey” be another smash hit for Osgood Perkins and NEON? The horror pic vies against “Captain America: Brave New World” on its opening weekend on February 21; a viable alternative for those done with the MCU, maybe? Check out the film’s new trailer below.