A new Stephen King adaptation has been described as ‘chaos’ and ‘demented’ ahead of its cinema release.
The Monkey, based on the short story by the ‘Master of Horror’, is directed by Osgood Perkins, who gave us satanic crime chiller Longlegs in 2024.
It stars James Bond hopeful Theo James in two roles, playing twins Bill and Hal who find their father’s old monkey toy in the attic, after which a series of gruesome deaths start.
It will be produced by James Wan, the mastermind behind the Saw and The Conjuring franchises.
The Monkey will be released in cinemas on February 21, but audiences at Beyond Fest were treated to an early screening of the ‘sadistic’ and ‘gory’ horror film.
Taking to social media, many emphasised just how wild a ride horror fans are in for.
‘Adored #TheMonkey. Oz Perkins has been one of the most exciting genre filmmakers since he started and his latest is about as good a time as you can have at the movies – funny, scary, poignant and so, so fun,’ DrewTailored posted on X.
‘A rare movie that can be compared to Gremlins in terms of giddy chaos.’
Matt Donato teased the gore in store for horror fans, dubbing The Monkey ‘one of the bloodiest films of the year.’
He wrote: ‘The Monkey (2025): “Midnight Movie” bliss. Oz Perkins ditches his signatures for a gallows comedy that explodes with gore. It’s so funny, it’s so bloody, and Perkins never takes his foot off the gas.
‘It’s early, but already predicting it’ll be one of the bloodiest movies of 2025.’
Isaac Feldberg said: ‘Death’s design as a cosmic joke, a killing machine that unleashes splatstick carnage and traumatizes everyone; cartoonishly bloody yet sincere about the inevitability of death and absurdity of processing chaos. Oz Perkins’ Final Destination, in a mournfully droll key.’
Courtney Howard praised Theo’s performance, writing: ‘Osgood Perkins’ #TheMonkey f****n’ cooks. It’s BANANAS! An outlandishly demented, coked-up ride. Slick, stylized & sadistic.
‘Gnarly, gleefully fresh kills & thrills – a la Rube Goldberg machines/ Final Destination-inspired demises. Theo James’ deadpan delivery impresses.’
Frederick Nuti echoed the same sentiment, saying: ‘We hit peak cinema with #TheMonkey! A f****d up, sadistic, chaotic bloodbath of fun!
‘A Final Destination-like movie that has some of the greatest kills I’ve ever seen. The creativity behind each kill is cleverly crafted and executed. Osgood blessed us with a masterpiece!’
Jake Hamilton added: ‘The Monkey is going to be one of those horror movies I watch over and over for the rest of my life.
‘Dark and brutal enough so that calling it a “horror comedy” feels wrong, but it’s also the hardest I’ve laughed in a movie theater in years. A new classic King adaption is born.’
Reyna Cervantes summarised: ‘The Monkey had me smiling ear to ear from start to end! Have you ever wanted Final Destination to lean into the screwball comedy aspects? Then does Oz Perkins have the movie for you!
‘Bloody mayhem, tons of heart, Theo James in a fantastic twin performance! I had a goddamn blast!’
Speaking ahead of the film’s release, Perkins opened up about the ‘extreme’ heights of comedy and gore he aimed for in The Monkey.
‘If you’re going for comedy then you’re going for extremes. Not subtlety,’ he told Empire.
‘We are guilty of putting far more blood in our human bodies than is really in a human body. When someone explodes in this movie — and a couple of people do — there’s a lot of mess.’
The Monkey is released in UK cinemas on February 21.
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