Osgood Perkins is venturing further into the horror genre with his upcoming project. The director of Longlegs is shifting focus from serial killers to an unsettling toy in The Monkey, a supernatural horror film inspired by a short story by Stephen King.
In the teaser for The Monkey, Theo James plays Hal and Bill, twin brothers who experience a nightmarish string of deaths after they find their father’s old toy monkey tucked away in the attic. The brothers decide to part ways after getting rid of the monkey, hoping to leave the terror behind. However, when the horrifying events resurface, they are forced to reunite and confront the malevolent toy once and for all.
In addition to James, the film features a talented cast including Tatiana Maslany, Elijah Wood, Colin O’Brien, Rohan Campbell, and Sarah Levy. Christian Convery portrays the younger versions of Hal and Bill.
Perkins takes on writing and directing duties for The Monkey, which is based on King’s 1980 short story of the same name. Renowned horror filmmaker James Wan, known for creating Saw and The Conjuring, produces the film alongside Michael Clear, Dave Caplan, Brian Kavanaugh-Jones, and Chris Ferguson.
Perkins and the studio Neon are riding the wave of success following Longlegs, a thriller featuring Nicolas Cage and Maika Monroe. Released in July, Longlegs exceeded box office expectations with a remarkable opening weekend of $22.4 million in the U.S. It became Neon’s biggest hit to date, grossing $108 million globally on a budget of under $10 million.
While both Longlegs and The Monkey fit in the horror category, Perkins emphasizes that their tones are quite different. He describes The Monkey as more akin to the atmospheres of Misery, Creepshow, Gremlins, and An American Werewolf in London.
“In my view, if you’re going to make a film centered around a toy monkey, you can approach it seriously,” Perkins remarked in an interview. “However, much of King’s work carries a sense of humor and nostalgia. We aimed to create a film reminiscent of late ’80s to ’90s cinema. Imagine if Robert Zemeckis infused a bit of whimsy and psychedelia into a Stephen King tale about a monkey toy.”
The Monkey is set to hit theaters on February 21, 2025.
